MovieDate — The Hunger Games
Songbird or Snake? Before the Capitol became an empire, it was a city trying to find its footing. In this MovieDate, we follow an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow as he’s tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray Baird. This isn't a story about the arena; it’s a story about The Choice of Influence. We’re using this film to look at how ambition, showmanship, and the pressure to succeed can shape who we become. It’s a deep dive into the mirrors we hold up to ourselves: are we acting for the good of the "village," or are we just trying to win?
The MovieDate Experience:
The Mentor’s Dilemma: A pre-movie huddle on Snow’s assignment. We’ll talk about what it means to be responsible for someone else’s success (like a mentor in a club) and the stakes of that trust.
The "Showmanship" Study: Analyzing how Lucy Gray and Snow use performance and charm to survive. We’ll discuss the power of "narrative"—how the stories we tell about ourselves affect how the world treats us.
The "Songbird vs. Snake" Debrief: A post-credits discussion on the turning points. At what moment does a leader stop being a protector and start being a predator? We’ll look at the small choices that lead to big character shifts.
What this MovieDate Builds:
Critical Thinking: Learning to see behind the "show" and understand the motives of characters and leaders.
Self-Reflection: Encouraging students to check their own "compass" when they are in positions of power or competition.
Character Discernment: Understanding that true leadership is defined by what you do when the cameras aren't rolling.
Who It’s For:
The Aspiring Leaders: Those moving into mentorship or "senior" roles within Sunnyside.
The Storytellers: Kids interested in the "villain origin story" and complex character arcs.
The Savvy Tributes: Anyone who loves a high-stakes psychological game where the real battle is in the mind.
This is the afternoon we decide what kind of legacy we want to build.