We aren’t even halfway through 2023, and already it’s been an eventful year. (See Exhibit “A” – for AWESOME!)

To celebrate, let’s take a look at 2023’s first half of superheroes on the screen – AND explore applications to teaching in the classroom.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Hands down, this show is the coolest cartoon right now – on TV (Disney Channel), streaming (Disney+), OR online (full episodes available free on YouTube). The animation can get busy at times, with quick cuts, Easter eggs, and side jokes galore. But it’s a fun show, full of positive messages about family, diversity, learning and growing up, as well as at least one groovy musical number in each episode.

In addition to plenty of teachable STEM-related topics, my favorite bit is Coach Hrbek filling in as substitute teacher. Coach compensates for his lack of content knowledge by throwing out as many sports analogies that come to mind. The results are mixed (check out the 26:40 mark from the first episode HERE).

Teachers should learn from Coach Hrbek’s example: Metaphors, analogies, and illustrations can often help teach a concept. But they cannot replace authentic understanding, and can even get out of hand and create further student confusion.

• (Fun Fact #1: Fred Tatasciore, who voices Coach Hrbek, is also the “voice” for Devil Dinosaur.)
• (Fun Fact #2: My elementary gym teacher was also named Coach Hrbek, but we had to call him “Mister Hrbek.” Good guy.)

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

There’s plenty of STEM stuff in the third Ant-Man film, which takes place mostly in the subatomic Quantum Realm. More than just namedropping science-y terms, the film’s creators provide extra resources that explore science fact and science fiction. One example is this video with actor Paul Rudd and a quantum physicist, which teachers can use for a quick science primer:

The movie also features a great scene about teaching itself, during which Scott Lang tries to show his daughter Cassie how to fight with shrinking powers. Take a look:

Notice how Ant-Man attempts to teach by modeling, which is tricky when his example is too small and too fast to observe. Teachers, where do you teach by example? And what visual aids or illustrations do you need to enlarge (or slow down) to increase impact?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The connections to teaching (and science) are a bit more of a stretch for this film, but both are still there for teachers to consider. Science-wise, the main antagonist High Evolutionary does all kinds of wonky experiments that conjure conversations about genetics, “natural” selection, and bioethics.

Teaching-wise, the best lesson from GOTG3 is to remember the “little things” amid the bigger backdrop. Shortly after the movie’s release, Amelia Emberwing of IGN wrote an essay titled, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Understands That Without the Small, the Big Doesn’t Matter.” I recommend teachers read it (Spoiler Alert, of course), and consider educational parallels.

Take this quote from the essay, for instance: “[T]he real trick to these stories — the secret sauce that has made the Guardians of the Galaxy films stand out over the years — is [writer/director] James Gunn’s understanding that without the small moments, the big ones don’t matter.”

The same sentiment goes for schools. Sure, teachers have standards, assessment data, “scopes and sequences” to plan and track over multiple semesters. But more important than these “big” things are the small moments occurring on a daily basis in the classroom, cafeteria, playground, and hallways.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

This film – the most recent of the batch – is basically the culmination of ALL the above.

• Dizzying, dynamic animation? Check.
• World-hopping misadventures? Yup. (Multiverses, natch.)
• Science-ish shenanigans? Sure.
• Lessons from mentors, family, and loved ones? Loads of that.

That last checked box is the one teachers can apply to learning and teaching. If you haven’t seen the film yet (you should), there are several special “small moments” between main character Miles and his parents and other teacher-like figures.

No spoilers here, of course, but watch the trailer below for one such instance. Across this preview’s assorted clips, listen to the dialogue coming from a scene between Miles and his mom:

Part of effective teaching (and parenting) is letting go. Let our students go off to the wider world, try things out, apply their learning, learn from mistakes, make their own decisions (and friends), make new discoveries.

Is it hard? Of course, as are ALL worthwhile endeavors.

But we can trust in our teaching. And trust in these future heroes. Start today.