Movies with Lasha

Movies with Lasha

Details:

Media arts

Grade Level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Language: english

Regions: Norman, Parklands, Interlake, Westman, Central Plains, Pembina Valley, Eastman, Capital Region

Contact:

Phone Website

Biography

Lasha Mowchun has taught film and stop motion animation to kids throughout Manitoba for almost a decade. Students work in teams to create animations, music videos, documentaries, etc. At the end of every project Lasha organizes a show of all the films, so students can take pride in their work with the rest of their school.

Lasha has worked with numerous programs including the Engaging Fusion Program (Winnipeg School Division), Freeze Frame, Graffiti Art Programming and more.

Media

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Project Samples

The History of Norway House During the Time of the Fur Trade

In early 2020 Lasha visited Jack River School in Norway House MB, to collaborate with a local historian, a Cree teacher and the students of Jack River School. Before her arrival in the school, local historian Trudy Hart came to talk to students about the history of Norway House during the time of the fur trade. When Lasha arrived in the school she helped the students turn the local history they had learned from the historian Truday Hart, into short animated videos. Working with the school’s Cree teacher, the students recorded narration for their films in both Cree and English. This was a really fun and multilayered project that gave students a deeper relationship to their own history.

Winnipeg's Climate Strikes: A documentary by Seven Oaks MET School

The kids at 7 Oaks MET School produced a short documentary about Winnipeg’s General Climate Strike. The Climate Strikes are a global movement led by students all over the world who walk out of class and demonstrate, demanding climate justice. The students at 7 Oaks MET School documented the massive event in which 12 000 people demonstrated at the Manitoba Legislature on Sept 27th, 2019. The young people on the documentary crew learned camera, sound, interview and editing techniques. This allowed students to tell the story of a historic event which was being led by kids their own age.

How Nanabozho Found Fire: Stop motion animation by Ralph Brown School

Working with kids at Ralph Brown School, Lasha created a stop motion animation project based on the stories that the students were reading in their English curriculum. The students used animation to articulate their own unique versions of the stories that they had read. Creating characters out of plasticine and animating their actions, deepened the students understanding of their reading. One of the videos that was part of this project is included below in the video link section.

Testimonials

Lasha has been very successful in introducing animation to our students and helping them make short films. Lasha’s gentle and positive manner has allowed her to quickly build a friendly rapport with students. Lasha knows how to connect with young learners. She explains instructions in a way that kids can understand. It is our pleasure to have met Lasha. It is obvious that she cares about what she does. We would look forward to bringing her back to the school in the future.

—Dana Coates (Resource Teacher Grades 4 - 6, Jack River School)

Lasha provided a fun and educational experience for students at our school. Her project connected with students and made a lasting impact. Many of the students here are still making short animation videos at home!

— Melanie Soshycki, Teacher at Gillam School