Tuning into the documentary (7-11, UK)
In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040 – it is a great lesson to conduct before watching the documentary in full.
United Kingdom , Ireland
Fact sheet , Worksheet

Overview
In this lesson, students will be immersed in and connect with the documentary film 2040 – it is a great lesson to conduct before watching the documentary in full. Students begin by working in groups to imagine what the world might look like in 2040 based on a range of categories, such as diet, fashion, buildings, transport, and technology. They are then introduced to the 2040 documentary by watching and responding to a short clip that establishes the key messages of the film.
Students are then guided to prepare an information collection sheet, helping them respond to the film and conduct research around key messages of the film (optional).
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate class discussion, lead students in activities.
Learning intentions:
- Students will understand that different people have different ideas and concerns about the future.
Credits and acknowledgements:
Curriculum material has been developed and written by Cool.org. UK curriculum edits and mapping has been by Together Films.
Cool.org, GoodThing Productions and Regen Studios would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of Good Pitch Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation, Global Health Film and our philanthropic partners in the development of these teaching resources.
Watching the film
Watch the full film with your class by filling in this form. If you have any questions, please contact the Together Films team at 2040@togetherfilms.org
By purchasing an educational screening licence of 2040, schools can use the film for several types of screenings such as; screenings in classrooms (both in-person and virtually), screenings with pupils and parents, and screenings for fundraising purposes.
Curriculum mapping
What you'll need
- Lesson materials.
- Student Worksheets – one copy per student.
- Device capable of presenting a video to the class.