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Sense And Sensibility(1995)
Excellent Ang Lee-directed adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.
Certificate
Age group12+ years
Duration130 mins
Ages
12+
Duration
Medium (5-11 activities)
Guide your students in a reflective exploration of life’s challenges with this resource inspired by the sparkling new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
Decisions and Dilemmas is an assembly-style resource inspired by the supportive sibling bond and contrasting personalities of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Activities illuminate classic Austen themes including gender roles, decision-making, and navigating familial and romantic relationships.
The resource supports curriculum objectives from:
- PSHE
- English Literature
- History
- Film and Media Studies
About the resource
Crafted for students aged 12+, Decisions and Dilemmas is a flexible resource for use with whole year groups or in form time. For A-Level English Literature students studying Persuasion, it supports understanding of nineteenth-century context and Austen’s recurring themes. Decisions and Dilemmas offers a deeper look at an iconic story, interrogating how the characters make decisions and exploring the choices made by filmmakers in bringing Sense and Sensibility to cinemas.
Connecting with curriculum objectives from History and English Literature, learners will explore the changing role of women over time, and understand the challenges Austen faced as a female writer. They’ll then step into the present day by considering how Sense and Sensibility’s themes remain relevant to modern life. A focus on responsible decision-making supports PSHE learning objectives. A character study of the Dashwoods examines how Elinor and Marianne make decisions using either head (sense) or heart (sensibility), before prompting students to reflect on their own decision-making styles. Finally, through an analysis of the film’s trailer, learners will develop their media literacy skills. By considering how Sense and Sensibility has been adapted from book to screen, Decisions and Dilemmas supports 2026 as the National Year of Reading.
The resource includes:
- 1 x PowerPoint presentation
- 1 x Lesson plan
- Teaching notes
- What would the Dashwoods do? activity sheet
- Decisions Decisions activity sheet
- Austen’s Audience activity sheet
- Transforming Texts activity sheet
- 1 x Letter to Elinor competition sheet (note: the competition is now closed, but you can still use the activity).
This resource includes
Teachers' Notes
A guide to our Decisions and Dilemmas resource.
Size: 2.25 MB
Decisions and Dilemmas lesson plan
A plan to guide you through the activities and PowerPoint.
Size: 2.29 MB
Decisions and Dilemmas PowerPoint Presentation
A student-facing PowerPoint presentation to take you through the lesson.
Size: 179.91 MB
What Would The Dashwoods Do? activity sheet
Decide how Elinor and Marianne would tackle problems.
Size: 120 KB
Decisions Decisions activity sheet
Reveal and reflect on your decision-making style
Size: 126 KB
Austen's Audience activity sheet
Media literacy analysis of the trailer and target audience
Size: 133 KB
Transforming Texts activity sheet
Compare the source material to the trailer for Sense and Sensibility.
Size: 121 KB
Letter to Elinor competition sheet
Write a letter to Elinor about life in 2026
Size: 836 KB
This Resource Supports
- History
- Literacy
- Media Literacy
- PSHE Education
Updating our resources
We have developed a large catalogue of educational resources since launching in 2013, and some references and terminology will inevitably have dated as society and language evolves. We are aware of this and will be updating resources when our production schedule allows.
