Changing By The Minute Documentary Tool Kit

Screening page for University of  Virginia, Youth-Nex and Remaking Middle School Design Lab.

The documentary film Changing By The Minute (62min) features:
  • authentic, unfiltered interactions of students with their peers and teachers
  • commentary directly from students about their social and emotional lives
  • a view into a middle school that embraces these years with joy, flexibility, and deep acceptance
The documentary was shot over the course of one year, inside a public middle school in New York City. There is also a 10min version, and 28min of short bonus clips for use in shorter sessions.

Youth-Nex has partnered with the filmmaker to provide these inspiring, unfiltered, and essential documentary materials (and discussion guides) to all Remaking Middle School design lab participants. The goal of the project is to help reverse the narrative of early adolescence as a negative time — and support teachers in decreasing the stress and distress experienced by 10-14 year olds. We hope you will use the materials to:

  • Engage middle grade students in meaningful conversation
  • Catalyze dynamic professional development sessions with teachers
  • Connect with parents and families about what to expect developmentally

Everything you need to use the long or short films with students, teachers and families are on this page. Perfect for professional development and setting classroom culture with your middle schoolers!

  • Changing By The Minute – 62 min documentary by award-winning filmmaker and subject matter experts
  • Y’All R Real Ones: Middle School Moments – 10 min short documentary (based on the same footage but meant to be used on its own)
  • Bonus Clips – 28 min additional commentary, anecdotes, insights
  • 6 discussion guides for using the short and long films with students, teachers, and administrators.
  • 1 discussion guide for using the bonus material with teachers and administrators

Please share the website with trailer and a form to request a screener, with others who may be interested. Do not share this page, please.

Contact the filmmaker: Camilla Calamandrei

Headphones / external speakers recommended. Laptop speakers not recommended.
Click “expand” button on lower right of each window to view full screen.
TURN captions on or off via CC symbol, in lower right hand side of player.

Trailer (3 min)

Changing By The Minute (62 min documentary)

Y’All R Real Ones: Middle School Moments (10 min documentary)

Bonus Clips

Click here to access seventeen short clips of commentary, anecdotes, and insights that are intended to augment the 62 min. documentary film Changing By the Minute and provide jumping off places for additional conversations.

Discussion Guides

Discussion Guide for using short film with 10-14 year olds, during school and afterschool

Discussion Guide for using short film with new teachers, teacher candidates, and school counselor candidates

Discussion Guide for using 10min short film in professional development sessions with teachers, administrators and school staff

Discussion Guide for using 62min film with 10-14 year olds during school and after school.

Discussion Guide for using 62min film in professional development sessions with teachers, administrators and school staff

Discussion Guide for using 62min film with new teachers, teacher candidates, and school counselor candidates

Discussion Guide for using Bonus Clips with teachers, administrators, teacher candidates, college students, after school staff

To learn more, see: ChangingByTheMinute.com

If you know a school offering middle grades instruction or teacher education that would like to review the documentary tool kit, have them contact: RollingRiverMedia@gmail.com