Einstein: Light to the Power of 2
From Devine Entertainment Specials · 1996
Summary
In 1950 Princeton, a bright young girl named Lannie is being pushed into a remedial class by a teacher who has written her off, and she is losing faith in herself. She befriends an unlikely neighbor -- the physicist Albert Einstein -- who tutors her, shares his love of big questions, and shows her that her mind is worth fighting for. Set against the racism of the era, the film pairs Einstein's ideas with his belief that every person deserves fair treatment and a real chance to learn.
Viewer safety
Set in 1950, the film shows a Black girl facing racism from a teacher and in her community, handled in an age-appropriate, hopeful way. A good film for talking about fairness — preview so you can frame the history for your class.
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Albert Einstein befriends and tutors a young girl who has been unfairly written off at school, in a time of open racism.
- A teacher decided Lannie couldn't learn without really giving her a chance. Why is it unfair to judge someone before you know them?
- Einstein was one of the most famous scientists alive, yet he spent time helping one kid. What does that say about what he valued?
- Einstein spoke up against unfair treatment of others. Why does it matter when someone with influence stands up for fairness?
- Lannie starts to believe in herself again. Who is someone who has believed in you when it was hard to believe in yourself?
Quick work-a-long
Words to know: physicist, curiosity, fairness, encourage
- Einstein loved asking "what if?" questions about the universe. Write one "what if?" question you genuinely wonder about.
- Think of a time someone encouraged you to keep trying. Name one thing they said or did that helped.