October Sky
As you study this film as part of our leadership class there are a
number of ideas to keep in mind. You will be asked to answer several
questions on your paper during the movie. There will also be several
points in the film where you will discuss issues in small groups.
Describe the setting of the film? Do you think you'd have been happy to live in Coalwood
in the late 1950's? If you had, what position in it would you have wanted?
As you watched this film, did you begin to feel as if you knew the people involved?
Which characters in the film remind you of people that you know in your life?
Homer Hickam was inspired to build rockets in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched
the first artificial satellite into Earth's orbit. How was his goal different from the other
people living in Coalwood?
Which characters in the film support Homer’s dream of being a space engineer?
Which characters in the film do not support Homer’s dream of being a space engineer?
Homer has to fight hard to keep his dream alive. What steps does he take to achieve his
goal?
What are the obstacles that get in the way of him achieving his goal?
What type of skills and attitudes does Homer need to achieve his goal?