Article
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Math,

Super-Pets Save the Day!

Animals with special powers take to the screen this month in the newest DC film

By Jennifer Hackett
From the May/June 2022 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will solve mixed-skill problems using a chart of data related to the new movie DC League of Super-Pets.

Lexile: 810L; 680L
Focus Area: Algebraic Thinking,
Standards
  • CCSS: 5.NBT.B.5, 4.NBT.B.4 TEKS: 5.4A, 4.4A

Presentation View
See Student View

Lexile® measure

  • 810L
  • 680L

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures 

Krypto, Ace, and friends go on a rescue mission.

Krypto is a dog unlike any other. He came from the distant planet Krypton. When he landed on Earth, the light from the sun gave him superpowers!

This heroic pup is the star of DC League of Super-Pets, an animated movie coming to theaters this May. While Superman is on vacation, it’s up to his dog Krypto and a group of superpowered shelter pets to save the day.

Krypto isn’t like other dogs. He came from the distant planet Krypton. The light from the sun gave him superpowers on Earth!

This animal superhero is the star of the new animated movie DC League of Super-Pets. The movie will come out in theaters this May. Krypto is Superman’s dog. But Superman is away on vacation. Krypto and a group of superpowered shelter pets must work together to save the day.

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures 

This super story got its start at a real-world animal shelter. Writer and director Jared Stern volunteered at one with his wife in 2011. “There was a back area with older pets,” he says. “I thought, what if these pets had superpowers?”

From that idea, Stern and a talented team worked to create DC League of Super-Pets. Many people work together to create an animated movie. “A writer writes a scene, then it goes to story artists. They draw each of the moments in the scene,” Stern says. From there, actors add in dialogue. Then it goes to animators who bring the characters to life.

At each step of the process, new ideas are added. “The magic is you get to see them get better until they become great,” Stern says. “It’s amazing to see it in its finished form.”

This super story got its start at an animal shelter in the real world. Jared Stern is the writer and director for DC League of Super-Pets. He volunteered at an animal shelter with his wife in 2011. “There was a back area with older pets,” he says. “I thought, what if these pets had superpowers?”

Stern and a talented team worked to create DC League of Super-Pets based on that idea. Many people work together to create an animated movie. “A writer writes a scene. Then it goes to story artists. They draw each of the moments in the scene,” Stern says. Actors add in dialogue. Then it goes to animators. The animators bring the characters to life.

New ideas are added at each step of the process. “The magic is you get to see them get better until they become great,” Stern says. “It’s amazing to see it in its finished form.”

Math Talk

What kinds of math skills might be involved in movie animation?

Math Talk

What kinds of math skills might be involved in movie animation?

Mixed Skills

Now You Try It

Answer the following questions. Use the chart for numbers 1 through 4.

Mixed Skills

Now You Try It

Answer the following questions. Use the chart for numbers 1 through 4.

A. Which is older: the TV or comic version of Krypto the Superdog? 

B. Which place value did you use to determine your answer?

A. Which is older: the TV or comic version of Krypto the Superdog? 

B. Which place value did you use to determine your answer?

Is the number of episodes of the TV series Krypto the Superdog a prime or composite number? Explain.

Is the number of episodes of the TV series Krypto the Superdog a prime or composite number? Explain.

The first appearance of Krypto the Superdog was in Adventure Comics in 1955. How many years after Krypto’s first appearance is the release year of DC League of Super-Pets?

The first appearance of Krypto the Superdog was in Adventure Comics in 1955. How many years after Krypto’s first appearance is the release year of DC League of Super-Pets?

Each episode of the Krypto the Superdog TV show was 30 minutes long. How many minutes would it take to watch every episode?

Each episode of the Krypto the Superdog TV show was 30 minutes long. How many minutes would it take to watch every episode?

Say a movie theater sells tickets to DC League of Super-Pets for $9.19 each. Clark has one $5 bill, 8 quarters, 10 dimes, 20 nickels, and 20 pennies. Can he afford to buy a ticket?

Say a movie theater sells tickets to DC League of Super-Pets for $9.19 each. Clark has one $5 bill, 8 quarters, 10 dimes, 20 nickels, and 20 pennies. Can he afford to buy a ticket?

Continue Your Learning

  • Design your own animal shelter. Draw a picture of your shelter, including the number of animal pens and which type of animals live there. Label how much it will cost to adopt each one. Then write a word problem using your animal shelter facts and challenge a partner to solve it!
  • What’s your favorite movie? Write downs facts you know about it or research the movie you chose online or at the library. Then use the facts to create a poster all about your movie. Include at least 5 number facts on your poster. Then identify which numbers on your poster are prime or composite.

Continue Your Learning

  • Design your own animal shelter. Draw a picture of your shelter, including the number of animal pens and which type of animals live there. Label how much it will cost to adopt each one. Then write a word problem using your animal shelter facts and challenge a partner to solve it!
  • What’s your favorite movie? Write downs facts you know about it or research the movie you chose online or at the library. Then use the facts to create a poster all about your movie. Include at least 5 number facts on your poster. Then identify which numbers on your poster are prime or composite.
Activities (8)
Question & Answer Sheets
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Text-to-Speech