The film "Moana" creates a universe that is at once imaginative and familiar in that it is a fanciful depiction of real-world issues related to the environment. This sets the stage for an engaging series of activities with important content implications integrating environmental issues into elementary social studies. "Moana" is a springboard for classroom discussion on both the urgency and interconnectivity of climate change. As an animated film, "Moana" provides educators an opportunity to initiate accessible and age-appropriate discussions for elementary students. The use of popular films stimulates interest and provides impactful demonstrations of spatial and ecological perspectives. The educational focus for fictional fantasy-based films, like Moana, begins by determining where things happen and understanding why things happen within a specific time and place. Together, these perspectives form the heart of elementary social studies, which help with the formulation of investigations and the interpretation of meaning. The lessons included in the article, incorporate critical media literacy strategies in the exploration of climate change. The structure of these lessons reverses the traditional elementary model of "expanding horizons" by addressing climate change as a global crisis and then moving to a smaller and more concentric analysis of region, nation, and local environmental issues. The purpose is to demonstrate interconnectivity and encourage students to think critically about their role in the future of climate change through media literacy.