Back to School with Franklin

Back to School with Franklin is the third Franklin movie, released direct-to-video and on DVD. This animated film was directed by Arna Selznick.

Cole Caplan takes over for Noah Reid as the voice of Franklin the Turtle, ushering in the sixth season of the program, which would not make its way to the United States until 2006. He is joined by Bryn McAuley, who has voiced his sister Harriet since the first film and Carolyn Scott as the voice of a replacement teacher.

Dialogue

[first lines]

Mr. Owl: [about the chalk drawing] I must say, class, that this chalk drawing is a lovely surprise. Thank you all very much.

Snail: Franklin did the drawing of you, Mr. Owl.

Mr. Owl: And a fine likeness it is, Snail.

Franklin: Thanks for being such a great teacher.

Beaver: Yeah, we're all kind of sad the school year's over, right guys? [Badger and Goose nod and the bell rings off-screen] [excited] Whoo-hoo! School's out! [grabs her pink backpack] Last one to the bus is a rotten egg.

Snail: [off-screen] Yahoo!

Franklin: [as he runs past Mr. Owl] Let's go!

Bear: Yay!

Mr. Owl: [clears his throat] One moment, please! [Franklin, Bear and Beaver stopped running and turned to Mr. Owl] Everyone have a wonderful summer.

Beaver: [waves goodbye to Mr. Owl] You too, Mr. Owl.

Bear: See ya (next school year)!

[Franklin, Bear and Beaver races out of the school]

---

Franklin: [off-screen] I think they're done, Harriet. [on-screen when he and Harriet are roasting marshmallows] Now you have to cool them off.

[Franklin blows on a marshmallow and Harriet does the same thing like him. Mr Turtle is eating a corn]

Mr. Turtle: [sighing] I officially declare our annual end of summer barbecue a success.

Mrs. Turtle: [picks up a corn] I can't believe summer's over.

Franklin: Yeah, I didn't do nothing.

Mr. Turtle: [chuckles] That's "I didn't do anything."

[Mrs. Turtle looks at Mr. Turtle]

---

[Harriet sees some brown leaves in the compost bag]

Harriet: Whatcha doing?

Mr. Turtle: We're tidying up the garden.

Mrs. Turtle: Soon we'll put it to bed for the winter. [dumps the leaves in the bag]

Harriet: It is sleepy?

Mr. Turtle: [chuckles] You can say that. It's worked hard all summer and now it needs some rest.

Mrs. Turtle: Why don't you help us?

Harriet: Uh-uh. Wanna play with Beatrice.

Mrs. Turtle: Beatrice can't come over, Harriet. She starts school today, [off-screen] remember?

Harriet: Then who'll play with me?

Mrs. Turtle: We can after our chores.

Harriet: No! What kid (will play with me)?

[Mrs. Turtle and Mr. Turtle looked at each other]

---

[During the first day of school...]

Miss Koala: My name is Miss Koala.

Snail: [scared] What have you done with Mr. Owl?

Miss Koala: Oh, blow me down. You're wondering what's happened. Mr. Owl got called away last night on a family matter.

Franklin: [bewildered] But, when will he be back?

Miss Koala: Soon enough, I'm sure. Until then, I'll be your substitute teacher.

---

Franklin: My name's Franklin, not Turtle.

Miss Koala: Dinkum. I'm sorry. Any other surprises?

[The entire class shakes their heads]

---

Snail: Australia looks like a weird place.

Miss Koala: Not weird, Snail. Just different.

Bear: Tell us more, Miss Koala.

Miss Koala: Dinkum. Okay, what do you want to know?

Beaver: Well, first... what does "dinkum" mean?

---

Franklin: Miss Koala asked us to give you this.

Mr. Owl: A book about soccer?

Beaver: She thought you could be our new coach, Mr. Owl.

Mr. Owl: Me? A soccer coach? Well, I don't know, class. I've never done anything like this before.

Snail: But you don't know unless you try, Mr. Owl.

Mr. Owl: Good point, good point.

---

[last lines]

Mr. Owl: Well, it looks likes I'll be going back to school too. Speaking of which, we'd best get to work. Does anyone mind it I...

Franklin: I'll do it for you, Mr. Owl.

Mr. Owl: Why, thank you, Franklin.

Franklin: [last line of the film; to the chalk drawing of Miss Koala] Goodbye, Miss Koala.

[Franklin erases the chalk drawing of Miss Koala as the camera zooms out of the school house]