Before having students read Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau (or an excerpt), I would start a discussion using the conversation about responsibility from Dr. Seuss. This discussion will get students thinking about the role of the individual and how …
An ambitious person is confident and self-motivated, both of which are qualities we want to see in our children. But ambition sometimes gets us into trouble. It encourages us to compete with others over scarce resources and that causes us to be selfish and uncompromising sometimes. It’s important to recognize that there are other people in the world and we have an ethical obligation to think about their needs as well.
A creative way to open a unit on Westward Expansion would be to have a conversation with Dr. Seuss on ambition. What I hope would come out of the conversation is a better understanding of the costs and benefits from …
After the last tree falls and the factories shut down in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, the Lorax has to leave the once fruitful forest. For this lesson, I would use the Sophocles’ conversation on hardship. In small groups, I …
“Right Makes Might” Listen to this Podcast Steve: Hey everybody. Steve and Dan Fouts here, and we are teaching different with American President Abraham Lincoln, with a thought-provoking quote about leadership. Here’s the quote. Right makes might. Shortest quote …
What does it take to succeed? If anyone knows the answer to this question, you should package it and offer it to the entire world at a bulk discount. Sophocles insists that whatever your definition of success, you will never …
The Story of Ruby Bridges is a captivating telling of courage of a young girl who was escorted to school by federal marshals to stake her claim to a free education. Ruby Bridges was that girl and she, along with …
I want to help the students find some sort of positive meaning from the Coronavirus crisis. The conversation with Sophocles on hardship would be a great tool to encourage self-reflection on the fact that sometimes a person has to go …
Going through hard times is something most everybody has to do. Some people face hardship and turn away. They become discourages and think that success is unattainable. Others see hardship as an opportunity for self-motivation, goal-setting and a fresh re-evaluation of values. Students must determine whether to see hardship as a barrier or an opportunity, and accept the consequences underlying the choices they make.
In Norma Jean, Jumping Bean the main character is a young kangaroo who must learn to follow rules. When she gets in trouble for jumping, she resolves to never jump again. By the end of the story, she has the …
Many people believe that one must suffer in order to achieve success and happiness, or that people can only appreciate success once they’ve known true hardship. Before reading James and the Giant Peach, in which a young, mistreated orphan embarks …
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling offers a great example of the theme of cooperation. Before reading the novel, I could use the conversation on cooperation and Helen Keller’s quote about accomplishing more when working with others. …
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