Social Studies teacher Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) gives his class an assignment: look at the world around you and fix what you don't like. Mr. Simonet's student, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) comes up with a concept for changing the world: "Pay it Forward." But can you fix people?
"The Assignment" - Focus Question: Is it possible for a single person to change the world?
Cluster/Brainstorm: On an elmo or whiteboard, cluster students' responses to the following question. What are some things you would like to see changed in your family, school, community, or the world as a whole?
Discuss: Has anyone ever done anything for you, which made a real difference in your life- something you couldn't have done on your own?
Journal Entry/Writing Prompt: Name three realistic things you might be able to do about these problems (from the brainstorm list). Choose one solution you would be willing to act upon and explain why you chose this particular solution. Share journal entries if there is time.
"It Has to be Something Big" - 4:05
Focus Question: Is "Pay it Forward" realistic?
Cluster/Brainstorm: What are the good aspects of this plan? What, if anything, bad about the plan? (This cluster may work best in a T-chart format.)
Discuss: Trevor says, "It has to be big," when paying it forward. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain with examples to illustrate your point.
How might your family, school or community change if you and some of your friends tried a "Pay it Forward" type of plan?
What's Your Idea? 3:13
Focus Question: What can we do as Parkview students, or maybe even as a team to change our world? Or to "Pay it Forward"?
Discuss: How important is being successful to the idea of "Paying it Forward?" How will we know if the next person does their part? Should that keep us from trying?
Activity 1: Adopt a Family, or Nursing Home, or a Soldier 1. As an advisory decide if students would like to adopt a soldier that is deployed (see Ingersoll), a family (see Joy or Trudy - I think) or make door decorations for SunnySide Nursing Home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. 2. Collect items for your soldier, family, or decorations to make door decorations for the nursing home unitl the week of Thanksgiving Break. We can then get the items to the correct person to be shipped, or delivered to the recipients. 3. Provide time to write a letter to the recipients about how you are wanting to "Pay Forward" as part of a learning and growing exercise on 7 Crimson. They can discuss what they have learned about the power of paying it forward, and recognizing that we can all do small things that can make a big difference to others.
Activity 2: Can You Put Your Idea into Effect? 1. Challenge students to take an idea they've had, or that they may have heard during the discussion, and go out and start to try to change the world - one small act at a time.