Theme: Independent Thinking Film: Dead Poets Society (PG) 2:04 An unorthodox English teacher in a private prep school both challenges and inspires his young students to think for themselves and live life to the fullest. His motto for them is simple, yet life-changing: Carpe diem, or "Seize the day!"
This 1989 film from Touchstone Studios and Buena Vista Pictures is directed by Peter Weir, written by Tom Schulman and stars Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Norman Lloyd, and Ethan Hawke.
Teaser Question: What is your special walk?
Going Deeper: Why do we find ourselves conforming to others? How important is it to fit in with the crowd? What do we think of someone who chooses not to participate at all?
"Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference." -Robert Frost"
"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery." - J.K. Rowling
Theme: Feeling Weird Film: Teen Wolf (PG) 3:07 An ordinary teenager suddenly becomes an excellent basketball player and a popular student at school. The problem is that his new abilities are a result of becoming a werewolf! It may mean that he has the girl of his dreams and all the friends he could want but is it worth the price of being so different?
This 1985 film from MGM and United Artists is directed by Rod Daniel, written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman, and stars Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, and Jerry Levine.
Teaser Question: Does everyone feel weird in some way? Why? Why not?
Going Deeper: Why do people sometimes feel ashamed of themselves and their abilities? How do we treat others who are different?
"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination and effort." -Jesse Owens
"The price of greatness is responsibility." - Winston Churchill
Theme: Standing Up to Power Film: Back to the Future (PG) 3:28 Marty McFly is a kid who is never on time for anything. Then, thanks to his scientist friend, Marty gets shot back in time to the days when his parents were in high school. In the local soda shop where the future mayor sweeps up, Marty meets the teenage version of his dad, who is about to have one of many run-ins with the local bully.
This 1985 film from Universal Studios is directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, and stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson.
Teaser Question: How could George stand up for himself?
Going Deeper: Why is it hard sometimes to stand up to others? What holds us back?
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." -Ambrose Redmoon
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anais Nin
Theme: Who Are Your Friends Film: A Walk to Remember (PG) 2:22 Based on the novel by Nicolas Sparks, this is the story of a girl firmly grounded in her religious beliefs who finds herself attracted to a boy whose life and background are quite the opposite of hers.
This 2002 film from Warner Brothers is directed by Adam Shankman, written by Karen Janszen and stars Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, and Daryl Hannah.
Teaser Question: Does it matter what people think about you? Why? Why not?
Going Deeper: What does it mean to be self-confident? Whose opinions do matter to you? How many people really know you?
"To know one's self is to study one's self in action with another person." - Unknown
"God helps those that help themselves." - Benjamin Franklin
"Who has confidence in himself will gain the confidence of others." - Leib Lazarow
Moving Students to Action: Character "Word Wall" A "word wall" can help your students build/develop their vocabulary in terms of meaning, context, and relevance The words below come directly from the various video clips for knowing yourself, peer pressure, ad understanding bullies or the question prompt at the end of each clip. Developing a word wall is a great way to introduce key vocabulary terms at the beginning of a unit or piece by piece as your class explores a unit of study. Peer Pressure Responsibility Solidarity Confident Clique Self-Respect Conformity Bully Courage Individuality Friend Confront
Keeping a Journal: As an in-class activity, ask your students to write four entries in their journal under the heading of "Perseverance" answering the following statement: 1. Of all the examples of knowing yourself demonstrated in the clips, which was your favorite? Why? 2. Write about something positive you know about yourself. How about something you know you need to work on? 3. Write about a time when you knew yourself well enough to avoid a situation that could be a problem. 4. Write about a time when you learned something new about yourself.
Activity 1: Pig Personality Performance Objective: Follow oral directions and asks questions for clarification.
Materials Needed: Blank sheets of paper, pens or pencils
Teacher Instructions: Ask everyone to take out a blank piece of paper. Establish a time limit. Ask each individual to draw a pig on the paper. When time is called, ask the students to look at their drawing while you share the following information about the type of person they are based on the drawing. Read out the following information: Position of Pig on the Paper: Top: Optimist Middle: Realist Bottom: Pessimist Direction Pig is facing: Left: Traditionalist Right: Innovative Front: Direct How Detailed is the Pig (in comparison to others next to you) Very: Analytical Few: Emotional; Naïve Number of Legs Visible Less than 4: Living through a major life change 4 legs: Secure and stubborn Size of Pig’s Ears The bigger the ears, the better of a listener you are. Length of Pig’s Tail The longer the tail and more curls, the better your social life. Adapted from Infinity’s Broadcasting Consultant
Activity 2: Do You Need Help? Performance Objective: To help the students understand that it’s okay to ask for help, and to demonstrate that it is not a sign of weakness to do so.
Materials Needed: Blindfolds for each student, a big circle made out of the desks in the room without an opening, which would allow the students to get into the circle.
Teacher Instructions: 1. Start class by having the students gather in the hallway, blindfold each student, and slowly let them into the classroom one by one. 2. Once in the room, explain to each student that the furniture is set up as a maze and the goal is for them to make their way through the maze and into the center of it. Also, explain that if at any time the student needs help during the exercise, he/she should raise his/her hand but not call out so as to disturb the rest of the students. 3. As the students feel their way around the circle of chairs, frequently ask if anyone needs help. Once a student raises his or her hand, you should remove the blindfold and let them into the center of the circle (and then close up the circle once again.) 4. The activity ends when the last person has raised their hand. Afterwards, discuss how asking for help is not a bad thing, and then first to ask for help were the first to succeed in the activity. Helpful Hints: Silence is key! Also, you should be very encouraging about asking for help and repeatedly remind the students that it is an option.
Activity 3: How Good of a Friend Am I Commercials Performance Objective: Follows oral directions and asks questions for clarification.
Material Needed: Paper, pencil/pen, phones to video commercials if desired
Teacher Instructions: Ask students to think about the following prompts: 1. Have you ever seen a product that you thought was going to be really cool, but then were disappointed when you used it? 2. Have you ever been to the grocery store and bought a food item that you thought was going to be really good because of the way it was packaged, but once you opened the package, you thought it was gross? 3. Have you ever seen a commercial for a medication that promises to make your life better, but at the end lists a tonne of side effects?
Give each student a piece of paper, or ask them to write on the back of one of their Knowing Yourself journal entries. Ask students to answer the following prompts on their paper. Read the following to your students:
For this exercise, you will make a personal commercial about yourself. Write a paragraph about why someone would want to be friends with you. Say what is so awesome about you that the person should be friends with you. For example: I am a good listener, funny, organized, have a great sense of humor, am good at sports, am fun to go to the movies with? Write your answers on your piece of paper.
Now write down the ‘fine print’. This means that you have to be honest and include the not-so-nice parts about you that you may need to work on to make more lasting friendships. The fine print might look something like this: I sometimes make jokes at a friend’s expense; I like to be the center of attention and will ditch my friends quickly if I get a boyfriend/girlfriend. Write your fine print down on your piece of paper.
Students can film their commercials, act them out in skits, or simply share with others in small or large groups. Reflection questions for after the activity: 1. What did you learn from this activity? 2. How can you use what you have learned to improve your relationships with others?
Activity 4: My Vision of Success Performance Objective: Responds to literal, inferential, and critical questions.
Material Needed: Paper, pencil/pen
Teacher Instructions: Ask your student to answer these questions on their papers or the back of a Knowing Yourself journal entry.
1. What is your greatest success? 2. What is a failure? 3. What is something you did that helped someone? 4. What is something you’ve done that you're proud of? 5. What is something you’ve learned from a failure? 6. What is something you didn’t like doing? 7. What is the funniest thing you've ever done? 8. What is something you've done that took courage? 9. What is something you're afraid of? 10. What is something you'd really like to learn?
Have students share their findings in large or small groups.