Grade Level: Middle School

You Can’t Say You Can’t Play, by Vivien Gussin Paley (1992)

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In You Can’t Say You Can’t Play, MacArthur Prize-winning educator Vivien Paley describes her introduction of a new rule — “You can’t say you can’t play” — in her kindergarten classroom. The book raises questions about friendship, exclusion and inclusion, and what is necessary for a rule to be a good one. Discussion Questions RULES … You Can’t Say You Can’t Play, by Vivien Gussin Paley (1992)

Understanding Beliefs and Cultural Blindness in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

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Materials Needed Steps Involved 1. Introduction (10 minutes) Journal: Do you (or we, collectively as a society) have any rituals, customs, or celebrations where we may not understand where it originated or what the purpose serves?  2. Reading the Text (20 minutes) Facilitator: Distribute copies of “The Lottery” and provide a brief overview of the … Understanding Beliefs and Cultural Blindness in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

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In Harper Lee’s classic novel, the narrator, Scout (five years old at the story’s beginning), describes the events surrounding her father’s defense of an African American man charged with raping a young white woman, portraying the world of the Deep South of the 1930s. The novel inspires exploration of many philosophical questions. General philosophical questions … To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak

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Lesson Plan: The Book Thief portrays everyday life in an extraordinarily terrible time, and depicts the small choices made by ordinary people that carry great ethical weight. Liesel Meminger is a child growing up in Nazi Germany, living in a town near Munich with foster parents Hans and Rosa Huberman. The narrator of The Book … The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak

Causation: To Accompany Frog and Toad “The Garden”

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This lesson plan can be used on its own or as an accompaniment to the Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad story, “The Garden.” Divide students into groups of 3-4. Ask each group to come up with 2-3 examples of the following three cases: See Discussion Questions tab for discussion prompts.

Reconciliation #2 – Apologies and Forgiveness

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This lesson plan can be read in conjunction with “Chapter 4. Reconciliation” (pp. 69-82) in the freely available teaching resource Coping: A Philosophical Guide (OpenBook Publishers, 2021) with discussion questions (pp. 124-5) and additional teaching materials (p. 119-20).  Accepting an Apology versus Forgiving Questions for Discussion: Here are some responses that the students might give: … Reconciliation #2 – Apologies and Forgiveness

Reconciliation #3 – Reparations for Slavery

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Before beginning this lesson plan, we recommend reading “Things to Think About Before Introducing Social Justice Topics.” This lesson plan can be read in conjunction with “Chapter 4. Reconciliation” (pp. 69-82) in the freely available teaching resource Coping: A Philosophical Guide (Open Book Publishers, 2021) with discussion questions (pp. 124–5) and additional teaching materials (p. … Reconciliation #3 – Reparations for Slavery