Area: Metaphysics

Causation: To Accompany Frog and Toad “The Garden”

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.

Mind Games

Illustration from Jiaqi Emily Yan's animated short film "Mind Games" featuring a pink brain coloring on the sidewalk

This lesson can be used either in a classroom or online.  Plot Summary: In Jiaqi Emily Yan’s animated short “Mind Games,” a child sits bored at a school desk, trying to focus on classwork. Their brain jumps out of their head, stuffs it with books, and heads outside to play while the child robotically regurgitates Mind Games

Knuffle Bunny Charades Activity

This activity is an excellent accompaniment to our book-based Knuffle Bunny lesson plan. Activity: Charades! “Does everybody know how the game of charades is played? Explain it for those who do not know. Model Charades if need be with the example “driving a car” You may use teams to provide a reward incentive to the winning Knuffle Bunny Charades Activity

Imagining New Realities

drawing of man siting by reflection of the moon

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” – Lewis Carroll Materials needed: Computer (and projector if possible) to show video clip, paper and writing utensil, white board and dry erase marker or chalkboard and chalk Activity: Part 1: Ask students to write a list of 5 things that they can imagine and Imagining New Realities

Identity & Essence Lego Activity

Legos stuck on to Child's face

Materials Needed: Legos (the more the better) Something on which to display/write out class thoughts (chalkboard, whiteboard, SMARTboard) Camera (optional) Preparation: Have Legos divided up according to how groups will be organized, e.g. in separate piles or in one large pile. Description: 1. (Optional) Warm up and get a sense of our intuitions about the Identity & Essence Lego Activity

Exploring Existential Angst and The Self in Social Media

Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre in Nausea Students will be introduced to Existentialism through discussion and excerpts from Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel, Nausea, which describes a certain vague feeling that the main character, Roquentin, calls “nausea.” This feeling is a result of suspecting that there is a reality behind what we perceive as reality, an objective and Exploring Existential Angst and The Self in Social Media

Different Perspectives Game

One of the important things that the study of philosophy teaches us is how to examine the world from a variety of different perspectives. When we read and study the writings of classic and contemporary philosophers, we are given new ways of looking at the world that broaden our own perspectives on reality. Consequently, it’s Different Perspectives Game

Numbers and Reality

Using the questions in the Discussion Questions tab above, have students answer each question on a sheet of paper. Next, have a discussion around some of the questions. Some students would probably agree with the position in metaphysics that maintains that all real things are real in the same way. This position holds that something Numbers and Reality