Activity Description: Break the students into groups of three. Put the following list on the board and ask each group to come up with at least one thing that fits each category. Something that isn’t real but seems to be real Something that is real but seems not to be real Something you can’t tell … Reality Scavenger Hunt
Part 1: Have each person think of a dream they’ve had recently. After giving them a moment to think, go around in a circle and have each person share a bit about their dream. (Elementary school students may get exceptionally excited about sharing their dreams and may want to share an enormous amount of detail … Dream Activity
Using whatever piece of fruit you have available, ask if that fruit is dessert. With this simple prompt, a rich discussion about the nature of dessert will develop. Is anything you eat after a meal dessert? Is it dessert if you ate it without eating a meal first? Can it be dessert if it is … Is it Dessert?
This is an activity that works best with younger children (7-8 years old is ideal). There are several books that can prompt thinking about imaginary friends. You might try: These books can be used alone or one after another for a series of conversations about imaginary friends. You can read the book(s) and then ask … Thinking about Imaginary Friends
Description: In this lesson, educators will ask students a number of questions about a sports team undergoing different types of hypothetical changes over the course of an offseason. The questions, which discuss player replacements to uniform and location switches, invite students to grapple with the question, “how much change has to occur over the course … Philosophy of Teams
This lesson plan is accessible using the Lesson Attachment above.
Materials needed: Lesson plan (warm-ups, story, and game) Space for participants to form opposing groups Description: Before presenting participants with the thought experiment, engage them in at least one warm-up. For first time philosophers and/or for longer class periods, warm-up using the “Philosophy Warm-Up” prompts. If the group has already developed basic ideas about the … Identity Activity: What makes you, you?
Ethics Warm-up #1: Think of someone you know who you think is a really good person. What makes that person a good person? Warm-up #2: Think of something that’s pretty good. Now think of something that’s better than pretty good, that’s good. Now think of something that’s better than that, that’s really good. Think of … A Range of Warm-Up Activities for Philosophy Sessions
Students are arranged into groups of 2-4. First they formulate their answers to written questions, then they work together as a group to respond to a challenge at the end of the activity. Discussion Questions For the first few questions, think about all of the different kinds of things that you do at home, at … Magic Box Activity
Personal Identity I ask students to bring their baby or early childhood pictures to class. After they try matching names with images of their classmates, I ask a question about their own picture: Are you the same person today that you were at the moment captured in your photo? Students readily admit that their physical … Personal Identity in Memento
PLATO is part of a global UNESCO network that encourages children to participate in philosophical inquiry. As a partner in the UNESCO Chair on the Practice of Philosophy with Children, based at the Université de Nantes in France, PLATO is connected to other educational leaders around the world.
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