Archives: Philosophy ToolKit

Plato’s Ring of Gyges

This lesson plan is available as a PDF attachment in the link above. It is best suited for high school classrooms, but can be used in some middle school settings. This lesson plan can be split up in multiple ways, including picking which of the offered discussion prompts or exercises you would like to do. Plato’s Ring of Gyges

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

Plot Summary: Charlotte’s Web opens at the Arable family farm. A sow has just given birth to piglets and Mr. Arable is preparing to slaughter the runt. His daughter, Fern, pleads for her father to let the small piglet live. She claims it would be an injustice to kill him simply for being small. Mr. Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle

Plot Summary: Meg Murry, her youngest brother Charles Wallace, and their new friend Calvin join forces with three intergalactic beings – Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Who — to rescue Mr. Murry, Meg’s and Charles’ father, from IT, a source of evil and total mental control that devours individuality and self-perception. Discussion Questions:

The Real Thief, by William Steig

Lesson Plan: The Real Thief raises questions about friendship and loyalty, as well as the meaning of justice. The book also includes an argument that students can analyze. In the story, Gawain, a goose and the Chief Guard of the Royal Treasury, is blamed when jewels from the Royal Treasury go missing. The Prime Minister, The Real Thief, by William Steig

The Little Prince, Chapter One

Why do we sometimes see the same thing differently? Step 1 Depending on the age or grade level of the participants, either the facilitator or the participant/s read chapter one of The Little Prince.  Step 2 Facilitator introduces the prompt (Step 3) and poses the questions (listed below each image) for participants to consider, discuss, The Little Prince, Chapter One

Unmasking Political Persuasion

Unmasking Political Persuasion: Logical Fallacies in Government Campaigns Materials Needed Video clips of political campaign commercials, Logical Fallacies Definitions Handout, Graphic organizer for commercial analysis. Steps Involved Fallacy Breakdown (15 minutes): Pick segments from these videos to explore different fallacies: Fallacies: Discuss real-world examples of each fallacy. Application to Political Commercials (30–45 minutes): Show political Unmasking Political Persuasion

Virtue and the Social Contract

Previous Knowledge Students Should Have about the Declaration of Independence Materials Needed Document with quotes from Locke, Jefferson and Franklin about virtue in relation to citizenship, governance and the importance of education (also attached at the end of the lesson). Day One Opening (10 minutes) Provide the students with a visual of the two similar Virtue and the Social Contract