Archives: Philosophy ToolKit

“Old Roger is Dead”

Whole Sequence Breakdown: Welcome and warm-up (c. 5-10 minutes) Brief initial discussion (10 minutes) Learning of the song and ring play (20 minutes) Whole-group share and discussion (20 minutes) Possible extensions (for extra time, or additional lessons) Welcome and Warm-up Welcome students and share any updates, or follow-up on points from the last session. Warm-up “Old Roger is Dead”

“Afternoon of a Faun”

Whole Sequence Breakdown: Welcome and warm-up (c. 5-10 minutes) Brief introduction to the “scene” of “Afternoon of a Faun” (5 minutes) Exploring Various Media (20 minutes) Whole-group share and discussion (20 minutes) Possible extensions (for extra time, or additional lessons) Welcome and Warm-up Welcome students and share any updates, or follow-up on points from the “Afternoon of a Faun”

Water Walk by John Cage

Water Walk by John Cage Whole Sequence Breakdown: Welcome and warm-up (c. 5-10 minutes) Brief introduction to John cage and Water Walk  (5 minutes) Viewing to Water Walk (without giving away the “secret”) (5 minutes) Small group discussions (c. 10-15 minutes) Whole-group share and discussion (20 minutes) Possible extensions (for extra time, or additional lessons) Water Walk by John Cage

“I wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” by Nina Simone

Whole Sequence Breakdown: Welcome and warm-up (c. 5-10 minutes) Brief introduction to Nina Simone and the song (5 minutes) Listening to “I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel to Be Free)” with Lyrics (5 minutes) Small group discussions (c. 10-15 minutes) Whole-group share and discussion (20 minutes) Possible extensions (for extra time, or additional “I wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” by Nina Simone

“Respect” by Aretha Franklin

black and white photo of Arthea Franklin singing

Objectives: To explore the ways Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect” can inspire and facilitate philosophic discussions of respect, especially with regards to identity. This lesson is designed primarily as a way of using music to do moral philosophizing; however, it could easily overlap with philosophizing about music and/or aesthetics simultaneously. Whole Sequence Breakdown: Welcome and warm-up “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

What is Your Hope?

This lesson can be used either in a classroom or online. Description: A Missouri middle school put the question “What is your hope?” on a chalkboard outside school before people arrived. They made a video of the ways students and teachers responded to the question. For this session, you can begin with the video (available What is Your Hope?

Trouble in Paradise

This lesson can be used either in a classroom or online. Plot Summary: In this short film, a crab is living on a tropical island. When a coconut falls from a palm tree, the crab is alarmed and treats the coconut like a dangerous enemy. The crab cautiously approaches the coconut to investigate and ultimately Trouble in Paradise

The Present

This lesson can be used either in a classroom or online. Plot Summary: In this short film, a child is sitting inside on a sunny day playing video games. Their mother comes home with a box and suggests they stop playing video games and open the present. Inside the box is a wiggly, excited, and The Present

Snack Attack

Screengrab from the animated short film "Snack Attack" featuring an elderly woman sitting next to a young man on a bench

Plot Summary: The animated short film “Snack Attack” wordlessly portrays an elderly woman inside a train station. After struggling with a vending machine to purchase a packet of cookies, she puts them in her purse and then heads outside to wait for her train. She sits on a bench next to a teenager then picks up Snack Attack

Piper

Screengrab from the Pixar animated film "Piper" featuring a very small and cute bird sticking its head out of the sand

This lesson plan can be used either in a classroom or online. Plot Summary: In the short Pixar film, Piper, an adult sanderling bird encourages their baby to join the other birds in finding food along the beach as the waves roll in and out. The baby bird bravely rushes forward only to find their Piper