WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE INSPIRED INTO ACTION?
How do the following words connect? How are they different?
Web the connections of 8 words on a separate piece of paper.
inspired challenge defense labour dream
motivated apathy society cause success
supportive empathy global motivate risk
awareness rebellious citizen confidence
personal growth
The Dot by Peter Reynolds
“Just make a mark and see where it takes you”
Before Reading
Discussion Questions
Have you ever been inspired?
What do you find inspiring?
During Reading
"Watch" The Dot...
After Reading –
“Discussion Dots Carousel”
Choose 2 questions and discuss with a partner, then after 2
minutes, switch partners, after 2 minutes… (repeat until you have discussed 8
questions or spoke with 4 different people).
o Why
was Vashti’s paper empty?
o Do
you ever feel like Vashti?
o Why
did Vashti’s teacher ask her to sign her name?
o How
did Vashti feel when she saw her picture framed?
o What
motivated her to try something new?
o How
did Vashti’s dots look at the show? Did her art improve?
o How
did she feel about herself?
o What
did she ask the boy to draw for her?
o What
happened after the boy signed his art?
o When
Vashti was “stumped” or felt unmotivated to draw, how did the teacher react?
What if Vashti’s teacher did not react in this positive way?
o How
did the teacher’s words make a difference in how Vashti felt about herself?
o Have
you ever been in a similar situation where you were like Vashti? Or have you
been in a situation where you were like her teacher?
Final Thoughts…
What is the main lesson from this “kids’ story”?
How can we take this lesson and apply it to our own lives?
What challenge are you willing to try this year?
Connect the Dots
Inspiration Activity
Each of you will create your own dot. One side of the dot,
decorate it as you wish but be sure to include your name in some way. On
the opposite side of the dot, write something you want to accomplish (feel free
to write more than one goal you wish to accomplish).
*After we are finished creating our dots, we will then connect
the dots using a piece of yarn, and create class “dot garland”. Other
suggestions?
“Free the
Children”
Essay written by
Craig Kielburger and Kevin Major, Crossroads 7
Before Reading
Discussion
How much control do you think you have over what happens in
your community ? In the world?
How aware do you think we should be of global issues? How do
we learn about problems in the world?
What social issue would you like to do something about?
Writer’s Craft Pre-reading Questions
Why does it say the authors are Craig Kielburger “with Kevin
Major”?
How could this impact the essay?
During Reading
Write any examples of
words that you think help make the language more specific or more
descriptive in the essay. How does the author do more than “tell you”, but
instead “shows you” what’s going on in the essay?
Example of words include:
shackle, mafia…
After Reading Discussion
1. Were you surprised by the story of Iqbal Masih and how
some children are mistreated this way?
2. Why do you think his story motivated Craig Kielburger, “like
no other story of injustice”?
3. Craig said he would rebel if he was a child labourer.
What might discourage children from rebelling if they are in this situation?
4. Should children speak out in defense of children?
After Reading Assignment
"Kids need to be seen and heard" - Craig Kielburger (see video, "The Story of Craig Kielburger"produced by Sherine Mansour. Embedded at the bottom of the page.)
How can inspiration motivate us? What connections can you
make with each of the selections? How can you incorporate the author’s message
into your own life? How are these two very different selections similar? Write
a paragraph that explores how these selections are similar, as well as the
connections that you can make between the author’s message your life or the
world around you.
Your paragraph should
be 7-10 sentences and include a topic sentence as well as a closing sentence.
Brainstorm what you will write about in a web; compose a rough draft,
self-revise the language (make it more “exciting” with the use of a thesaurus),
edit, then finally peer revise and peer edit your piece.
*Do on looseleaf.
* Use a peer editing sheet. Here is a digital version of one we will use from
ReadWriteThink
Extend and Inquire
Further…
So does “Free the Children” still exist today? How active is
it? If it still exists, what kinds of initiatives has it been apart of to
inspire change in the world?
Do a little inquiry digging… What impact has Iqbal Masih and
Craig Kielburger made in our world? How old were they when they got inspired to
“make their mark”… where did it take them??
Share any of your findings with the class. Record “Tweet Outs” on our Global Citizens
bulletin board with your findings.
*A “Tweet Out” is meant to be short… it can be longer than
the typical Twitter Tweet of 140 characters, but try to summarize key facts
about Iqbal or Craig.
Videos about Iqbal and Craig
Craig and Marc Kielburger on Strombo CBC... Good interview.
They explore how we can all make a difference and bring about social change, and Canadians who have made a difference.
So, what's next? How can we channel awareness and activism into ACTION!
What does Marc and Craig mean by making a difference here in Canada to other places around the world where human rights are being violated?
