The Art of Living
Learning Sequence 2
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Introduction - The Importance of Trust
This week, children will delve into the life of Plato, learning valuable lessons on justice and community from ancient Athens. They will watch a video that introduces these concepts through a story set in an Icelandic village, helping them understand how shared values and fair rules can shape a thriving society.
Using this knowledge, students will create a comic strip in Canva, creatively illustrating Plato’s teachings on building an ideal community. Finally, they will design a 9-point checklist on creating a fair and just society, applying ancient wisdom to modern settings. This activity encourages critical thinking, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for lessons from history, all while honing their design skills in Canva.
This week, we’re going to learn about the philosopher Plato. We’ll start by watching a video about a village in Iceland, where people live together peacefully by following shared rules—just like Plato imagined in his idea of a perfect society.
As you watch, think about how Plato asked his students to picture a perfect world, where everyone helps make the community fair and happy. He believed that by making fair rules, everyone in the community can feel safe and respected.
Next, you’ll explore Plato’s ideas by creating your own comic strip. In this comic, show how Plato might help a community make rules that are fair for everyone. You’ll use Canva to design your comic and make it fun and meaningful.
Finally, you’ll create a 9-point checklist on how to build a fair and just community, based on Plato’s ideas. This checklist will help you bring these lessons into your own life, making your classroom and community a better place for everyone.
Important - Download Your Workbook Template
Over the next ten weeks, students will design a 28-page booklet on “The Art of Living,” using a provided workbook to ensure everything stays organised and properly formatted. It’s crucial that teachers emphasize the importance of keeping content within the safe zone (dotted line) to avoid any issues during printing. This project not only allows students to express creativity but also serves as a structured reflection of their learning journey. The final product will be a meaningful keepsake, potentially ordered as a printed booklet, so attention to detail is vital.
Over the next ten weeks, you will be designing a 32-page booklet on “The Art of Living.” All the designs and information will be gathered by you, but we’ve put together a workbook to help you keep everything organised and in the right order.
Feel free to change the colours and some of the designs to make the booklet unique to you, but be sure to keep all content within the safe zone (the dotted line). This is important because, once your book is uploaded to the Upschool library, you might want to order a printed copy, and we don’t want any important information to be cut off during printing.
You’ll be using this booklet each week, so please make sure to download it today and return to it each week to add new pages. This booklet will be a reflection of your learning journey and a beautiful keepsake of your work on “The Art of Living.”
Weekly Keywords
In this activity, students will explore key concepts related to Plato’s teachings on justice and the ideal society. They’ll be asked to break down these ideas into simple, easy-to-understand terms, helping them to better grasp and communicate complex philosophical concepts. This exercise will enhance their critical thinking and understanding of Plato’s philosophy.
On the task card provided, you’ll find a list of keywords connected to Plato and his teachings on fairness and community.
Your challenge is to review these words and explain their meanings in the simplest terms possible. This activity will help you understand Plato’s ideas more clearly by breaking them down into easy-to-understand parts. This is an important skill that will help you in all your future learning and discussions
Quote of the Week - Plato
This week, we’ll draw inspiration from Plato and his profound teachings on justice and the ideal society. Students will explore one of his key quotes, interpreting its significance from their own perspectives, perhaps through art or a multimedia presentation.
The heart of this activity is deep reflection and meaningful conversation. It encourages students to connect with Plato’s wisdom, considering how it influences their personal choices and impacts broader societal interactions.
This approach fosters critical thinking and open discussion, helping students understand how powerful ideas can shape their views and actions. It promotes a commitment to ethical living and community building, aligning with Plato’s enduring legacy of philosophical inquiry.
Each week, we will share an inspirational quote from a great philosopher. This week we will focus on Plato, known for his profound insights on justice, society, and the pursuit of knowledge.
We encourage you to write down the quote, print it, or even create a drawing inspired by his words.
Afterward, take some time to reflect on and discuss the meaning of the quote. Consider what it teaches us about living a just and thoughtful life, and how we can use Plato’s wisdom to better ourselves and our community.
Design Your Information Card - Plato
In this activity, students will research the life of Plato, focusing on key facts like when he lived, where he was from, and what he is known for. They will then use AI tools to create an image of Plato, blending their research with creative design. The final product will be part of a comprehensive booklet on eight philosophers.
In this activity, your task is to do some basic research on the life of Plato. You’ll need to record key facts like when he lived, where he was from, and what he is known for. Keep the information simple and to the point, but make sure to include the most important details.
After you’ve gathered the information, find or create an image of Plato. Since Plato lived a very long time ago, before cameras existed, you might want to use AI to help you design this image.
Once finished, your information card will be added to your booklet, which will eventually become a special collection about all eight philosophers we are studying in this course.
Design Your Comic Strip - Plato
In this activity, students will design a comic strip using Canva, focusing on conveying Plato's message through both visual design and dialogue. The task encourages students to think critically about how speech and context can effectively deliver meaning.
By selecting the right words and images, they will create a simple yet impactful depiction of Plato's teachings on justice and the ideal society. This activity develops their skills in storytelling, visual design, and understanding the power of language in communicating ideas.
In this activity, your task is to use the story of Plato that you’ve learned to create your very own comic strip. The goal is to illustrate Plato's message in a simple yet powerful image. You’ll be using Canva to design your comic, bringing Plato's ideas to life through art.
Think about how Plato taught about justice and the ideal society. Try to capture the essence of his message in your comic strip. Use Canva’s tools to select colours, shapes, and layouts that best convey the story and message.
Design Your Trust Page - Nine Ways to Build Trust
In this activity, students will create a Classroom Constitution, reflecting on values such as fairness, respect, and inclusion.
By working together to design their own set of classroom rules, they engage in meaningful reflection on how these values ensure everyone feels cared for and respected. This exercise fosters a deeper understanding of community and its role in creating a positive, supportive classroom environment.
This week, your task is to design a Classroom Constitution that everyone in your class can follow. The goal is to create a set of rules that take care of everyone and ensure a happy, fair, and respectful environment.
Using the template provided, you will work together to decide on the most important principles that will guide your classroom. These might include being kind to one another, listening when someone is speaking, and making sure everyone feels included.
While you can start with some ideas provided, it’s important that your class discusses and decides on rules that work best for everyone. Think carefully about how you present your ideas—both in design and content. Your goal is to create a Classroom Constitution that is clear, fair, and helps everyone understand how to contribute positively to the classroom community.
Once finished, your Classroom Constitution will be something you all try to follow, ensuring that your classroom is a place where everyone is cared for and respected.
What if Wheel of Possibilities - Our Weekly Discussion
Spin the wheel and let it come to a stop. When the wheel lands, ask yourself the question it points to and discuss it with the people around you.
When we think about big questions like these, we gain a deeper understanding of the world and can appreciate how fortunate we are to live in it today.
You only need to spin the wheel once. If you land on a question you’ve already discussed, simply spin again until you’ve explored all 7 questions.
Poetry In Action - Acrostic
In this activity, students will explore Acrostic poetry, a form where the first letter of each line spells out a word or message. Drawing inspiration from Plato’s teachings on justice and society, students will craft their own
Acrostic poems, blending creativity with thoughtful reflection. This exercise encourages them to distill complex ideas into simple, expressive language while experimenting with poetic form. Adding imagery further enhances their creative expression, making the learning experience both artistic and intellectually stimulating.
As you are about to add a page to your book about food in your chosen culture or civilization, we are providing you with a series of research questions that may help you gather the information you need.
Take a look at the task card opposite and use this week, we’re going to turn the wise words of Plato into a creative poem! We’ll be writing a special type of poem called an Acrostic.
What’s an Acrostic? An Acrostic is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word or message vertically. Each line of the poem begins with a letter from the chosen word, and the lines describe or relate to that word.
Look at the example on the opposite page. Then, using what you’ve learned from Plato and your own ideas, try to create your own Acrostic poem. Don’t forget to add a picture to make your poem even more beautiful, and you might want to hang it on the wall in your classroom or home!
these research questions to help you gather enough information to add a a page on food to your book.
Students will take a weekly quiz on a philosopher’s life, reinforcing their understanding after rewatching the video. Each quiz includes ten questions, and scoring 80% or higher earns them a certificate. There are 8 certificates to collect, motivating ongoing engagement and learning. This activity encourages retention and provides a tangible reward for their efforts.
Each week, you’ll be invited to take a quiz focused on the life of a philosopher. This week, it’s all about Plato. After rewatching the video, your task is to correctly answer ten questions about his life and teachings. Achieving a score of 80% or more will earn you a certificate, which will be sent directly to your email.
There are 8 certificates in total for you to collect. Best of luck!
