The Art of Living
Learning Sequence 5
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Introduction
Hello everyone! This week’s focus is on René Descartes and developing critical thinking and independence. Students will practise questioning what is usually taken for granted, picking objects from the classroom or community to challenge assumptions.
They’ll also explore news or media to test the truth behind it. By creating a comic strip, students will share Descartes’ questioning with others, encouraging a spirit of service by inspiring others to think deeply and independently.
Hello everyone! This week, we’re learning about René Descartes and how asking questions helps us find the truth. Just like when Jack and I were on the volcano in Iceland, we realised things aren’t always what they seem, and it’s important to be curious.
Descartes believed we should question everything around us. He even questioned whether the fire in front of him was real! This kind of critical thinking helps us see beyond what’s right in front of us.
This week, you’re going to practice asking questions. Pick five things in your classroom or community and think of a question that challenges what everyone just assumes is true. For example, if you see a sign saying, “All apples are the same,” ask, “Are they really the same? What makes each apple different?”
Next, use these questioning skills to look at news, ads, or even gossip. Ask yourself: Is this really true? How do I know?
Finally, we’ll make a comic strip showing Descartes questioning things around him and teaching others to do the same. Use Canva to make it creative and fun!
This week is all about using questions to understand things better. Let’s get started!
Weekly Keywords
Hello everyone! This week, we’re focusing on René Descartes and simplifying complex ideas. Students will use task cards with keywords related to Descartes’ teachings and explain each word in the simplest way possible.
This activity will develop their independence by breaking down big concepts into easy-to-understand parts, and encourage service to others as they share their simplified explanations to help classmates understand. It’s about making challenging ideas accessible for all!
On your task card, you’ll see a list of keywords related to René Descartes and his ideas about questioning everything around us. Your challenge is to look at each word and explain it in the simplest way you can.
This activity will help you understand Descartes’ teachings better by breaking them down into easy parts. Learning to simplify big ideas will help you think more clearly and question the world around you.
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.”
Quote of the Week - René Descartes
This week, we will draw inspiration from René Descartes and his ideas about questioning everything to find the truth. Students will explore one of Descartes’ quotes, interpreting its meaning from their own perspectives—perhaps through artwork, writing, or a creative multimedia project.
The core of this activity is deep reflection and critical thinking. It encourages students to connect with Descartes’ wisdom, considering how his ideas can help them question the world around them and understand it more deeply.
This approach nurtures independence, curiosity, and open discussion, helping students see how asking questions can shape their thinking and actions. It promotes a love for inquiry and encourages the value of questioning to gain true understanding, honouring Descartes’ legacy of critical thought.
Each week, we’ll share an inspirational quote from a great philosopher. This week, it’s René Descartes, who taught us the importance of questioning everything to discover the truth.
Write down the quote, print it, or create a drawing inspired by his words. Then, take time to reflect on what the quote means. Think about how Descartes’ wisdom can help us understand the world better by questioning what we see and hear, and how this can improve our understanding and community.
Design Your Information Card - René Descartes
This activity focuses on students researching René Descartes to create an information card. They’ll gather key facts, such as when he lived, where he was from, and his famous ideas about questioning everything.
Students will keep the information simple yet informative, promoting independence in their learning. They will also find or create an image of Descartes, using creativity or AI tools, encouraging personal expression while connecting historical context with modern technology to serve others through shared learning.
In this activity, your task is to do some basic research on the life of René Descartes. Record key facts like when he lived, where he was from, and what he is famous for—especially his ideas about questioning everything to discover the truth. Keep the information simple and clear, but make sure to include the most important details.
After gathering the information, find or create an image of René Descartes. Since he lived a long time ago, before cameras existed, you can use your creativity or AI tools to design this image.
Download
Design Your Comic Strip - René Descartes
In this activity, students will create a comic strip about René Descartes, illustrating his message of questioning everything to find the truth. Using Canva, they’ll visually bring Descartes’ ideas to life, capturing the essence of his critical thinking.
This task promotes independence as students interpret and design their own representations, and it encourages service to others by creating accessible, visual storytelling that communicates Descartes’ powerful message to their peers in a creative and engaging way.
In this activity, your task is to create your own comic strip based on the story of René Descartes that you’ve learned. The goal is to illustrate Descartes’ message about questioning everything in a simple but powerful way. You’ll use Canva to design your comic, bringing Descartes’ ideas to life through art.
Think about how Descartes questioned everything around him to discover what was true. Try to capture the essence of his message in your comic strip. Use Canva’s tools to choose colours, shapes, and layouts that best convey the story and the importance of asking questions to find the truth.
Create 8 Ways to Be a Critical Thinker in School
In this activity, students will create a colourful poster titled “9 Ways to Be a Critical Thinker in School”. Each point will show how to be curious, thoughtful, and open-minded, promoting independence in their thinking.
Students will illustrate each point, using drawings to help others understand how to think critically, like detectives or explorers. This encourages service to others by sharing valuable skills with classmates, helping everyone learn how to think better and make smart decisions together.
This week, your task is to create a colourful poster listing 8 Ways to Be a Critical Thinker in School. Your goal is to help others learn how they can think better and make smart choices at school. Each point should show a way to be curious, thoughtful, and open-minded—skills that will help everyone learn in the best way possible.
Start by thinking about each of the nine points below. Each way helps you look at things differently, solve problems, or learn new things. For example, instead of just accepting everything you hear, Find the Proof and ask yourself, “How do I know this is true?” These tips are about being a better thinker in every part of your school life.
Write down each of the nine ways and illustrate them. Use drawings to show how you can be a great thinker, like a detective looking for clues or someone sharing new ideas with friends. Be as creative as you can, using both words and pictures to bring your ideas to life. Your goal is to help everyone in your school learn how to think critically and make smart decisions.
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 -A Diamante
In this activity, students will explore the structure of a diamante poem, which is a seven-line poem shaped like a diamond that shows the connection between two different subjects. They will carefully craft each line, moving from one subject to another, encouraging independence in creative writing.
By adding illustrations and sharing their poems, students engage in service to others by making the transition between ideas visual, helping their peers understand the similarities or connections between different topics in a creative way.
This week, we’re going to explore the structure and beauty of a diamante poem! A diamante is a seven-line poem that forms the shape of a diamond and helps you show how two different things are related.
What is a Diamante?
A diamante has a special pattern that makes it look like a diamond:
1. First line: One word that is the starting subject.
2. Second line: Two words that describe the starting subject.
3. Third line: Three action words ending in “-ing” about the starting subject.
4.Fourth line: Four words—two about the starting subject and two about the ending subject.
5. Fifth line: Three action words ending in “-ing” about the ending subject.
6. Sixth line: Two words that describe the ending subject.
7. Seventh line: One word that is the ending subject.
A diamante poem starts with one subject and gradually changes into something different by the end. It’s a great way to show how two things are similar or connected.
Take a look at the example on the opposite page. Then, write your own diamante poem, thinking carefully about each line and how it flows. You can make your poem about anything—like day to night, summer to winter, or happy to sad.
Add a drawing to go along with your poem and share it with your class or display it at home. Your diamante will create a beautiful transition between two ideas and form an amazing diamond shape!
Quiz and Your Certificate
Students will take a weekly quiz on a philosopher’s life, focusing on René Descartes this week. After rewatching the video, they’ll answer ten questions to reinforce their understanding of Descartes’ ideas about questioning everything to discover the truth. Scoring 80% or higher earns them a certificate.
With 8 certificates to collect, this activity encourages ongoing engagement, motivates learning, and provides a tangible reward for their efforts while deepening their understanding of Descartes’ critical thinking and curiosity.
This week, it’s time to dive into the life of René Descartes! You’ll have the chance to take a quiz all about his ideas, his famous sayings, and his contributions to philosophy and science. After watching the video, your task is to answer ten questions about Descartes’ life and his way of thinking.
If you score 80% or more, you’ll earn a special René Descartes Certificate to celebrate your achievement! This certificate will be sent directly to your email.
There are 8 certificates in total for you to collect, each one representing a different philosopher. Can you collect them all? Best of luck, and remember Descartes’ famous words: “I think, therefore I am.” Keep thinking and have fun!
