The Art of Living
Learning Sequence 6
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Introduction
In this activity, students explore Simone de Beauvoir’s ideas on gender equality by identifying areas in their school or community where equality is lacking. They critically reflect on these inequalities, asking, “How can this be more equal?”
This task encourages deep thinking, fostering a philosophical understanding of fairness and justice. To synthesis their learning, students will create a comic strip illustrating de Beauvoir’s fight for equality, promoting creativity and critical thinking through real-world connections.
Hello everyone! This week, we’re learning about Simone de Beauvoir and her powerful ideas on equality. In Iceland, men and women are paid equally by law, inspired by movements like de Beauvoir’s push for equal rights.
Simone believed in equal access to work, power, and opportunities for everyone. She encouraged people to imagine a fairer world and take action to make it happen.
This week, your task is to find five areas in your school or community where equality might be lacking. Ask yourself: “How can this be more equal?”
Then, get creative! Turn Simone de Beauvoir’s story into a comic strip that shows how she challenged inequality. Use Canva to bring it to life.
Let’s start making our world fairer, one step at a time! Ready? Let’s go!
Weekly Keywords
In this activity, students will explore keywords linked to Simone de Beauvoir and her philosophy of equality. By explaining each term in simple language, they break down complex ideas into more accessible concepts, enhancing their philosophical understanding of fairness.
This task encourages students to engage in critical thinking by simplifying abstract ideas, helping them grasp the importance of equality. It promotes deeper reflection on societal issues, enabling students to better understand de Beauvoir’s contributions to gender equality.
On your task card, you’ll find keywords linked to Simone de Beauvoir and her ideas on equality. Your challenge is to explain each word in the simplest way possible.
This will help you better understand de Beauvoir’s philosophy by breaking down complex ideas into clear, easy-to-understand parts. Simplifying big concepts will also sharpen your thinking about fairness and equality in 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 - Simone de Beauvoir
In this activity, students will engage with an inspiring quote from Simone de Beauvoir to deepen their understanding of equality and fairness. By writing down, illustrating, or reflecting on the quote, students connect her philosophy to real-world contexts.
This promotes critical thinking and encourages them to think about how they can apply de Beauvoir’s ideas in their school and community. The reflection fosters philosophical insight and encourages students to consider how they can contribute to a fairer world.
Each week, we’ll share an inspiring quote from a great thinker. This week, it’s Simone de Beauvoir, who taught us about equality and fairness.
Write down her quote, print it, or create a drawing inspired by her words. Then, take a moment to reflect on what the quote means. Think about how her ideas can help us understand equality and how we can make our school and community fairer for everyone.
Design Your Information Card - Simone de Beauvoir
In this activity, students will research the life of Simone de Beauvoir, focusing on key facts such as her contributions to gender equality. By creating a clear and simple information card, they engage in critical thinking and summarise complex ideas into digestible parts.
Additionally, students will design or find an image of de Beauvoir, encouraging creativity while reflecting on her philosophical impact. This task deepens students’ understanding of her role in advocating for equality and fairness in society.
In this activity, you’ll research the life of Simone de Beauvoir. Record key facts like when she lived, where she was from, and what she’s famous for—especially her ideas about gender equality.
Keep the information simple and clear, focusing on the most important details. Then, find or create an image of Simone de Beauvoir. Since she lived before social media, feel free to use your creativity or tools like Canva to design her image in your own style!
Design Your Comic Strip - Simone de Beauvoir
In this activity, students will create a comic strip based on Simone de Beauvoir’s message of equality. By illustrating her ideas, they engage in critical thinking and creative expression, making complex concepts accessible through art.
Using Canva, students will design their comic, capturing how de Beauvoir challenged gender inequality and stood up for fairness. This task encourages students to reflect on her philosophical impact and convey her message in a way that visually communicates the importance of equality for everyone.
In this activity, your task is to create a comic strip based on what you’ve learned about Simone de Beauvoir. The goal is to illustrate her message about equality in a simple but meaningful way. You’ll use Canva to design your comic, bringing her ideas to life through art.
Think about how de Beauvoir stood up for gender equality and challenged unfairness. Capture the essence of her message in your comic strip. Use Canva’s tools to choose colours, shapes, and layouts that best show the importance of fairness and equality for everyone.
Create 10 Ways to Promote Gender Equality in School
In this activity, students will design a colourful poster listing 10 Ways to Promote Gender Equality in School. By identifying areas where fairness can be improved, they practice critical thinking and learn to apply philosophical ideas to everyday life.
Each suggestion encourages equal opportunities and respect between boys and girls. Using drawings and creative designs, students will visually represent these ideas, fostering a deeper understanding of how to support equality in school and create a fairer environment for everyone.
This week, your task is to design a colourful poster listing 10 Ways to Promote Gender Equality in School. Your goal is to help everyone in your school understand how they can support equality between boys and girls in everyday life. Each point should show a way to ensure fairness, respect, and equal opportunities for everyone.
Start by thinking about different areas in your school where gender equality can be improved. For example, instead of boys and girls being treated differently in sports, suggest “Everyone should have the same opportunities to play!” These ideas will help make your school a fairer place for all.
Write down your 10 ways and illustrate them. Use drawings to show how boys and girls can work together equally—like sharing responsibilities, speaking up for fairness, or creating mixed teams in activities. 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 understand and support gender equality in everything they do!
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 Tanka
In this activity, students will explore creative writing by composing a tanka, a traditional Japanese poem. The tanka’s structured syllables encourage students to express deep emotions or moments in just five lines.
By connecting nature, seasons, or personal feelings, students engage in reflective thinking and develop their writing skills. After crafting their tanka, they will add an illustration to complement the mood or scene of their poem, blending creativity with thoughtful expression. This task nurtures both poetic skills and artistic imagination.
This week, we’re exploring the beauty of a tanka! A tanka is a traditional Japanese poem with five lines that capture a moment, feeling, or observation, often connecting nature with human emotion.
What is a Tanka?
A tanka follows this specific pattern of syllables:
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First line: 5 syllables
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Second line: 7 syllables
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Third line: 5 syllables
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Fourth line: 7 syllables
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Fifth line: 7 syllables
The poem creates a powerful image or feeling in just a few short lines. It often reflects on nature, seasons, or personal emotions, making it a wonderful way to express deep thoughts simply.
Take a look at the example on the opposite page to see how it’s done. Then, write your own tanka, thinking carefully about the mood or moment you want to capture. You can write about anything—like a rainy day, a quiet moment, or a memory.
Once you’ve written your tanka, add a drawing to illustrate the feeling or scene in your poem, and share it with your class or display it at home. Your tanka will be a beautiful and thoughtful reflection of your experience!
Quiz and Your Certificate
In this activity, students will test their knowledge of Simone de Beauvoir by taking a quiz focused on her ideas, contributions to gender equality, and influence on society. Through this, they engage in critical thinking and reinforce their understanding of fairness. Scoring 80% or more will earn them a Simone de Beauvoir Certificate, celebrating their achievement.
With 8 certificates representing different inspiring figures, students are motivated to continue learning and reflect on de Beauvoir’s message: "Equality is for everyone."
This week, it’s time to explore the life of Simone de Beauvoir! You’ll have the chance to take a quiz about her ideas, her contributions to gender equality, and her influence on society. After watching the video, your task is to answer ten questions about de Beauvoir’s life and her beliefs about fairness.
If you score 80% or more, you’ll earn a special Simone de Beauvoir Certificate to celebrate your achievement! This certificate will be sent directly to your email.
There are 8 certificates in total to collect, each one representing a different inspiring figure. Can you collect them all? Best of luck, and remember de Beauvoir’s message: “Equality is for everyone.” Keep learning and have fun!
