The Art of Living
Learning Sequence 7
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Introduction
In this activity, students explore John Rawls’ philosophy of fairness by independently creating a comic strip illustrating his thought experiment. They will also design a new rule for their school, focusing on equality and inclusion.
This task encourages creativity and independent thinking, as students apply philosophical ideas to real-world scenarios. Using Canva to express their ideas visually, students reflect on collective responsibility and how decisions can benefit everyone, fostering critical thinking and a deeper understanding of justice.
Hello everyone! This week, we’re diving into the ideas of John Rawls and how collective responsibility shapes a fair society. Just like when Jack and I were standing by the volcano in Iceland, we learned that democracy is about more than just voting—it’s about making decisions that benefit everyone.
John Rawls believed in fairness, and he created a thought experiment to help us think about it. He asked his students to imagine they were designing a new society, but with one important rule: they wouldn’t know if they’d be born rich or poor, powerful or powerless. The goal was to create rules that would be fair for everyone, no matter where they ended up.
This week, you’re going to put Rawls’ ideas into practice. Here’s what you’ll be doing:
Comic Book Creation: Take John Rawls’ thought experiment and turn it into a comic strip. Imagine how Rawls might explain fairness to others, and get creative in showing how society can be designed to help everyone. Use Canva to make your comic colourful and engaging!
Create a School Rule: Think about your own school and come up with a new rule that could be implemented for everyone. But here’s the challenge: this rule has to benefit all students equally, no matter their background or situation. Whether they live close or far, whether they’re older or younger, your rule should promote fairness for all.
This week is all about understanding how we can use collective decision-making to build a fair and inclusive
Weekly Keywords
In this activity, students independently explore John Rawls’ ideas of fairness and collective responsibility by simplifying a list of related keywords. By breaking down complex philosophical terms into easy-to-understand explanations, students strengthen their critical thinking and comprehension skills.
This task fosters creativity as they interpret Rawls’ concepts in their own words, helping them apply these principles to real-world situations. It encourages independence in learning and promotes a deeper understanding of how fairness can shape decision-making in society.
On your task card this week, you’ll find a list of keywords related to John Rawls and his ideas about fairness and collective responsibility. Your challenge is to look at each word and explain it in the simplest way possible.
This activity will help you break down Rawls’ big ideas into easy-to-understand parts. By simplifying these concepts, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how fairness works in society and how we can make decisions that benefit everyone. Learning to simplify complex ideas will help you think more critically and apply fairness to 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 – John Rawls
In this activity, students independently reflect on a quote by John Rawls that highlights the importance of fairness and creating rules that benefit everyone.
They will either write, print, or create a drawing inspired by the quote, fostering creativity. Through reflection, students will think critically about how Rawls’ ideas can be applied in their school or community to promote equality and inclusion. This activity encourages independent thinking and helps students connect philosophical wisdom to real-life situations.
Each week, we’ll share an inspirational quote from a great philosopher. This week, it’s John Rawls, who taught us the importance of fairness and creating rules that benefit everyone, not just a few.
Write down the quote, print it, or create a drawing inspired by his words. Then, take some time to reflect on what the quote means. Think about how Rawls’ wisdom can help us create a more fair and inclusive community by ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, is treated equally. How can you use these ideas to make your school or community better?
Design Your Information Card - John Rawls
In this activity, students will independently research the life of John Rawls, focusing on key facts such as his background, achievements, and his famous ideas about fairness and equality. This task encourages students to summarise complex information clearly and concisely.
After gathering the information, students will either find a real image of Rawls or use their creativity to design one that represents his ideas. This blend of research and creativity promotes independent learning and deepens their understanding of philosophical concepts.
In this activity, your task is to do some basic research on the life of John Rawls. Record key facts like when he lived, where he was from, and what he is famous for—especially his ideas about fairness and creating a society where everyone is treated equally. 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 John Rawls. Since he lived in more recent times, you can find real images of him or use your creativity to design one that captures his ideas and influence!
Design Your Comic Strip - John Rawls
In this activity, students will independently create a comic strip illustrating John Rawls’ ideas about fairness and collective responsibility. Using Canva, they will visualise how Rawls encouraged people to design a society where no one knows their social standing, promoting fairness for all.
This task fosters creativity as students design visuals that effectively communicate philosophical concepts. It also encourages independent thinking by allowing students to interpret Rawls’ message and present it in an engaging, artistic format that highlights the importance of equality.
In this activity, your task is to create your own comic strip based on the story of John Rawls that you’ve learned. The goal is to illustrate Rawls’ message about fairness and collective responsibility in a simple yet powerful way. You’ll use Canva to design your comic, bringing Rawls’ ideas to life through art.
Think about how Rawls asked people to imagine a society where they didn’t know their place—rich or poor, powerful or powerless—and how that helps create fair rules for everyone. 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 creating a fair and inclusive society.
Create 4 New Rules to Benefit Everyone in School
In this activity, students will independently create a colourful poster listing 4 new rules that promote fairness, inclusion, and positivity in their school. By reflecting on situations where things could be more equal or inclusive, students will design rules that ensure everyone feels valued and supported.
They will use both words and drawings to illustrate how these rules can make their school a better, more welcoming place. This task encourages independent thinking, creativity, and practical application of fairness and inclusivity.
This week, your task is to create a colourful poster listing 4 new rules that will benefit everyone in school. Your goal is to come up with ideas that promote fairness, inclusion, and positivity in your school community. Each rule should help ensure that everyone—no matter their background—feels valued and supported.
Start by thinking about situations at school where things could be more equal or where students could feel more included. For example, one rule might ensure that everyone has a chance to participate in group activities, or that break time is more enjoyable for students of all ages. These rules are about making school a better, more welcoming place for everyone.
Write down each of your 4 rules and illustrate them. Use drawings to show how these rules can make your school fairer, like students sharing and including each other, or a classroom where everyone’s voice is heard. Be as creative as you can, using both words and pictures to bring your ideas to life. Your goal is to inspire your school community to adopt these rules and create a more positive environment for all!
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 Free Verse Poem
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 going to dive into the world of free verse poetry! Free verse is a type of poetry that doesn’t follow any strict rules when it comes to rhyme or rhythm, giving you the freedom to express your ideas in a natural, flowing way.
What is Free Verse?
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Free verse poems have no set structure, which means you can decide how long your lines are, how many lines you write, and whether or not your poem will rhyme.
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This type of poetry allows you to focus on imagery, emotions, and ideas without worrying about fitting into a particular pattern. It’s all about creativity and expression.
This week, you’ll write your own free verse poem about a topic that inspires you. It could be something from nature, a feeling, an experience at school, or a dream you have for the future. Think about how you can use vivid words and descriptions to paint a picture for your reader.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Choose a topic that you feel strongly about or something you’ve been thinking about recently.
2. Write freely, letting your thoughts flow without worrying about structure. Focus on describing your thoughts and feelings with clear images.
3. Experiment with line breaks, repetition, and strong words to create a unique rhythm and mood.
Once you’ve finished your poem, add a drawing or visual that complements your words. Free verse gives you the power to create something truly your own, so let your imagination take the lead! Share your poem with your class or display it proudly at home.
Quiz and Your Certificate
In this activity, students will independently explore John Rawls' philosophy by watching a video and taking a quiz on his ideas about fairness and collective responsibility. The quiz consists of ten questions, and students who score 80% or higher will receive a John Rawls Certificate as a reward for their achievement.
With 8 philosopher-themed certificates available, students are encouraged to engage with the material and strive for success, all while reflecting on Rawls’ message of creating a fair society for everyone.
This week, it's time to explore the ideas of John Rawls! After watching the video and learning about his thought experiment on fairness and collective responsibility, you’ll have the chance to take a quiz all about his life, his famous ideas, and his contributions to philosophy.
Your task is to answer ten questions about Rawls’ philosophy and his approach to building a fair society. If you score 80% or more, you’ll earn a special John Rawls 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 Rawls' powerful message about creating a society where everyone is treated fairly. Keep thinking and have fun!
