Happiness Mini-Unit
1. To begin our mini thematic unit on Happiness, we will view the three comics above and discuss what they suggest about "Happiness." We will also discuss a class definition of Happiness. Why do we think that the depression rate is so high today?
Activity: As a class, Mr. Fitton distributed pieces of paper to each student and asked them to write down a response to any or all of these:
-A question they have about Happiness they want answered in the unit
-A comment about Happiness
-What they think the unit will be about
Student Responses 2017
1. How can I be more happy? What is happiness?
2. Is happiness an illusion or reality that can or cannot be reached; does it involve pain
3. How do I achieve happiness at school?
4. Why does our school system drain Children's happiness
5. Do we need to experience pain / sorrow in order to be happy?
6. Why does it feel good to make other people happy
7. Are kids or adults happier?
8. Why do some people prefer being around sadness, hate etc instead of focusing on happiness?
9. How does stress effect the body?
10. Can happiness cure sadness that has inflicted someone for a long time?
11. How do I choose happiness when times are really hard?
12. How can I be happy even when it feels like everything is going wrong?
13. Can happiness be bought?
14. What part of the brain controls happiness; how does it work? Can you make yourself happy or can your brain control it.
15. Why is it hard to stay happy?
16. How do I let bad things go?
Activity: As a class, Mr. Fitton distributed pieces of paper to each student and asked them to write down a response to any or all of these:
-A question they have about Happiness they want answered in the unit
-A comment about Happiness
-What they think the unit will be about
Student Responses 2017
1. How can I be more happy? What is happiness?
2. Is happiness an illusion or reality that can or cannot be reached; does it involve pain
3. How do I achieve happiness at school?
4. Why does our school system drain Children's happiness
5. Do we need to experience pain / sorrow in order to be happy?
6. Why does it feel good to make other people happy
7. Are kids or adults happier?
8. Why do some people prefer being around sadness, hate etc instead of focusing on happiness?
9. How does stress effect the body?
10. Can happiness cure sadness that has inflicted someone for a long time?
11. How do I choose happiness when times are really hard?
12. How can I be happy even when it feels like everything is going wrong?
13. Can happiness be bought?
14. What part of the brain controls happiness; how does it work? Can you make yourself happy or can your brain control it.
15. Why is it hard to stay happy?
16. How do I let bad things go?
2. We will view two video clips - a Ted Talk and an RSA animate about Shawn Achor and his Non-Fiction book "The Happiness Advantage." While we watch, students are to develop one question, one comment or one statement about the Ted Talk.
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3. Next, we will view a slideshow created by Jenny Mitchell and altered by Mr. Fitton, which discusses the main points in Achor's best-seller, "The Happiness Advantage." This is a positive psychology non-fiction book.
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This Slideshow goes over the main points from his book. As we progress through the slideshow, there will be some activities where you get to move around, some spots where we will come up with ideas as a class to improve our learning, and we will watch videos, like "The Mask of Zorro" where Achor points to the powerful metaphor of the Zorro circle.
-We will watch "Tetris effect" a 2 minute film. -We will also look at "The Tetris effect - train your brain" - from 0:50-5:32) |
We will be examining a slideshow about Achor's work on "The Happiness Advantage." We will watch a PPT which contains some of the following videos as well.
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fitton_-_happiness_advantage_slideshow.pptx | |
File Size: | 613 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
4. We will start our Happiness Journal each class for the next month as he indicates in his Ted Talk and Book.
A. Every day write down three things you are grateful for. (So you start to scan your environment for good things)
B. Journal for 5 minutes about something that made you happy in the last 24 hours. (So your brain re-lives it)
5. We will watch a brief video on how to have better discussions/conversations prior to undertaking our Lit Circle just so that we can ensure we are having meaningful conversations. Also, this video will help us with personal growth.
A. Every day write down three things you are grateful for. (So you start to scan your environment for good things)
B. Journal for 5 minutes about something that made you happy in the last 24 hours. (So your brain re-lives it)
5. We will watch a brief video on how to have better discussions/conversations prior to undertaking our Lit Circle just so that we can ensure we are having meaningful conversations. Also, this video will help us with personal growth.
6. We will conduct a lit-circle; information circle activity where students choose an article to read from the extensive list below. They will them choose one of the many lit circle roles from the assignment below and read the article and do a role. We will then have a discussion component.
_lit_circles_-_for_students.doc | |
File Size: | 142 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Information Circle Articles to Choose From:
a_happy_life_may_not_be_a_meaningful_life_-_scientific_american.pdf | |
File Size: | 180 kb |
File Type: |
the_perma_model__your_scientific_theory_of_happiness.pdf | |
File Size: | 364 kb |
File Type: |
choose_to_be_grateful._it_will_make_you_happier._-_the_new_york_times.pdf | |
File Size: | 104 kb |
File Type: |
happiness___all_you_need_to_know_about_the_science_behind_it.pdf | |
File Size: | 460 kb |
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the_futile_pursuit_of_happiness_-_the_new_york_times.pdf | |
File Size: | 123 kb |
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how_to_be_happy_every_day_by_making_these_7_little_changes_in_your_life.pdf | |
File Size: | 84 kb |
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use__quot_the_four_cs_quot__to_boost_your_happiness_and_clear_mental_clutter.pdf | |
File Size: | 327 kb |
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the_science_of_happiness_|_harvard_magazine.pdf | |
File Size: | 1724 kb |
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theres_more_to_life_than_being_happy_-_the_atlantic.pdf | |
File Size: | 240 kb |
File Type: |
6. Mr. Fitton wants to do something with infographics. Some are shown below... Mr. Fitton is not sure how/what we will do yet.... stay tuned... My goal is to empower students this year, so what do you want to do?
7. Copies of the Infographics are also contained below.
infograh_print_sci.png | |
File Size: | 153 kb |
File Type: | png |
infographic.png | |
File Size: | 2179 kb |
File Type: | png |
science-of-happiness_52c861b3441ab_w450_h600.jpg | |
File Size: | 70 kb |
File Type: | jpg |
1433948186_12_steps_to_happiness_v1.00_-_poster__color_.png | |
File Size: | 105 kb |
File Type: | png |
happinessinfographic_52d165b939def_w1500.jpg | |
File Size: | 328 kb |
File Type: | jpg |