I’m no Van Gogh. I have both 👂. But I love a good communal 🎨. With my collegial krewe, we paint and pass the time.
Stones of Erasmus — Just plain good writing, teaching, thinking, doing, making, being, dreaming, seeing, feeling, building, creating, reading
27.2.21
Paint Night: We Did Van Gogh's Sunflowers
12.2.21
It’s Lunar New Year 2021 — Drink a Bubble Tea and Rejoice
I'm spilling the tea with @yang2010who gifted me with some warm bubble tea.
Do you celebrate the Lunar New Year? What do you do?
6.2.21
Teach Plato’s Allegory of the Cave with a Digital Educational Download from Stones of Erasmus
If you want to teach philosophy to young people, start with some of Plato's myths, as recounted in his book The Republic. The most potent myth from Plato is the Allegory of the Cave. It's such a vivid metaphor for illustrating a specific type of search for truth — that your students will get it right away and not only enjoy reading the source material with you, but they'll surprise you with their takes on the narratives and connections to the real world.
Download the digital resource on TpT, Amazon, or Made By Teachers! |
If you want to teach philosophy to young people, use this lesson plan that introduces students to Plato’s theory of reality. I was inspired to create this resource when I retold the story of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (from The Republic) in plain language. In this story, Plato imagines a world where one man wakes up and questions what is real and not real. Have your students read this story with you, and use my handy dandy comprehension questions and discussion activities to lead your students to examine Plato’s metaphysical thinking.
*This resource is optimized for distance learning. The product includes an editable Google Docs link. Modify this resource for use on Google Classroom and other classroom management sites*
This resource includes the following features:
Essential Question: How do I know what is really real?
The text of the story is included in this resource.
The story is retold from the source material in easy-to-understand English. Great for a class read-and-share. Or, have students pair-read the text and then have a whole-class discussion.
15 reading comprehension questions
Useful for homework. To flip the classroom — assign the reading before you plan to discuss and have students complete the reading comprehension questions beforehand.
6 Discussion Questions
Perfect for group work or a carousel activity — get your kids moving while discussing Plato!
1 Chart to Explain Plato’s Two-World Theory
Useful graphic organizer to understand Plato’s worldview
An answer key for both comprehension and discussion questions
Suggested Lesson Plan
With more ideas and instructions on how to use this resource
Bibliography
I use the bibliography as a further reading resource for my students. Assign your curious scholars a research assignment or have students do projects based on books, links, and other material related to Plato they may find interesting or exciting.
Suggested Uses:
Humanities Course on Ancient Greece
World History Course on the History of Ideas
Literature Course
Ethics Course — See how I used this resource in an Ethics class with 8th graders!
Introduction to Philosophy Course
Student Advisory Course on Drug and Alcohol Abuse
A Lesson on Truth
A lesson on Appearance and Reality
Discover More of My Philosophy in the Classroom Series
- Free: Five Resources to Get Young People Thinking About Ethics and Moral Decision-Making
- Want Google Forms with your Plato? — get it here.
- See companion lesson "The Ring of Gyges" - on the uses and misuses of justice from Plato's Republic.
- 5-product Philosophy in the Classroom bundle — Includes this resource plus Ring of Gyges, Nietzsche, Empiricism and Rationalism, and an activity to Discuss any Moral Problem.
That Time My Mother Mailed Me a Mardi Gras King Cake from New Orleans
Fedex delivered a king cake in a box from Gambino's Bakery in New Orleans. |
Today, Mom sent a king 👑 cake to me from @gambinosbakery in New Orleans. @ceiacrema helped me to open and decorate! Who’s ready for a king cake party? And who’s gonna get the baby? As a kid, we used to have Mardi Gras classroom parties. Think a colossal sheet cake from @winndixie covered in purple, green, and gold, and your entire first-grade class goes into a diabetic coma. Thankfully teachers knew to save the cake as a Friday thing (at the end of the day). Otherwise, nobody was learning anything. I know it’s a crazy year to celebrate 🎉 , but it’s Mardi Gras season y’all. Be safe, stay masked, and do your part to stop the spread of Covid-19. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a slice, honey.
2.2.21
Teaching the Anatolian Tale of King Midas to Middle and High School Student: Graeco-Roman Mythology Series
In this post, I discuss the story of Midas, the foolish king of Phrygia who turned everything he touched into gold, grew a pair of ass's ears, and apparently is based on a historical king in what is today part of central Turkey and Asia Minor.
With an easy-to-use map and anchor chart I can introduce students to the historical context of the Midas tale. |
First, I introduce my students to the story's historical context. King Midas was a ruler of Phrygia, an ancient kingdom located in what is now parts of central Turkey and Asia Minor. This helps to ground the story in reality and shows that the lessons it teaches are rooted in history and culture. That's an important piece.
I use writing prompts to get kids' creative juices flowing. |
It's funny, isn't it? The thing I always wanted that would bring me the most happiness is now the very thing that's destroyed me. Gold. My father's touch turned me into a statue of gold.
I used to dream of being wealthy and powerful, of having everything I could ever want at my fingertips. But I never stopped to consider the cost, the price I'd have to pay for all that wealth. And now, I'm paying it in full.
I can't move, I can't speak, I can't even cry. I'm just frozen in this golden shell, a monument to my father's foolishness. And what will become of me now? Will I be placed on display for all to see, a tragic curiosity? Will I be melted down and turned into something else, something that someone else desires?
It's funny how quickly your desires can turn against you. How one moment you can be chasing after something, thinking it will bring you happiness, and the next moment it can become your greatest nightmare. I wish I could go back and warn myself, tell myself to be careful what I wished for. But it's too late now.
So here I am, a statue of gold, unable to move or speak, watching as the world passes me by. And all I can do is wonder if anyone will ever see me as more than just a thing to be owned and possessed.
30.1.21
FREEBIE! 3-Box Note-Taking Template from Stones of Erasmus
Go Digital With a Note-Taking Template Compatible with Google Apps
Going digital, I often bemoan that students do not always have clear ideas on how to take notes whilst on Zoom. Suffice it to say, no one is using a notebook anymore. So I came up with something old and borrowed and traditional and put it into a zesty digital format.
Here is a freebie for y'all to share with your students. It's a simple-to-use digital note-taking template.
Questions:
In this section, students can do one of two things (or both). First, they can record questions they have so they won't forget. Second, they can generate test-type questions. Studies show when students start thinking like the teacher, they are more likely to do well on tests and other assessments.
Notes:
In this section, students jot down what they hear in class in the normal way. I don't expect students to take down everything I say. The gist is what I'm after.
Summary:
At the end of class, or for independent work, students take time to digest what was learned in class and write down everything in a summative paragraph form. Great for retention! Also, if you prefer the old school method, I got you. Once you download the template, you'll see there are both versions available, print and digital.
You can download the FREEBIE on my TpT store OR you can click the link below!
21.1.21
Going Digital in the Classroom: Pros and Cons (And Notes on Teaching During a Global Pandemic)
The Covid-19 pandemic has turned the education world upside down in so many ways. Schools have had to shut down, parents have had to take on the role of homeschool teachers, and even traditional educators have had to find ways to adapt to a digital environment.
Before the pandemic, creating a digital resource for students might have been seen as innovative but only sometimes necessary. After all, printable worksheets and textbooks have been the norm for so long, and they still work just fine. But the pandemic has forced us all to think outside the box and develop new ways to reach our students and ensure they still receive a quality education.
For those of us who are old-school teachers, the transition to a digital environment has been challenging. We've had to learn new technologies, figure out how to use them effectively in our classrooms, and adapt our teaching styles to fit this new format. It's been a challenge, to say the least.
But despite these challenges, the shift to digital resources has been a good thing for education. For one thing, it's made it easier for students to access materials and resources from anywhere. No longer are they tied to a physical classroom or limited by the resources available at their school. They can access a wealth of information and resources online, which has opened up a new world of learning opportunities.
Additionally, digital resources are often more interactive and engaging than traditional print materials. They can include videos, animations, simulations, and other multimedia elements to help students better understand and retain the material. And because they are often more interactive, they can also be more fun and engaging for students, which can help keep them motivated and interested in their studies.
While the shift to digital resources has not been without its challenges, I believe it has been a net positive for education. It has made it easier for students to access materials and resources and has opened up new opportunities for interactive and engaging learning experiences. As we move forward in the post-pandemic world, I hope that we can continue to embrace the benefits of digital resources and find ways to make education more accessible and engaging for all students.