The President's Back to School Speech

Please fast forward to the 2 minute mark and play the video below.





What are at least three items the President mentions in his speech that are "part of your job" as a student? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

If you were the President talking to America's students, what could you add to President Obama's message?

Who was a major influence in President Obama's school life? How and why?

How does your school experience compare with his?

What role can you play in determining America's success in the 21st century?

The Charter for Compassion

The Charter for Compassion is a global movement that seeks to use the best ideas in every world culture and belief system, whether secular or religious, to change the world for the better. This is their credo:


As you watch the video, think about the following questions and then please choose two or three to guide your comments:

What statement or phrase in the video speaks to you the most, if any? Why?

Do you object to any part of the Charter? If so, why?

Are you living a compassionate life according to their definition? Could you offer a new definition for compassion that more accurately reflects your ideas and views?

How can you use the ideas from this video, our discussions in class, and our Global Connections activities to impact the world in a more positive way through expressing compassion?

If you would like to share your experience of compassion, either as a recipient of it or the person expressing it, please feel free to add your insights in your comments. You can also upload them to the Charter for Compassion website by clicking on the underlined link.

BeadforLife

This year's Global Connections theme is Compassion: a compass to guide you, your passion to drive you. Please read the commentary, watch the video, and answer these 6 questions:

1. What does "compassion" mean to you?
2. In what ways have you experienced compassion in your life?

A few years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a BeadforLife party. This was my first introduction to this amazing nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to better the lives of hard-working women in Africa and provide them with a better life for themselves, their families, and the community in which they live. I left the party feeling great because I knew the money I had spent would be given directly to the women who had created such beautiful pieces of jewelry. It was the best win-win situation ever!
~Señorita Webb

3. Watch the video below and take note of 3 things that surprised you or you learned.
4. What, if anything, did you already know?


5. How can compassion have an effect on the world around you?
6. What have you done or can you do in the future to show compassion?

A Passion for Dance

Smith's Global Connections Theme is Compassion. Do you notice two important words in Compassion? Compass and Passion. That is why we added the phrases: A Compass to Guide you...Your Passion to drive you. Dancing is a passion for many of us, and dancing together is a one way to bring a community together - so let us all learn a dance (Michael Jackson's Thriller dance) and create the same effect that this dance in the Antwerp train station did.

Please respond to the following questions after watching this video.  Respond with thoughtful answers and good grammar.

How would you describe the onlookers as the first man and the little girl started dancing?

As more children joined the dance, how did the crowd respond?

The "Do Re Mi" song came from the Sound of Music, a Broadway musical and movie that came out in the late 1950's / early 1960's.  Look up the history of this musical/movie and explain why you think the organizers may have chosen this song for the train station dance.

Would you have joined in the dance if you were at this train station? Why/why not?

Are you excited about learning a dance for our Global Connections Exhibit Night on Nov. 19th?

Why/why not?  Do you think you have to be a good dancer to participate?

Be sure to identify yourself by adding your first name and first initial of your last name; grade and school: Smith Middle School (students in other countries will be responding to this blog)

VIDEO: Did You Know?

In a moment you will watch the video that appears below.  While you're watching (8 min. 11 sec.) THINK about what you're hearing/reading. 

Then...
Identify at least one statement from the video that resonates with you and thoroughly explain why it stands out.  Comments that do not address the prompt or are not detailed enough will not be posted. 

Be sure to identify yourself in your comment: 
First Name, Last Initial -- Name of Your School.  (Example:  John D. -- XYZ Middle School)

Not sure how to get started?  Here are a few questions to get you going:
--What claim(s) does the video make that caught your attention? 
--Which statement(s) do you identify with most? 
--Is there anything you think is inaccurate?  
--Did anything surprise you?
--How does your experience at school reflect (or not reflect) what you learned in the video?

How Do You Spend Your Time?