What is real? What is justice? Why is Socrates talking to strangers—and what does any of this have to do with my students’ lives?
This bundle combines fifteen compelling, classroom-tested resources I use in my middle and high school humanities and ELA classes to infuse lessons with philosophy and ethics. Designed for grades 9–11 (and adaptable for advanced 8th graders), these activities invite students to wrestle with big questions about truth, freedom, morality, evil, and happiness while practicing close reading, discussion, and analytical writing.
Inside this thematic bundle, you'll get:
- Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (2 resources) – A complete mini-unit on Plato’s famous allegory, including student-friendly text, art connections, anchor chart, and assessment tools.
- The Ring of Gyges (2 resources) – A powerful justice and morality lesson that asks, “What would you do if you could act without fear of punishment?”
- Nietzsche & Groundhog Day: The Meaning of Life – Connect the idea of eternal recurrence to the film Groundhog Day and discuss what makes a life meaningful.
- Empiricism vs Rationalism – Introduce two major ways of knowing and compare how philosophers answer the question, “How do we know what we know?”
- Moral Dilemma Discussion – Structured discussion and writing tools to help students analyze the elements of a moral act and defend a position.
- Map Activity: A Day in the Life of Socrates (411 B.C.E.) – A map-based exploration of Socrates’ daily routine in ancient Athens.
- The Parable of the Madman by Friedrich Nietzsche – Close reading and writing activities centered on Nietzsche’s provocative “God is dead” passage.
- The Problem of Evil: A Theodicy Lesson – Help students grapple with questions like “If God exists, why is there suffering?” in a structured, text-centered way.
- “What is Philosophy?” Task Cards – Flexible discussion prompts perfect for bell-ringers, stations, or Socratic seminars.
- Freedom Discussion Task Cards – Engage students in conversations about different kinds of freedom, choice, and responsibility.
- The Marshmallow Test Mini-Lesson – A short, engaging lesson on self-control and delayed gratification, with opportunities to connect psychology and ethics.
- Writing Graphic Organizer for Analyzing Quotes and Evidence – Step-by-step tools to help students turn philosophical quotations into clear, well-supported writing.
- 3-Box Note-Taking Template – A simple but powerful note-taking format that scaffolds reading, thinking, and writing about philosophical texts.
- Quiz Bowl & Review Activities (Bonus) – Over 60 quiz-bowl-style questions, pub-style trivia sheets, and review games to reinforce key ideas and vocabulary.
For Planning: Unit Standards Chart
Why teachers love this bundle
- Works beautifully as a stand-alone Philosophy in the Classroom mini-course or as plug-and-play lessons within ELA, World History, or Theory of Knowledge.
- Fully compatible with Google Apps and ready for digital or print-based learning.
- Supports close reading, evidence-based discussion, and argument writing, aligning with Common Core, TEKS, and Virginia SOL high school ELA standards for analysis, discussion, and composition.
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