“But was he really?” Was Square really a genius? Was Square really an artist? Does art have to be intentional? Can art be created without intention? To what extent is the social appreciation of art based on the circumstances of its reception? If a lost item is left in a gallery and assumed by others … Square
What is happiness? What is joy? What is sadness? What is a good feeling? Is a good feeling the same as happiness? Is a bad feeling the same as sadness? What makes you happy? What makes you feel good? What makes you sad? What makes you feel bad? Activity: After the discussion, you can bring in … Little Brute Family
What is the difference between loneliness and being alone? Is it ever possible to be totally alone? Do we have control over whether or not we feel lonely? Is loneliness a choice? How do we connect to the natural landscape, our surroundings, and changes in seasons? What does this connection look like? Is something beautiful … I’m in Charge of Celebrations
What is beauty? Are the following things beautiful? -a sunrise -The Mona Lisa -a smile -a song -a feeling -a thought -a painting If the caterpillar transformed into a butterfly, is it still the same thing? Why or why not? Can we have different ideas about what beauty is? What does something have to have … Very Hungry Caterpillar
Was the “ugly duckling” really ugly? If so, what made him ugly? Did he stop being ugly at the end of the story? What does ugly mean? Would the “ugly duckling” still be ugly if someone thought he was beautiful? What is beauty? How do we decide what is beautiful and what is not? If … Ugly Duckling
Did what we did affect the book? How do we know what’s going to happen? How do we know when one event causes another event? Was the book magic? Contributed by Gobe Hirata
WHAT DOES FRIENDSHIP MEAN? WHAT CAN YOU BE FRIENDS WITH? Can you be friends with any of the following? The moon. A car. A stone. A pair of shoes. A book. A movie. A cat. A plant. A bird. A house. A piece of land. An idea. A dream. A song. A painting. A tree. … Peach & Blue
Are having experiences like visiting museums and looking at art necessary to becoming an artist? Do you have to have knowledge about art to be an artist? How does one develop the ability to express artistically one’s way of seeing the world? What is inspiration? How does artistic inspiration happen? What makes someone an artist?
Does art have to look like whatever it is expressing to be good? What makes something art? Are all our expressions of ourselves “art?” Can you think of any that aren’t art? Why does Ramon decide not to capture his “wonderful feeling” in pictures or words? Can some experiences be better if we appreciate the … Ish
What makes something beautiful? A painting. A smile. A sunset. A story. A lamp. A spider. A flower. A horse. A potato. A baby. A cloud. Music. A tree. A person. Can we have different ideas about what beauty is? What does something have to have to be beautiful? Anything? What does it feel like … Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau
PLATO is part of a global UNESCO network that encourages children to participate in philosophical inquiry. As a partner in the UNESCO Chair on the Practice of Philosophy with Children, based at the Université de Nantes in France, PLATO is connected to other educational leaders around the world.
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