What are the benefits and downsides to being a human? What are the benefits and downsides to being a dog? Max and Jacob decide that being a dog is better than being a human. Does that seem right to you? Are all dogs’ lives the same? Are all humans’ lives the same? If you could … I Am the Dog
What assumptions do we make about people based on how they look? Why does Julian think Auggie will not be able to succeed in science? Is it wrong to be curious about people who are different from ourselves? What does it mean to be rude? Jack Will encourages Auggie to say something after he has … Wonder – “The Grand Tour” chapter
What is willpower? Is it important to have willpower? Is willpower ever a bad thing? Are there situations where having willpower would be problematic? Frog says willpower is about “trying hard not to do something that you really want to do.” Do you ever need willpower to stop doing something you do not want to … Frog and Toad, “Cookies”
Is there a difference between being alone and being lonely? What is helpful about spending time alone? What is challenging about spending time alone? Like Toad, do we often assume that people are upset when they want to be alone? Why? Is it possible to be alone together? The turtle is very honest with Toad … Frog and Toad – “Alone”
Fern asks her father if he would have killed her if she had been born small. He replies that there is a difference between a human child and a pig. Is he right? Is it a difference that makes it right to kill pigs but wrong to kill humans? Why are some lives considered more … Charlotte’s Web
Why do the children make fun of Morris? Is this right? Why do Morris’ classmates think dresses are for girls? Can anything be just for boys? Can anything be just for girls? How does Morris’ dream help him be more confident? How can creativity influence change? Can imagination solve problems? Is it okay to be … Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
What is nature? Are we a part of nature or are we outside of it? What is our relationship to the rest of the natural world? Are we connected or disconnected? If we are connected, or a part of, the natural world, what implications does this have on the way we treat it? Do we … You Are Stardust
What makes someone poor? Why is the little girl so poor? Is it the girl’s responsibility to provide money for her family? Whose responsibility is it? Did the little girl choose to dream about the large iron stove? Do we choose what we dream about? Is she dreaming of the stove and dinner or is … Little Match Girl
Why are the other animals refusing to do any work? Should the other animals be helping the hen with house work? Does everyone in a household need to contribute the same amount to getting work done? Should the hen do all the work the others refuse to do, or should she also refuse? Is it … The Little Red Hen
Why were all the trees in Wangari’s village cut down? Why do we cut down trees? Is it ever okay to cut down a tree? Who is responsible for taking care of the land? Who decides how the land is used? Why does Wangari leave her village to study in the U.S.? Why can’t she study in … Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story From Africa
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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