Unit 2: Lesson 1 (Feb 22)

What does sport teach us about life? 

In this unit, we will be exploring the life lessons that people receive from sport. Our class novel, ‘What I talk about when I talk about running’ by Haruki Murakami, will guide our discussions around the role of competition, the mind/body connection, intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation, goal setting and pushing limits. During this unit you will be assessed on your Presentation skills (20% of semester grade), and your Research/Reading skills (10% of semester grade).

As you watch this video, think about the lessons that sport teaches about motivation. How can these lessons be applied to other pursuits in life? Generate a list of ideas about this with your table group.

Summative Task: 

You will create a TED Talk around the theme of what sport teaches us about life. You may build upon one or more of the ideas we discuss in class or suggest your own idea. It is your responsibility to formulate a question/topic for your talk and present a 3-5 minute speech about it. 

Presentations will be due 15th/17th of March.

TED Talks are about ‘ideas worth spreading’ so your presentation should focus on a new idea or present an interesting angle on an old idea. You will research your topic in detail (recording your sources using Flipboard or in a research portfolio). You have a large amount of creative freedom in your presentation, but you must include some type of visual aid/presentation tool (Prezi, Keynote, PowerPoint, etc). Your visual aid is meant to enhance audience understanding of your ideas and add interest for the audience.

You will be assessed during your TED Talk for:

1. A compelling argument/thesis
2. Showing both your arguments and a counterargument
3. Effective introduction, transitions, and thought-provoking conclusion
4. Delivery should be confident, use vocalization and nonverbals
5. Use digital media to engage the audience

Your TED Talk will be assessed on the Presentation Rubric and  Research Rubric.

'What I talk about when I talk about running'

Haruki Murakami is a contemporary Japanese author. His novels and short stories have won awards worldwide and have been translated into 50 languages.  He is also a serious marathon runner and triathlon enthusiast. He began running at age 33. Over the last 20 years, he has run at least one marathon per year, including an ultramarathon (100k).  

As we read this book, we will look for ideas related to two things: life lessons and motivation. Let's begin by reading the forward together as a class.

H/W- Read Chapters 1 & 2 and complete the Reader's Journal (in drop). Please bring a PRINTED copy of your reader's journal for next class. 

Your responses in the Reader's Journal and your contributions to Lit Circle discussions will be graded using the Research Rubric and added to the your Research/Reading skills (10% of semester grade).