Choose Kind Concepts Introductio

Courage, Kindness, AND Friendship ARE the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us to greatness.

Learning how to grow up and become an empathetic person is more vital now than ever before because of the unfiltered exposure you have to things like hate speech, intolerance, and bigotry. To learn how to become compassionate and understanding human beings, it's essential to nurture a sense of kindness.

Fiction can increase empathy and open-mindedness, helping to break down prejudices in the process. But how do writers accomplish this? What makes a fictional story more compelling than true-life facts? In this unit, we investigate the concept of characterisation and point of view to examine how sympathetic and well-written fictional characters can help us care more about people in real life.

GLOBAL CONTEXT:

Fairness & Development

Area of Exploration: Inequality, difference and inclusion

What are the consequences of our common humanity?

We will explore the rights and responsibilities we have as humans and look equal opportunities for different people in the world. We will explore how our understanding of the similarities human beings share can help us with peace and conflict resolution.

As MYP learners, we should be principled in the way we deal with all people, including those who are different to ourselves. Sometimes, that may mean we have to be risk-takers who go against the group to stand up for what is right and help others.

KEY CONCEPT:

Perspective

Perspective is all about the way you see something. Perspective can be different depending on individuals, groups, cultures, or beliefs. Different perspectives often lead to multiple interpretations. An understanding of this concept is essential in order to develop your ability to recognise and respond to over-simplistic and biased interpretations. Seeking and considering diverse opinions and points of view is an important part of developing complex interpretations of the world.

As MYP learners, we should be open-minded to different perspectives and ways of seeing the world.

RELATED CONCEPTS:

Character

Point of View

Character can be defined as any person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work. There are many types of characters that exist in literature, each with its own development and function.

Point of View is the perspective a story is written from - it refers to who is telling a story, or who is narrating it. It is the position or vantage point from which the events of a story seem to be presented to us. The narration of a story or novel can be told in three main ways: first person, second person, and third person.

As MYP learners, we need to develop a balanced view of the world by thinking carefully about all the different ways of seeing that there are.

InQUIRY QUESTIONS

FACTUAL

DEBATABLE

CONCEPTUAL

Do we share more similarities or differences?
What is empathy?
How do similes and metaphors help create clear characters?
What is characterisation?
What is perspective?
What is point of view?
What do we mean by the terms upstander, bystander, perpetrator, and victim?
What are paragraphs?
What is a topic sentence?
What is symbolism?
What are symbols?
What is a metaphor?
What is a simile?
What are quotations?
How can I use evidence to back up my opinions?

What is ordinary?
What does it mean to be extraordinary?
What does kindness mean to you?
Are your deeds your monument/legacy?
Can fictional characters help us feel more empathy for real people?
How can we build understanding and empathy for those who are different from us?
How is upstanding different from friendship? How is it similar?
How do individuals define the people for whom they feel responsible?
What factors influence the extent to which we feel an obligation to help others?

Is it ever ok to judge a book (person) by its cover?
When given the choice between being right or being kind, should we always choose kind?
If we are kind, brave people who care about and stand up for others, no matter who they are - will we achieve greatness?
Is kindness free?
What does it mean to be a friend?
Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right using of strength... S/he is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts?
What difference might it make to have the word upstander included in the dictionary?
How does the way we view others influence our feelings of responsibility toward them?
If there was more love and compassion in the world, would there be more peace and happiness?

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