Dare Mighty Things: Overcoming Challenges

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

-Theodore Roosevelt  

Unit One: Overcoming Challenges

We're beginning our first unit of study by examining the theme overcoming challenges. I like to work with multimedia throughout our reading instruction for many reasons. First, seeing and hearing the actual situations brings the theme to life, insisting that we think deeply about the characters, their struggles, and their triumphs. 

The ultimate goal is that you guys become proficient using text analysis skills to think deeply about a text. Applying these skills to video will ease the transition into text. As I saw today, you all are incredibly capable of providing insights that shape the way the rest of us view challenges. 

Today, we looked at Hard Times Generation, a story about homeless children in Florida. Remember, start with what you can see (saw), what trait does it show? And finally, what  effect did exhibiting that have? 

Overcoming Challenges: Short Videos

These videos highlight some diverse challenges. It's so easy to only see the challenges we've faced in our own lives. Even if those challenges are substantial, analyzing the achievements of others can equip us with more tools. The more we understand how others face their difficulties, the more we can learn about ourselves. The following videos are some short examples. 

People Are Awesome

The following videos very loosely fit the theme of overcoming challenges and are mostly about people being awesome. But, enjoy. They're pretty great.