Today was a shortened day because of Homecoming. Classes were only twenty minutes, but I still wanted my students to do something pertaining to Tuesdays with Morrie, while being fun! So I had them make their own Bucket Lists!
The book Tuesdays with Morrie is about an old man (Morrie) who gets diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Morrie becomes reunited with an old student, Mitch (the author of the book) and the story is basically a catalog of their memories and moments (classes, they call it) as Morrie battles through the last months of his life. The wonderful part of the story is that despite the sad fact that Morrie will eventually pass away, he lives his life with a positive attitude. He is always talking, always smiling, and always loving. He makes others see the world differently; he helps Mitch turn his life around, and he makes people think about what they’d want to do in their last days. Thus, the Bucket List.
I gave my students each a sheet of white paper, magazines, glue, scissors, and markers. They had twenty minutes to create a list and add some sort of color or images to show at least 5 things they’d want to do before they die. I was really pleased with the results!
It was wonderful to see how they were connected with the book and relating ideas to their personal lives. I had students wanting to travel to different countries, jump out of airplanes, learn different langauges, meet influential people, conquer their fears, and try new things. Some items were goofy, but regardless, it was a fun and relevant way to connect to the book and head into Homecoming weekend!