Scheduled Activities:
| Time | Teacher Actions | Student Actions | Rationale |
One class period in advance | Assigns preparatory work. 1. Watch Optimistic Nihilism and 2. Write down 3 things that make life meaningful for you. | Watch Optimistic Nihilism video before class.Write down 3 things that make life meaningful for you. | This video and survey assignment will give the class a basic sense of the topic, which I will expand upon during my session. I would like them to have a basic understanding of optimistic nihilism before class. I would also like them to start thinking about what gives subjective meaning to their lives. |
| 1st 5 minutes | Introduce topic by:Provide basic information of the history of humanity, how long humans have been around in comparison to the universe, average life span of a human | Listen to lecture, ask questions if needed | This builds the framework of viewing all life as practically meaningless. |
| 2nd5 minutes | Provide different theories of life.Discuss how religion/belief in a higher power provides meaning.Discuss nihilism, existentialism, hedonism, and similar schools of philosophy. | Review survey answers, listen to lecture, ask questions if needed | I will discuss different approaches to giving life meaning. |
| 3rd 5 minutes | Change mode of learning:Assign activity. | Write down at least 5 things that make you happy. | This will lead up to my final statement of what the meaning of life is about. |
| Final 5 minutes (conclusion) | Culminate lesson by:Discuss correlation of life satisfaction and age. Discuss what makes people happy.Discuss the future of humanity and how all humans, born and unborn, deserve the right to happiness. | Listen to final words and feel absolutely inspired. | The things that make us happy can give our lives meaning, if we would like. Students understand that because life is virtually meaningless, it is up to us to decide what matters to us and pursue it. |
