Digital Story Guide

Digital Story: Journey to Happiness

Bridges site: India, Tibetan Childrens Village Narrators and Photographers: Tenzin Gakyi and Tari Kyi Overview Tari Kyi and Tenzin Gakyi interview the hermit monks in the mountains of Dharmasala and the urban monks of McLeod Ganj. Purpose Tari Kyi and Tenzin Gakyi want to know how to find individual happiness.
Anticipation Activity 1. The girls believe that Buddhist monks are happy. 2. Hermit monks live in the busy city. 3. Some Buddhists think you find happiness if you find the cause of suffering. 4. The girls found the key to happiness for themselves. 5. People think of many things when they meditate.

True True True True True

False False False False False

Pre-Activity Research - (Internet or Library References) Story of Buddha http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/primary.htm Examples of Guided Meditations for Children http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/meditate/guide.htm Introduction to Buddhism http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/footsteps.htm http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tibet/understand/dying.html Tibetan Childrens Village http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tibet/understand/dying.html http://www.dalailama.com/page.2.htm Personal Testimonial http://www.tcv.org.in/testimonial1.shtml Benefits of Meditation http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20030424-000003.html http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Meditation:-Tips-and-Techniques&id=24508 http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/p/profilemeditati.htm

Bridges to Understanding

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Digital Story Guide

Where do Tari Kyi and Tenzin Gakyi live? Why do they live there? Dharamsala - Identify and/or Explain the following Exact locationHemispheresContinentCountryMountain RangeClimate Why are Tibetan children living in India? Who is the Dalai Lama? Comprehension Questions (after viewing the digital story) 1. What kinds of monks live in the forests and mountains? 2. What is a hermit? 3. Before they interview the monks, what makes Tari Kyi and Tenzin Gakyi happy? 4. Why dont material things make a person happy over time? 5. What did the girls want to know from the monks? 6. What inspires a monk to become a hermit? 7. What is it really like to be a monk and what can we learn from them? 8. Give some examples of what a person could focus their mind on when they are meditating? 9. What can be achieved by meditating? 10. How are the hermit monks different from the city monks? 11. What do some Buddhists think is the true backbone of happiness? 12. Name two things the girls have learned from the monks about achieving happiness. 13. Why is the photo so important to Tari Kyi? 14. What does Tenzin Gakyi want you to do? General Questions 1. What is the message of this digital story? 2. How are their lives as children different from and similar to yours? 3. What is the event/issue/problem expressed in the digital story? 4. What major problems do your community or culture face today (environmental, political, social)? 5. How are these young people working to make positive changes in their community or in the world? 6. Is awareness one way to make change? Explain your answer Making a Movie - Explain your answers. 1. This digital movie is used to share an experience. What other forms of expression could he have used? 2. How is one able to show emotions using digital photography? 3. Does the voice and/or music add to the tone and/or mood of the digital story? If so, how? 4. Was it important for the story to include photos of people? Why or why not? 5. What kinds of photos were used to show the impact of the hurricane? Describe them. 6. Why might it be important to carry your camera with you at all times? 7. What is in the photo that helps you know about the culture?

Bridges to Understanding Digital story guide format and content contributed by Sharon Greenberg, teacher and Bridges volunteer

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Digital Story Guide

8. What is the photographer trying to communicate to us? 9. Do the pictures look posed? If so, to what purpose? 10. Do the pictures look spontaneous? If so, to what purpose? Follow-up Discussion

USA Today The happiest people surround themselves with family and friends, don't care about keeping up with the Joneses next door, lose themselves in daily activities and, most important, forgive easily. Do you agree? Why or why not? Can you list three things that make you happy? What do you think this means? To be happy, add not to your possessions but subtract from your desires. Paragraph two of the Declaration of Independence declares that the pursuit of happiness is one of our inalienable rights. What does that mean? Does money make people happy? Why or why not? Some people think happiness comes from peace of mind. What is meant by that? Do you agree? If so, how is that achieved? Are there some things in this world that you are unable to have control or change? this feel? Does helping others make you happy? Why or why not. How does

Follow-Up Activities

Create a survey and find out what your family and friends think brings happiness. Compare it with your classmates. List things in your personal life that cause stress. Brainstorm ways to eliminate some of the things you can control. List things in the world (consider the environment, politics, etc.) that cause stress. Brainstorm ways to eliminate some of the things you can control. Participate in a Service Learning activity: Visit the elderly or the ill, help bag food at a food bank, set up a recycling program, help around your home, collect money for disaster relief, etc.

Standards* National Council of Teachers of English/International Reading Association Standards 1, 2, 3, 6 National Council for Social Studies Standards Theme I: Culture, Theme IV Individual Development and Identity Theme IX: Global Connections American Geographical Society, Association of American Geographers, National Geographic Society, National Council for Geographic Education Essential Element II: Places and Regions Standards 4, 6 Essential Element III: Physical Systems Standards 7, 8 Essential Element IV: Human Systems Standards 9, 10,11,12,13 Essential Element V: Environment and Society Standard 14 *For more details see http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/framework/

Bridges to Understanding Digital story guide format and content contributed by Sharon Greenberg, teacher and Bridges volunteer

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