What are the fundamental qualities that students of Chinese martial arts are expected to cultivate? Patience, Discipline, Courage, Confidence & Compassion! Like the points on a circle, there is no ‘first’ or ‘last’, no ‘more important’ or ‘less important’ when it comes to these powerful human qualities. They are all equally special and can be cultivated simultaneously, every day. Take a hint from Kung Fu Panda (which is of course based on thousands of years of experience and wisdom accumulated by Chinese martial artists and health experts) and develop these admirable and constructive qualities in your daily life! Contents 2 versions of a ‘self-awareness’ sheet, which may be printed multiple times and filled in, to note how you have shown or will show all five of the qualities in your daily life 5 ‘self-awareness’ sheets focusing on one quality only ‘summarise and explain’ sheets for each of the Furious Five characters, to fill in with your own summary of events in the animated film shorts ‘Secrets of the Furious Five’ labels for each quality which may be cut out and glued to a separate page or notebook, if you would rather make your notes elsewhere (or to use as you see fit) a full-page poster for each quality, to serve as a friendly reminder

‘Gramma said when you come on something good, first thing to do is share it with whoever you can find; that way, the good spreads out where no telling it will go. Which is right.’ Little Tree narrates his own story, the tale of a unique upbringing in the near-wilderness in the 1930’s with his Cherokee grandparents as loving teachers. ‘The Education of Little Tree’ by Forrest Carter is a book that many readers turn to again and again. It is suitable for students age 11 and up who are ready to read about a time and lifestyle that differ from their own, and are able to take an interest in larger, challenging themes of life (the passage of time, spiritual beliefs, the natural world, money and government affairs, history, etc.) This resource contains reading comprehension sheets to go with the novel. (Still protected by copyright, the book must be purchased or borrowed separately.) For each chapter there are three short assignments: to summarize a lesson learned from the chapter to examine the language used in the chapter to explain how a suggested ‘main theme’ is relevant to the chapter. WARNING: The story does not paint a flattering picture of the Christian religion, and students who are Christian should be prepared; parents should read the book first, to be sure that their student is ready for this material. It also contains swear words and references to drinking alcohol, among other mature themes. The novel is presented as an autobiography, but it is a work of fiction.

This complete lesson will guide you to write a full, 5-paragraph persuasive essay in which you defend an opinion related to the topic of humour, as explored in several primary texts. It includes full instructions, a list of possible topics, worksheets and all necessary reading materials. This assignment will take at least one week to complete. Make the most of this easy and efficient way to practice essay writing, without having to commit to reading an entire novel or play before getting started! Texts: “Lampoons” & “True and False Humour” (excerpts), by Joseph Addison (1672 – 1719) In his time, Addison was known for his ‘breezy, conversational style’, and his ‘cheerful and respectful humour’. Here, he describes what he considers to be unfairly cruel humour, and the difference between true and false humour. The one is based on truth, the other on lies. “Extricating Young Gussie” (excerpt) & “Damian and Pythias, A Romance”, by P.G. Wodehouse (1881 – 1975) Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881 – 1975) was one of the most widely-read humorists of the 20th century. Read the beginning of a humorous story, in which the narrator’s fearsome aunt pays a call. Next, read a short, humorous poem in which two young men discover they are infatuated with the same woman. TIP! This may be a good choice for a student with an interest in philosophy or humorous writing. Need some extra essay writing practice? Check out our Beginning and Concluding Paragraphs resource!

This complete lesson will guide you to write a full, 5-paragraph ‘compare and contrast’ essay on a topic related to deep space travel (fiction). It includes full instructions, a list of possible topics, worksheets and all necessary primary texts. This assignment will take at least one week to complete. Make the most of this easy and efficient way to practice essay writing, without having to commit to reading an entire novel or play before getting started! Stories: . . . So They Baked A Cake A bitter, hardened journalist joins an elite space crew for an experimental voyage into deep space, a daring mission to find a planet that humans could colonize. They are travelling at one tenth the speed of light but the journey will still take 42 years one way in Earth time. The protagonist’s pessimism about humanity, and the crew’s growing despair due to the implications of the ultra-fast travel, are both confounded by an unexpectedly happy conclusion to their journey. The Lonely Ones A space crew is on an exploratory mission to find life on another planet – human or alien, they don’t care which. Discouraged by the lifeless landscapes of the planets in the solar system, they finally reach a new planet and land. Faced with an advanced society in which they will be treated as insignificant underlings, they decide to continue their journey further into space, though in a changed frame of mind. *Note: *The stories contain mild expletives, such as ‘what the hell’, and include mature themes such as references to drinking alcohol. TIP! This may be a good choice for a student with an interest in science fiction or futuristic literature. Need some extra essay writing practice? Check out our Beginning and Concluding Paragraphs resource!