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Entering and leaving a conversation with a witty one-liner is the clever conversationalist's goal. The Duc de La Rochefoucauld accomplished a lifetime of clever commentary with his collection of 504 philosophical aphorisms, The Maxims. An introductory video demonstrates the ways that a short sentence can be a more effective philosophical statement than a book full of long, meandering passages.
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CCSS:
Adaptable
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Instructional Ideas
- See if class members can come up with their own aphorisms about life and love; vote on the most creative and clever sayings as a class
- Fold The Maxims into a literature class or lesson on concise writing and word choice
Classroom Considerations
- Aphorisms appear on the screen quickly; consider providing a reference page with various sayings for learners to compare to the video, or pausing at opportune moments
- Comment section is open to the public
- Some aphorisms may be over the heads of members of the class
- This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
- Compares the aphorisms of La Rochefoucauld to modern day Twitter
- Entertaining for learners of all reading levels
Cons
- None