Pick one of the following projects below. This is worth 200 pts, so make sure you put forth effort! Each written assignment must be a minimum of one well-written page.
1. Choose another culture, past or present, and research how they view death.
2. Morrie loved to dance the lindy and the tango. When were these dances first popular? Demonstrate
one or both. Now, describe a dance that is currently popular. Demonstrate this one as well. For this assignment, you must upload a video of yourself performing these moves.
3. Pick one of Morrie’s quotes below and write a one-page paper telling what it means and whether
you agree with it.
“Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do.”
“Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it.”
“Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others.”
“Don’t assume it’s too late to get involved.”
***For extra credit, watch the movie “Tuesdays with Morrie” and write a short paper comparing it to
the book.
4. What do you think Morrie would have said about the events of September 11? Explain in a one-page paper using details from the text.
5. In the book there is a quote from Henry Adams, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where
his influence stops.” Do you agree? Can you give examples?
6. Morrie said, “Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do
things differently.” What would you do differently?
7. One of the women who wrote to Morrie described him as a “prophet”. Do you agree? Why or why
not?
8. When Mitch asked Morrie what he would come back as if reincarnated, Morrie replied, “A gazelle.”
What would you come back as if it were possible?
9. This was Morrie’s formula for a meaningful life: “Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to
your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and
meaning.” Using this formula, how would you rate yourself? What can you do to change things?
Morrie’s choice for his tombstone was “A Teacher To The Last”. What would you choose for yourself?
10. Write a short paper on a famous teacher from another time, such as Annie Sullivan or Socrates.
Morrie’s father came from Russia. Using The Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups,
research when the Russians came and why, where they settled, and what problems they faced. If
you wish, you may choose another immigrant group instead.
Mathematics:
11. Morrie liked to do the lindy to Jimi Hendrix. Find out how to do the dance and try it to Jimi’s music.
Choose two pieces of music to share with the class, one evoking Morrie’s momentary self-pity upon
awakening and the other, his feeling lucky to be alive. Explain the lyrics of both songs.
12. What can health professionals do to help their terminally ill patients preserve their dignity? Or do
you believe that this is basically impossible?
13. Do a professional literature search to find what research is being done on ALS.
14. One year during the Vietnam War, Morrie gave all his male students A’s to help them keep their
student deferments. Do you think that this was this right or wrong?
Morrie said, “Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do
things differently.” What would you do differently?
15. Morrie quoted the poet Auden, “Love each other or perish.” What do you think the poet meant?
Imagine that you have the chance to write your own obituary. What would you like it to say? What
changes can you make in your life to achieve that?
16. Write a one-page paper about the value of massage in the care of the terminally ill.
17. Write a short paper about Lou Gehrig.
18.Morrie would have agreed with the Barbra Streisand song, ” People who need people are the
luckiest people in the world.” Do you agree? Why?
19. Dr. Norman Cousins believed that a patient’s attitude determined to a great extent whether he
would survive a devastating illness. Who was Dr. Cousins and how was he viewed by the medical
community?
20. There is a description of the time that Morrie spent the first
fifteen minutes of class in complete silence while his students became increasingly agitated. Try this
with your class as a means of initiating a discussion on silence. Why does silence embarrass us?
What comfort do we find in noise?
21. Mitch said that his visits with Morrie were like a “cleansing rinse of human kindness.” What is there
in your life, if anything, that compares to this?
22. Do you agree or disagree that forgiveness serves the person who forgives more than the person
who is forgiven?
23. Morrie said that we are brainwashed about materialism. Do you agree? Why or why not?
24. Morrie said, “People are only mean when they are threatened, and that’s what our culture does.
That’s what our economy does.” Do you agree? Can you think of any examples for which this is not
true?
25. Does our society value older people? Why or why not? Compare our society with another country as
to how we treat our elders.
What qualities do older people have that transcend the age barrier?
26. Morrie said that our society has a shortage of compassion. Do you agree? Have things changed
since Sept. 11?
27. In the book there is a quote from Henry Adams, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where
his influence stops.” Do you agree? Can you give examples?
28. Morrie complained that everyone is in a hurry. Think about yourself. How much did you hurry?
When? Why?
