
What Connects Us?
90-105 Minutes
Resource Review(optional, add 20 minutes)
Guided Discussion
Clubbing
Guided Discussion
Plant People
Guided Discussion
Set an Intention
Closing Thoughts and Evaluations
Participants will be able to:
Analyze what creates and sustains important relationships in our own lives
Draw conclusions about protagonists and demonstrate empathy through reflection and discussion
Make and describe interpretations about a film's meaning
Set intentions to strengthen important personal relationships
In "What Connects Us?" students are invited to consider how social connections are formed and fostered by watching two short films that explore this theme. To begin, students will read information from HHS and NIH that speak to the perils of loneliness and strategies for connecting with others. The first film is a comedy about a college freshman attempting to find her place at her new school after which participants will discuss how the main character is able to create a place for herself. Participants will then watch a short metaphorical drama about a lone human woman in a world of plant people and consider what people can do to see each other despite their differences. The class ends with an opportunity to set a specific intention to strengthen an important relationship.
Note:** **
- This class has two optional Supplemental Resources that can allow for more time spent learning about loneliness, isolation, and social wellness. Please plan to add at least 15 minutes to the class time if you plan to incorporate these Resources.
topics covered
Social Connections
aom nutrients
Empathy, Honest Self Reflection
casel sel
Social awareness, Relationship skills
wellness wheel
Social
identities
College age, White, Woman / female
film style
Comedy, Drama
Films Included
Clubbing
Facing social isolation and anxiety, a college freshman who has never left her rural town attends a club fair, where she is bombarded with comedic yet overwhelming monologues by each club leader on what it takes to join their clique.
film style
Comedy
identities
College age, White, Woman / female
Plant People
Plant People is the story of Phoebe, a supermarket cashier who is the lone human in a world of plant people. This surreal drama explores how it can feel to be lonely, as well as how cliques and echo chambers impact mental health.
film style
Drama
identities
White, Woman / female