This I Believe

Let's explore the This I Believe series and create our own #thisibelieve

Beliefs and opinions help to define you as a person — it is necessary to critically scrutinize your beliefs on occasion so that you are not a mere product of blind imitation. As Socrates put it: “an unexamined life is not worth living”.

Step 1

Review at least one “This I Believe” Essay and analyze it for structure. (summarize the essayist’s belief, and describe how he or she supported that belief with evidence).

Look for DRAPES (dialogue, rhetorical questions, anecdotes, personal experience, examples, statistics). What details did they use and how did they personalize it? In your opinion, what was the most interesting part and why? Did they discuss times when their belief was challenged?

You can explore:

original essays from the 1950’s (audio),

 browse by theme,

check out the most viewed,

under 18,

or listen to a collection based on a theme under “Special Features” 

Step 2

Compose a personal essay of your own (Although the topic is “This I Believe” you can twist it and write about things you USED to believe, or don’t believe in at all by rephrasing to say “I believe there is no______”).

You will then use it as the script to produce your own movie presentation. At this point, you can sing or rap what you wrote, incorporate your own artwork, photography, or animation, and the like. There are a variety of web-based tools and apps you can use to create.

Here are some videos to inspire you:

“What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger”

Compiled quotes from a HS Journalism Class

“Success Means Leaving the World a Better Place”

College Freshman example: “Bourgeois”

“I Believe That There is No God”

“Music is Unity”

“Adoption”

Astronaut Dan Tani (from Space!)

“Art”