Lesson Plan: Is Everyone Having More Fun Than Me?/The Stone-Cutter

Essential Questions

• What are the impacts of social media on our lives? How can we use social media responsibly?
• What is happiness? What contributes to a happy life? What takes away from it?

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the articles in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

• Read the title and subtitle of the first text. Can you relate to the feeling described in the subtitle? Does scrolling through your social media feeds ever make you feel like you’re not enough? Explain your answer. Answers will vary.
• Read the title and subtitle of the second text. Then look at the pictures. Based on these text features, what do you think will happen in the story? Make a prediction. Answers may vary. Some students will likely guess correctly that the text is about a man who keeps trying to be new things, such as a prince or the sun, and finds himself dissatisfied again and again. 

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (comparison, psychologist, dominated, relate, content) aloud and discuss their definitions.
• Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

• Tell students that both texts are about the possible negative consequences of thinking too much about how our lives compare to the lives of others. The article explains how using social media can lead to comparing ourselves with others, while the folktale illustrates the consequences of always longing for more.
• Tell students that after they read, they will synthesize information from both texts to understand how self-awareness and appreciation can lead to greater happiness and well-being.

Read the texts. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

• Why do experts believe comparing ourselves with others can be harmful? (summarizing) Experts believe that comparing ourselves with others can affect how we see ourselves because social media often shows only the “highlight reels” of people’s lives. When we don’t see the full picture,  we feel like others are happier or more successful than we are. This can lead to jealousy, self-doubt, and dissatisfaction with our own achievements.
• What advice does the first text give for using social media in a healthier way? (synthesizing) The article suggests taking social media breaks, muting accounts that trigger negative feelings, and following uplifting content. These strategies can lower the chances of making harmful comparisons and boost positive feelings.
• In the folktale, how does the stone-cutter finally find happiness? (theme) The stone-cutter finds happiness when he stops wishing to be something else and starts appreciating his own life and work. He stops striving to have more and realizes he can be happy just as he is.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

• The first article discusses how social media can make us feel bad about ourselves, but it also suggests how we can  use it in a healthier way. Think about your own social media habits—do you feel inspired or discouraged when you scroll? What changes could you make to feel better when using social media? Answers will vary.
• What is the lesson of the folktale, and how does it apply to our modern world? Sample answer: The lesson of the folktale is that constantly wishing for more or trying to be someone else doesn’t lead to happiness. True happiness comes from appreciating what we have and who we are. This lesson applies to modern life by reminding us not to compare ourselves with others on social media or focus too much on what others have.

• Have students work in pairs to complete our Synthesizing skill builder. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
• Writing prompt: Adapt the folktale to be about someone obsessed with social media. Instead of wishing for riches or power, they wish to have what they see others posting on their feeds—whether it be a delicious meal, a fun vacation, or a new piece of clothing. They keep getting their wishes, but they are never satisfied. How do they break free from this cycle?