Week 1
Lesson 1
Introduction and discussion of chapters 1-2
Discussion of chapters 1-2 leading to Spar Debate sparked by: "Something to do with the sameness  of each and every week." 
Spar Question: Can we really find adventure in the ordinary?
Position 1: You can find beauty and adventure at home and close by if you look closely enough and try hard enough (Naturalist John Burroughs famously said “if you want to see something new, take the path you took yesterday).
Position 2:  There is a incredible world out there just waiting for us to discover.
Lesson 2
Discussion of chapters 3-4
Discussion of chapters 3-4 leading to Spar Debate sparked by: "The question of whether the museum has acquired one of his lesser known masterpieces still awaits a final answer."
Spar Statement:  It is important to know whether an exceptionally beautiful work of art is by an acknowledged master such as Michelangelo.
Position 1: Agree- He’s a famous artist! Everyone should care about this.
Position 2: Disagree- A beautiful work of art should be considered as such and the artist shouldn’t matter. 
Lesson 3
Discussion of chapters 5-6
Discussion of chapters 5-6 leading to Spar Debate sparked by: "We’re living with the statue."
Spar Question:
Is it fair to own an exceptional work of art or does it belong to the world?
Position 1: Of course if you can afford to own it, you should be able to own any work of art and enjoy it fully.
Position 2: There are works of art that are so rare and so exceptional that they in a sense “belong to the world” and should be in museums to be enjoyed by everyone. 
 Week 2
Lesson 4
Discussion of chapters 7-8
Discussion of chapters 7-8 leading to Spar Debate sparked by: "With nothing. We’ve accomplished nothing. "
Spar Question: What exactly is real accomplishment?
Position 1: Real accomplishment is being applauded for things we’ve worked hard to do, be that getting great grades, achieving awards, figuring something difficult out.
Position 2: Real accomplishment is doing something that is important to you even if it doesn’t seem important to anyone else.  You are the only person whose opinion matters
Lesson 5
Discussion of chapters 9-10
Discussion of chapters 9-10 leading to Spar Debate sparked by: "Well, Claude, we just traded safety for adventure. "
Spar Question:  Is safety more important than adventure?
Position 1: Safety is more important than adventure.
Position 2: Adventure is more important than safety.
Lesson 6
Puzzles and Games Class on Mixed-Up Files!
Games, puzzles, quizzes created especially for this class involving oral speech and big ideas from the class. Impromptu question: 
IF YOU COULD TAKE AN IMAGINARY TRIP ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD…
WHERE WOULD YOU GO?  
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? 
WHAT MIGHT YOU DISCOVER?