Guidance for Grown-upsTeen Voices Online  
 

Guidance for Grown-Ups
June 2006
The Pillar Project (link back to feature)


This Discussion Guide contains the following Activity Sections:

    What is the Pillar Project?

  1. Brainstorming


  2. Making Connections


  3. Understanding the Components of the Pillar Project


  4. Build Your Own



I. Brainstorming

The purpose of this exercise is to help teens explore definitions of character traits.

  1. Ask the teens to brainstorm definitions for the following list of character traits:


    • Confidence
    • Hope
    • Individuality
    • Imagination
    • Friendship
    • Inspiration
    • Bravery
    • Integrity
    • Honesty
    • Tolerance

  2. Record and post the teens' responses.

II. Making Connections

Ask the teens to respond in writing journals to the following prompt:

  1. Choose two of the following traits and write about a person, real or fictional, that you believe possesses these traits:


    2. • Confidence
    • Hope
    • Individuality
    • Imagination
    • Friendship
    • Inspiration

  2. You may also select a descriptive character trait of your own choosing.

III. Understanding the Components of the Pillar Project

The purpose of this activity is to help teens analyze the varied components of the Pillar Project.

  1. As a group, visit the "Good Reading" online article entitled The Pillar Project. Lead a discussion using the following prompts as a guide:


    • Which pillar description resonated with you the most? Why?
    • Which pillar description was the most clear and compelling?
    • Which pillar description was the most difficult to understand?
    • What was the most descriptive quotation?
    • What visual made the strongest impression on you?
    • What were your favorite descriptive phrases?
    • Which visual was the best representation of the character trait?
    • Which limerick did you like the best?
    • Which limerick most vividly described the character trait?
    • Which text and images most vividly described the character trait?


  2. Have the teens return to their journal prompts and share their answers. Ask them to compare the characteristics they wrote about with those described in the "Pillar Project" article.

IV. Build Your Own

The purpose of this activity is for teens to create their own personal Pillar Project.

  1. Explain to teens that they will be creating an individual Pillar Project. Provide the following list of instructions:


    • Choose a quality or personality trait. Use this quality as the basis for your Pillar Project.


    • Your pillar should be divided into three sections. The top of the pillar should include a quotation about the chosen quality, a picture of yourself, and images and text representative of the heart of what your Pillar Project is about.


    • The middle section must include a limerick, a song lyric, a film scene, and additional colorful images that reflect the selected quality.


    • The bottom of the pillar should be made up of tributes to some of your classmates' pillars and our legacy to your school and/or community.

  2. Provide time for the teens to view and discuss their work. If possible, host a presentation to share the Pillar Project with the local community.

Have you used Guidance for Grown-ups with your class or teen group? Tell us which ones you used and what kind of success you had with it. Did you put your own spin on it? Let us know.

Become a Member Today  |   Learn more about Guidance for Grown-ups

The Publisher
Teen Voices
P.O. Box 120027
Boston, MA 02110-0027
phone: 888.882.TEEN (toll free)
fax: 617.426.5577
email: teenvoices@teenvoices.com