A lesson guide by Jennie Robinson
The Importance of Human Connection
Subject: ELA / Grade Level: Middle School
Story Synopsis: What does loneliness reveal about human connection? Dr. Vivek Murthy was surprised to find that more than 22% of American adults report feeling lonely, which helped inform his book, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Lonely World. When we feel like we’re not likable or loveable, more than just our emotions are affected. Listen to learn how loneliness is linked to health, and the surprising way to become more connected to others.
Topic Tags: Health, connection
Keywords: together, loneliness, human connection, depression and anxiety, Vivek Murthy, emotions
Assignment Resources
Listening Comprehension Questions:
Why did Dr. Murthy go on a listening tour of America?
What is one thing people said to Dr. Murthy that made him realize they were lonely?
How are hunger and loneliness related?
According to Dr. Murthy, what can people do to make connections more easily?
What two paths does Dr. Murthy imagine, as we come out of the pandemic?
Classroom Discussion Questions:
What does Dr. Murthy mean when he says, “Our connection to other people really begins with our connection to ourself”? Explain using details from the audio story.
If our class was in charge of a workshop for the entire grade, what suggestions would you offer your classmates to help with loneliness?
Vocabulary Words:
Premature (adj) - too early
“At the root” - the reason for something
Robust (adj) - strong and healthy
Recommit (v) - to engage in or perform something again
Resilient (adj) - able to withstand and recover quickly from difficulty, sickness, or the like.
Prolonged (adj) - continuing for a long time
Listening Organizer: Fill in the Blank
As you listen to the story, fill in the blank in each statement below with the appropriate word(s).
Loneliness was far more common than I thought, affecting _22%__ of adults in America.
The reality is that loneliness is a ________________ that our body gives us, similar to hunger or thirst.
___ [T/F] We have to make friends before we can understand our own value.
If we __________ to people and to relationships, we have the opportunity to use this moment to ________ our lives on people.
I believe we can come out of this pandemic more connected, more ___________ and more __________ than before the pandemic began.
External Materials
Paired Text: Loneliness Is Hard (For Kids and Teens)
Audio: On Our Minds with Noah and Zion, episode: “It’s OK not to be OK”
Article: Coping with loneliness
Article: Nursing Home Residents Stayed Connected During the Pandemic Thanks to Letters for Rose
Article: Social Media and Mental Health
Listening Guide
Learning objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students will know and be able to:
Describe signs of loneliness.
Express why human connection heals feelings of loneliness.
Identify when to seek support for self and others
DURING LISTENING
Active listening supports:
Choose a listening organizer to support students in understanding the story while listening to it. This is intended to guide students in taking notes to help them focus their listening.
* The Fill In The Blank organizer will help guide student listening by focusing listeners on specific words. (Answer key: 22%, natural signal, False, recommit, recenter, fulfilled, resilient)
AND
* The Language Identification organizer allows students to follow along and track important phrases while listening to the story.
Paired Text: Use the Mental Health America article Loneliness is Hard (For Kids and Teens) to pair with this audio story.
Invite students to draw from the audio story and article as they list causes and effects of loneliness. Then, ask students to discuss ways to address loneliness and encourage connection, using both the audio story and article to support their points.
BEFORE LISTENING
Activate prior knowledge:
Begin the lesson by asking students how loneliness is different from being alone. Explain that loneliness causes people to feel empty, broken or unwanted. We can feel lonely even when we are surrounded by other people. It is important to address feelings of loneliness, because those feelings cause hurt in multiple ways. Ask students what they think the opposite of loneliness might be.
Introduce the story:
Say to students: In this audio story you will hear a discussion with Dr. Vivek Murthy, author of Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Dr. Murthy went on a trip around the United States to hear what worried people about their health; he was surprised at how many people talked about feeling lonely. You’ll hear why this led him to write a book about loneliness and connection, and what he wanted to tell us about how it affects our health.
AFTER LISTENING
Reflect on the story:
Take time for student reflection on the audio story and questions provided to check for understanding. You may want to ask students to respond to the listening comprehension questions and share their responses with a partner, small group, or the whole class. Use the classroom discussion questions to focus students on how connecting to others can heal the mental and physical hurts of loneliness.
Literature Connections:
*Dear Mr. Henshaw*, Beverly Cleary
*Hello, Universe*, Erin Entrada Kelly
*The Best Worst Summer*, Elizabeth Eulberg
*What to Say Next*, Julie Buxbaum
*Darius the Great Is Not Okay*, Adib Khorram