PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE WHY?

THE FUTURE What are the first words that come to your mind?

FIVE YEARS INTO THE FUTURE What more comes to your mind than the previous list?

FIVE YEARS INTO MY FUTURE Any additional items to list?

Respond in writing to the following questions one at a time: Where do you see yourself in five years? Name and describe a specific place. What are you doing with your life in five years? How do you see yourself spending your 9-5 time? What is the biggest physical change in you from your high school self? In other words, at your high school reunion, what will people notice first about you? What is your general attitude toward life? Are you happy? depressed? confused? dissatisfied? What will you miss most about your high school self and/or your high school life? How does a plan help you become a more responsible and productive citizen? Partners: Share what you wish to with your neighbor.

LET’S READ THIS POEM TOGETHER He never learned a trade, he just sells gas, Checks oil, and changes flats. Once in a while, As a gag, he dribbles an inner tube, But most of us remember anyway. His hands are fine and nervous on the lug wrench. It makes no difference to the lug wrench, though. Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette. Grease-gray and kind of coiled, he plays pinball, Smokes those thin cigars, nurses lemon phosphates. Flick seldom says a word to Mae, just nods Beyond her face toward bright applauding tiers Of Necco Wafers, Nibs, and Juju Beads. John Updike, “Ex-Basketball Player” from Collected Poems 1953-1993. Copyright © 1993 by John Updike. Reprinted with the permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. How does this poem relate to our topic today? Ex-Basketball Player By John Updike Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out. Flick stands tall among the idiot pumps— Five on a side, the old bubble-head style, Their rubber elbows hanging loose and low. One’s nostrils are two S’s, and his eyes An E and O. And one is squat, without A head at all—more of a football type. Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards. He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46 He bucketed three hundred ninety points, A county record still. The ball loved Flick. I saw him rack up thirty-eight or forty In one home game. His hands were like wild birds.

  ASSIGNMENT: YOUR FIVE YEAR PLAN – Choose and complete one of the following tasks: i. Create a timeline of events you plan to accomplish in five years. List could include personal (marriage, family), religious (mission, volunteer), and academic (college, trade school, etc.).   ii. Create a five panel PowerPoint to illustrate your goals for the next five years and what you have done during your high school years to prepare to meet those goals. This PowerPoint could be used as part of your senior culminating presentation. iii. Create a video or artwork illustrating your goals for the next five years and why you feel prepared to meet them. iv. Write at least two pages describing your 5-year goals and how your high school years have prepared you for meeting them.