This lesson plan introduces students to the concepts of happiness, sharing, helping, and volunteering. It involves students watching a short film and videos about "Mr. Happy Man", discussing quotes about happiness and love, and reflecting on what they've learned. The goal is for students to improve their speaking, listening, and vocabulary related to these topics and to become more sensitive, thoughtful, and aware of finding happiness through helping others. Activities include describing photos, watching videos, discussing in groups, creating a spidergram on understanding happiness, and reflecting on different perspectives on volunteering.

1. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
LESSON PLAN
School subject: English
Lesson subject:Mr Happy Man
Topic/Concept:Happiness, sharing, helping, volunteering
Language level:Upper-intermediate (B2.1) - Advanced (C1)
Time:90 minutes
Language: vocabulary used in descriptions, talking about feelings, emotions, values
Activity:Speaking, writing and watching a short film and a video
Materials: A3 paper (1 per group/table), short film, video and discussion quotes
Objectives:
1. Students practise speaking, listening and improve vocabulary concerning the concept of
HAPPINESS, PHILANTHROPY, VOLUNTEERING
2. Studentstalk about aspects of finding happiness in unconditional love towards others, “serving”
others, volunteering
3. Students get moresensitised, thoughtful, conscious, they learn about appreciating the value of
mutual help, support
Procedure:
Activity 1:
Teacher shows students the photo below and asks them to describe the man and to speculate about
the range of topics the picture may invoke. Students share their ideas with the rest of
groupmates/classmates.
http://filmenglish.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/mr-happy-man-post1.jpg

2. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Activity 2:
Teacher tells students that they are going to watch a short film called Mr Happy Man about the man
from the picture, Johnny Barnes.
Students are put into groups of three or four and when asked the questions below, their task is to fill
in the worksheets prepared beforehand:
Why do you think Johnny is so happy?
What do you think you will see in this film?
What do you think people will say about him?
What do you think he will say is the secret of happiness?
After five minutes, teacher gets feedback from the whole class.
Activity 3:
Students watch the film and compare their answers in activity 2 to what they see and hear in the
film. They present their completed notes and share with the others what they found the most
surprising and astounding about the story from the video.
http://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/36673515
Activity 4:
Teacher gives students the documents with quotes from Johnny about happiness and love. Students
in the same groups as previously, discuss the quotes.
http://pl.scribd.com/doc/87015622/Mr-Happy-Man-Discussion-Quotes
Activity 5:
Teacher asks students to prepare a spidergram showing their understanding or secret of happiness,
extended through watching the story of Mr Happy Man.

3. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Activity 6:
Teacher tells students that they’re going to watch a video which is a mash-up of clips from experts
from various disciplines talking about the secret of happiness.Students are asked to compare their
sentences about the secret of happiness with what the experts say. Students’ task is to grasp the
opinions, which they haven’t mentioned in their idea of happiness.
http://vimeo.com/3686182
Activity 7:
Students reflect on what they’ve seen.
Lesson evaluation:
On the other side of the paper with their notes, students prepare an image, a new perspective of
volunteering, philanthropy, helping, supporting others (in whichever form they prefer- picture,
mindmap, definition) based on their reflections from the lesson.
They hang their works in the classroom.
Follow -up/homework:
Students arewrite a composition titled The Rise of Volunteering. They are asked to try to use some of
the vocabulary and expressions they’ve come across in the lesson.
Lesson plan based on the idea and videos found on:
http://film-english.com/2012/03/28/mr-happy-man/