Yertle the Turtle
By Dr. Seuss
8 min. without interruption
16 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
ALL AGES
Yertle the Turtle (the king) stacks all the turtles up – because he is “king of all that he sees” but not king of enough. Mack, the bottom turtle, is ignored. Mack crashes the tower – the throne. Fun story about leadership, being wise, listening. (And in another sense, worker’s rights...)
8 min. without interruption
16 min. with discussion prompts throughout.
ALL AGES
Yertle the Turtle (the king) stacks all the turtles up – because he is “king of all that he sees” but not king of enough. Mack, the bottom turtle, is ignored. Mack crashes the tower – the throne. Fun story about leadership, being wise, listening. (And in another sense, worker’s rights...)
Scroll Down for Description and Debriefing Guide.
When thinking about this book in the conflict of Respect and Conflict-Resolution, think about how humility could have aided Yertle. If Yertle had not been blinded by his desire to see (and thus rule) everything, he might have been able to empathize with Mack, and called off this stacking endeavor before it ruined him.
This book is also extremely on point for speaking up, and advocacy…but sense advocates are leaders, and communities need advocates/leaders, it works. Here is an example of a leader who does not think of the other below him – his arrogance gets the better of him in the end.
Another page debriefing the story: www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/BookModule/YertleTheTurtle
Debriefing Prompts:
This book is also extremely on point for speaking up, and advocacy…but sense advocates are leaders, and communities need advocates/leaders, it works. Here is an example of a leader who does not think of the other below him – his arrogance gets the better of him in the end.
Another page debriefing the story: www.teachingchildrenphilosophy.org/BookModule/YertleTheTurtle
Debriefing Prompts:
- Does Yertle the Turtle respect the other turtles?
- Is he aware of what they see?
- If Yertle empathized with the other turtles earlier, what do you think might have happened?
- Is Yertle a good leader? Why or why not?