1. Inspirational Messages

2. Words have the power to motivate and inspire. Wars have started and ended because of a carefully or hastily selected group of words.

3. Cruel words can forever break the strongest friendship and cut family ties. Kind words can mend a broken heart and heal a wounded soul.

4. Words can create fear, hostility, hatred, envy, mistrust, animosity, cruelty and despair. Words can also inspire hope, creativity, love, friendship, trust, kindness, civility, selflessness and charity. When you wield the power of words, do you use your power for good or evil?

5. This year we are going to explore the questions: "How do I make the world a better place?" "How can I have a postive impact?"

6. Our challenge begins in THIS classroom! How can we use the power of words to inspire and motivate each other to improve our world?

7. Because I will never ask you to do something that I am not willing to do myself, here are some examples of inspirational messages :

8. "Apparently, evolution favors behaviors that cause us to disconnect from mean people." --James Fowler, a political scientist who studies social networks at the University of California San Diego Translation--Be Nice or Go Away!

9. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

10. Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. --Thich Nhat Hanh

11. One kind word can warm three winter months. --Japanese Proverb

12. Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. --Victor Hugo

13. We need people who can dream of things that never were. --John F. Kennedy

14. The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas! --Linus Pauling

15. One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture and, if possible, speak a few reasonable words. --Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

16. Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind. --Henry James

17. A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done. --Dwight D. Eisenhower

18. There is no limit to your learning because there is no limit to your mind! --Don Bassey

19. Try to see the humanity in everyone you meet. --Unknown

20. Just being there and listening is friendship. --Kyle Blough

21. The best way to cheer yourself up it to try to cheer somebody else up. --Mark Twain

22. It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up! --Vince Lombardi

23. A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug. --Patricia Neal

24. You can't shake hands with a clenched fist. --Indira Gandhi

25. Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. --Booker T. Washington

26. Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. --Sir Isaac Newton

27. Change your thoughts and change your world. --Norman Vincent Peale

28. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead

29. Your PURPOSE: to inspire your classmates and teacher to positively impact the world. Your AUDIENCE: your classmates, teachers, and anyone who enters this room.

30. My Challenge to You! (Your Assignment) Find or create a quote that will inspire and motivate your classmates to positively impact the world. Type the quote in letters large enough to be read across the room. You may add pictures if you wish! Be prepared to discuss what your quote means and why you selected it. You MUST give credit to the creator of the quote. (see my examples) PLEASE PRINT 2 COPIES OF YOUR COMPLETED QUOTE!

31. Here is how you will be graded for this project. This will count as a "project" grade in my gradebook.