Students participate in a round-table debate about issues raised by quotations from an interview with Dr. Adams, and then interview a doctor or other health care professional about the spiritual, economic, and social aspects of medical care. Review the Academic Content Standards related to this lesson. Participate in a round-table debate about quotations from Patch Adams interview with The Times.
Students then share their responses.
Encourage students to share personal stories that they may have about situations in which levity of spirit helped one heal physically. In a roundtable discussion format, debate some of Patch Adams remarks in the interview with The Times, as well as other quotations from the article. Students interview a doctor or other health care professional. Students should use the quotations from the featured article that were discussed in class as a basis for the interview, asking the interviewee about the spiritual side of healing, the economics behind obtaining health care in America, and Patch Adams view that laughter can cure. Students then create a written transcript of the interview and share the results with the class.