There are unlimited stories of hope in the world. Sometimes hope can be found in places we don’t expect, and so we’ve collected some of our favourite hopeful stories below for you to watch and share with your class. Each video is listed with a brief description from its original creators and a run time to help you incorporate them into your lessons.
3 Ways to Find Hope (0:37)
Hope Study Central’s Denise Larsen shares 3 ways to find hope as part of the University of Alberta Alumni’s #20ofMany campaign
One Thousand Cranes (5:29)
“Origami” comes from the Japanese language – “ori” meaning folded and “kami” meaning paper. For Kyoko, paper is a metaphor for life. You make use of what lines and points there are, and you create something out of what you’ve got. This documentary video outlines part of her story.
The Story of 1000 Paper Cranes (2:05)
This animation aims to tell the history of the Origami Paper Crane and how this folded piece of paper has impacted the creator’s culture through the story of Sadako Sasaki.
Some Good News with John Krasinski, Ep. 1 (15:43)
In this first episode of his series, recorded during the COVID-19 quarantine, John Krasinski highlights some good news from around the world, including an interview with Steve Carell to mark the 15thanniversary of THE OFFICE, as well as John’s newest hero Coco.
Finding Hope in Hopelessness | Peta Murchinson | TEDxSydney (14:13)
We like to think that we are one in a million, but what happens when that’s exactly the news that you don’t want to hear? Peta Murchison is a mother dedicated to raising awareness for Batten Disease – a rare degenerative genetic disease that affects otherwise healthy children who can sing, dance and bounce. From a young age affected kids start to lose their ability to walk, talk, see and smile.
Is Hope Worth Having? | Junah Jang | TEDxPhillipsAcademyAndover (8:49)
Junah Jang, a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, USA, explores what it means to be both informed and hopeful in an era where bad news is more accessible than ever.
What is Hope? (0:48)
A brief description of hope based on Snyder’s hope theory.
Music Therapy (3:00)
This is the story of the creator’s grandmother, Ruth. Ruth is 1 of 5.3 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Her disease has progressed to the point where she cannot remember her daughter Holly’s name. Music seems to bring moments of clarity. Music is Memory. Music is Hope. Grand Prize Winner of the HOPE Film Festival.
Greta Thunberg is Leading a Global Climate Movement (7:57)
A focus on Greta Thunberg and the impacts of her movement so far. In August 2018, dismayed by adults’ lack of action on the global climate crisis, the teenager sat herself down in front of the Swedish Parliament, pledging to strike from school every Friday until Sweden aligned its policies with the Paris Agreement. Greta’s actions have earned her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination and speaking engagements at the World Economic Forum and COP24—but most importantly, they’ve encouraged students from all over the globe to stand up for Earth and their futures.
Caine’s Arcade (10:58)
A 9 year old has built a cardboard arcade in his dad’s auto shop.