My Town Tutors is a great resource for parents & teachers.

Here are three different links for the lecture. This post uses the timeline from the YouTube link.

  1. YouTube (1:44:08) This link includes introductions by Introduction by Indira Nair, Carnegie Mellon’s Vice Provost for Education and Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Worldwide Publishing and Marketing for Electonic Arts
  2. CMU (1:16:21)
  3. Ted Talks (1:16:26)

Full Text of the Lecture. Student Worksheet.

Randy Pausch Introductions: This is useful for a teacher to understand the Randy’s professional and personal background. The speakers illustrate how important strong relationships were to him. The speakers do an excellent of providing background about Randy’s career and explaining the impact Randy has had on his Carnegie Mellon and profession. It is not necessarily important to show the students, however it is very good, to show his involvement in EA sports, which many students play. Students also many know if the Sims game.

Introduction by Indira Nair, Carnegie Mellon’s Vice Provost for Education (0:10 – 2:07)

Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Worldwide Publishing and Marketing for Electronic Arts (EA) (2:12 – 8:12)

Last Lecture Introduction (8:20 – 11:15)

Elephant in the room – not in denial

Push-ups (10:10)

What we are not talking about.

My childhood dreams (11:15 – 38:50)

Overview of childhood dreams (11:15 – 13:20)

Zero gravity (13:20 – 16:32)

Playing in the NFL (16:33 – 20:25)

World Book Encyclopedia (20:25 – 21:20)

Captain Kirk (21:20 – 23:35)

Stuffed Animals (23:40 – 25:30)

Disney Imagineer (25:30 – 38:50)

Enabling the dreams of others (38:50 – 1:03:00) Might be a section that can be skipped for most classes. 

Tom and Star Wars (38:50 – 40:30)

Building Virtual Worlds – 1st assignment – Raise the bar (40:40 – 43:50)

Campus wide presentation – synergy (45:20 – 52:30)

Dream Fulfillment Factory ETC – 2 years masters program (53:50 – 1:00:25)

Alice computer program – infinitely scalable – professional legacy (1:00:25 – 1:03:00)

Lessons Learned (1:03:00 – 1:23:44)

Role of parents, mentors, students – select one person and thank them

Dad (1:03:43 – 1:04:40)

Mom – Paint the bedroom (1:04:40 – 1:05:00)

Andy van Dam (1:06:20 – 1:08:40)

Katlin Kelleher (1:08 – 1:09:57)

President Cohen (1:09:57 – 1:10:25)

Tigger vs. Eeyore (1:10:25)

Never lose childlike wonder (1:10:40)

Help others (1:10:45 – 11:11:38)

Loyalty is a two-way street (1:12:15 – 1:13:30)

Syl – best advice ever “When it comes to men…” (1:13:30 – 1:14:30)

Never Give Up (1:14:30 –

Get a feedback group and listen to it (1:21:30)

Show Gratitude (1:22:55)

Don’t complain, just work harder (1:22:13)

Important Advice  – Be good at something, it makes you valuable.  (1:22:20)

Find the best in everybody – just keep waiting

Be prepared – luck is where opportunity meets preparation

Today’s Talk – the head fake (1:23:00)

 11:49 – 3 questions. 

  1. (11:49) “My Childhood Dreams (current dreams): STOP the presentation on the “My Childhood Dreams.” Have students copy the slide, then have them list THEIR childhood dreams. What were your childhood dreams? Place a star next to any childhood dreams you are still working on. This can be a 10 – 15 minute class discussion. “It’s about my childhood dreams and how I have achieved them.” 
  2. MY CURRENT DREAM: What are your current dreams? List one or two current dreams. 
  3. THE ONE LITTLE THING: Push-ups: Roger Story What can you do every day that will help help you? ONE simple thing, like doing push-ups, playing an instrument, reading, writing, walking with your family, exercising. Pick on little thing that you could do (or continue to do) 

19:21 – 1 question

  1. (19:21) Part of You: “I am most comfortable on a football field. [pulls out a football] if I’m working a hard problem, people will see me wandering the halls with one of these things, and that’s just because, when you do something young enough and you train for it, it just becomes a part of you.” For Randy Pausch Football was part of who he is. Over the years you have developed passions, interests, and skills. What is a part of you? Explain the importance of this object in your life. Describe your history with it. When did it enter your life? Describe the role this object has in your life TODAY and what role it might be in your life in the future.
  1. Childhood idol: List your childhood idol.
  2. Who I WANT to Meet: If you could meet any person in the world. Who would it be? What would you like to learn from this person?
  3. (Follow that person on social media)
  4. Personal Leaders: (23:35) Double check “There is a skill set called leadership.” List the best personal leaders you know.
  5. Describe “a-ha experience”  (26:06) I was eight years old and our family took a trip cross-country to see Disneyland. I said I want to make stuff like this.” Have you ever had and “a-ha experience” where you realized that you wanted to do something in your life?
  6. What was your most life changing experience!
  7. “And I was quite an arrogant young man.” What is on area you have a weakness and can improve on. 
  8. What do you value the most? What are your most treasure possessions and why? “We keep what is valuable to us, what we cherish. And I’ve kept my [high school] letterman’s jacket all these years.”

Loyalty is a two way street. 

When it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do. It’s that simple. It’s that easy

6. College Rejection (26:20) They sent me some of the nicest go to hell letters I have ever gotten. Explain what it was like to read a rejection letter either from a college or a job.

6. 

Lessons Learned (1:03:00 – 1:23:44)

1:06:18

7. Role of teachers, mentors, friends, colleagues 

a. For each parent list 3-5 qualities you admire in them

b. List 5 teachers / educators

c. 6 – 7 friends

“Other people who help us besides our parents: our teachers, our mentors, our friends, our colleagues.” List the 2-3 teachers who have had the most influence on your life.

And I was quite an arrogant young man. What is a character trait that you could work on?

you just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or and Eeyore.  What are you? Who is the biggest Tigger in your life / grade?

We keep what is valuable to us, what we cherish. And I’ve kept my [high school] letterman’s jacket all these years. [Puts on letterman’s jacket] I used to like wearing it in grad school, and one of my friends, Jessica Hodgins would say, why do you wear this letterman’s jacket? And I looked around at all the non-athletic guys around me who were much smarter than me. And I said, because I can. List Your Three Most Valuable Possessions. (Letterman’s Jacket 1:03:51):

Loyalty is a two way street. Who are the most loyal people you know?

Never Give Up: Give an example of a time you persisted and overcame a setback.

There are moments that change your life. And ten years later if you know in retrospect it was one of those moments, you’re blessed. But to know it at the moment

10. “Remember brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail.” What has been the most challenging brick wall in your life that you did not let stop you. Write about how you approached this challenge to achieve your goals! 

when you do the right thing, good stuff has a way of happening. Get a feedback loop and listen to it

“Be good at something. It makes you valuable.” What are you good at? What makes you valuable?

It’s about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you. 

9. The best piece of advice pound-for-pound that I have ever heard. When it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do. It’s that simple. It’s that easy. And I thought back to my bachelor days and I said, damn.” Write the best piece of advice you have received. Include the advice, person who shared it, and why you have found it so helpful  

11. There are moments that change your life. Randy had one when meeting with  

Get a feedback group and listen to it (1:21:30)

Show Gratitude (1:22:55)

Don’t complain, just work harder (1:22:13)

Important Advice  – Be good at something, it makes you valuable.  (1:22:20)

Find the best in everybody – just keep waiting

Be prepared – luck is where opportunity meets preparation

Today’s Talk – the head fake (1:23:00)

2nd head fake – talk is for my kids (1:23:13 – 1:23:44) – It’s for Dylan, Cody, and Chloe

“Be good at something. It makes you valuable.” What are you good at? What makes you valuable?

Randy Pausch: The Last Lecture Viewing Guide

I have found it very useful when showing a video to have the students respond at different points. With this viewing guide, the point in the speech is listed in parenthesis. of the writing prompt

Name                                                                                                             period  

Randy Pausch: The Last Lecture (1:44) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5700431505846055184

(4:08) “It’s about my childhood dreams and how I have achieved them.” What were your childhood dreams? What are your current dreams?

(10:56) “I am most comfortable on a football field. [pulls out a football] if I’m working a hard problem, people will see me wandering the halls with one of these things, and that’s just because, when you do something young enough and you train for it, it just becomes a part of you.” What is part of you? Explain the importance in your life.

“There is a skill set called leadership.” List the best personal leaders you know.

I was eight years old and our family took a trip cross-country to see Disneyland. I said I want to make stuff like this.” Have you ever had and “a-ha experience” where you realized that you wanted to do something in your life?

They sent me some of the nicest go to hell letters I have ever gotten. Explain what it was like to read a rejection letter either from a college or a job.

“We keep what is valuable to us, what we cherish. And I’ve kept my [high school] letterman’s jacket all these years.” What do you value the most? What are your most treasure possessions and why?

“The best piece of advice pound-for-pound that I have ever heard. When it comes to men that are romantically interested in you, it’s really simple. Just ignore everything they say and only pay attention to what they do. It’s that simple. It’s that easy. And I thought back to my bachelor days and I said, damn.” What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

“Be good at something. It makes you valuable.” What are you good at? What makes you valuable?

Give the students a copy of the viewing guide questions. Stop the video at different points to allow the students to answer the writing prompts.

There are specific points where you can ask a few writing prompts and then have class discussion.

Not all questions need to be answered! A teacher can be selective.