Curated OER
Goals and Perseverance
Define the word perseverance to have learners understand why it is important in reaching goals. Young scholars research how Martin Luther King needed perseverance to accomplish his goals. They write acrostic poems using the word...
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Unique Monique: Building a Community of Unique Individuals
Learners recognize that each student is unique and has special talents. Students develop a puzzle piece that describes them and their particular talents. Learners share their pieces and post on a bulletin board.
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Integrating Character Education into Lesson Plans
Students select a favorite lesson and list character traits from that lesson to serve as indicators on various questions under review. Character traits included are honesty, compassion, strong work ethnic and respect for the environment.
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Character Education: Honesty
Middle schoolers define what honesty means. They will discuss omission as a form of telling lies. Furthermore, they will compare and contrast to other forms of lying. In the end, they give examples of different types of lies and evaluate...
Film English
My Shoes
Engage your pupils in short story and short film. Using a still from the film as inspiration, pairs compose short stories, which they later share and compare with other members of the class. They then watch the film and respond to a...
K-3 Teacher Resources
Never Look Down on Anybody Quote
Encourage kindness and compassion in your class with a colorful poster. A picture shows one boy helping another up, and an inspirational quote tells kids not to look down upon one another.
Curated OER
What Can I Do?
Learners investigate conflict resolution strategies. In this character education lesson, students list things that make them feel sad and are introduced to the conflict resolution strategy "think and share." Learners role-play various...
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What Would You Do?
Young scholars explain how we all face tough decisions everyday. They show how they respond to those events reveals who they are and where they are in their character/moral development. Students predict how to deal with peer pressure and...
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Random Acts of Kindness For Kids
Develop a world-wide, email chain on which class members can showcase their acts of kindness. After defining the meaning of random acts of kindness through discussion and through a reading of Random Acts of Kindness,...
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Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Students explore Christopher Columbus's motives. In this character education instructional activity, students research Internet and print sources regarding the life and actions of Christopher Columbus in order to write essays that his...
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Questions of Courage
Examine discrimination. In this character education lesson, learners read two biographies, Vivien Naki and Hamilton Naki then analyze their personal discrimination experiences. They complete a Venn diagram to compare and...
Michael's Crafts
Classroom Community Bulletin Board Lesson Plan
Building a strong classroom community is a huge part of our job. This idea lets the kids help define the rules, ideas, and behaviors that they want in their classroom. They'll work together to design a bulletin board that...
Lesson Snips
Taking Responsibility
Billy finds himself in many difficult situations because he is unsure about how and when to take responsibility. Collaborative groups work together to answer if Billy made responsible choices and what he should have done instead....
Curated OER
Character Traits - Who are We?
Sixth graders examine character traits. In this character education instructional activity, 6th graders set goals to strengthen particular personal character traits. Students watch their instructor model the character trait journaling...
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Following Their Footsteps
Learners research and create a book report on a famous person. For this character education lesson, students examine the positive traits exemplified by a famous person and present an oral presentation for their classmates.
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Project-Based Learning: Diversity
Ethnic and cultural diversity are explored in a service learning lesson, great for upper graders. They participate in four weekly activities that require them to research ethnic and cultural diversity.
Curated OER
Perseverance: Keep Going
Kids evaluate world history events that show perseverance by creating artistic images. They investigate historic photographs and images which conjure up the feelings of perseverance, then utilize acrylic paints to capture the...
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Obstacles to Perseverance
What does it mean to persevere. Young historians review the definition of perseverance then brainstorm a list of obstacles colonists and revolutionaries had to overcome during the American Revolution. Using this list, they identify...
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Courage: Hero Traits
What does it mean to be a hero? Who qualifies as a hero? In groups, middle and high schoolers brainstorm a list of heroes and create a list of characteristics that a person must possess in order to be a hero. Extend this lesson by having...
Curated OER
What's Integrity?
Students explore the trait of integrity. In this character education lesson, students read letters by Steve Williams pertaining to jobs that help others. Students discuss the jobs WilIiams shares as well as integrity in their lives.
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Identity, Belonging, and Social Inclusion
Young scholars explore personal and social identity. In this character education lesson plan, students create identity profiles and design welcome plans for their school community in order to build personal and community identities.
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What Are Friends For?
Students develop an awareness of the behaviors signaling that a friend may be in trouble with alcohol or drugs of abuse. They practice ways to encourage a friend to seek out adult help by viewing a video, role-playing situations, writing...
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Our Successful Traits
Students brainstorm and discuss essential traits for success. They develop a group list that displays essential traits of the successful classroom and journal about the experience.
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Owen and Mzee
Students examine the trait of compassion. In this character education lesson, students read Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff. Students discuss the theme of the story as well as what it means to...