US Institute of Peace
Peacebuilders in Action
What contributions have great peacebuilders made to our society? Civic-minded scholars take an in-depth look at people who have made a difference world-wide during the 12th instructional activity in a 15-part series. After researching...
Curated OER
How We Feel
Students examine how their feelings make them unique. They read and discuss a poem, develop a list of feelings, and create a drawing of them feeling happy and healthy.
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Defining Character, With Help from History
In a single, soundly-designed class period, high schoolers define good character, think-pair-share about thought-provoking quotes on character (More options would enhance the discussion, worth searching online for other quotes to add.),...
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Do You Want to Be My Friend?
Learners participate in a variety of emergent and early-literacy activities based on a "friendship" theme. Learners listen to the book Do You Want to Be My Friend by Eric Carle, then echo read, choral read, and independently read...
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Feelings
Students learn how to express their feelings. In this language development lesson, one student reads a sentence off a sentence strip and another student responds with "I feel...". The class discusses why the student feels that way and...
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Special Sunflowers
Students view a picture of Van Gogh's Sunflowers. In this caring and kindness lesson students read Camille and the Sunflower and explore the feelings of the characters. Students complete worksheets related to Camille's feelings in the book.
Free Library of Philadelphia
Resources for Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Ghost Boys, wanted to bring the historical legacy of Emmett Till and the current topic of racial prejudice into today's young readers' mindsets. Use a reading guide and set of discussion questions to...
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One
First graders listen to the story One and design a favorite color graph. For this language arts lesson, learners answer comprehension questions and discover the importance of standing up for a friend. They complete a worksheet about...
Crafting Freedom
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper: Lover of Literacy
This, the sixth in a series of 10 related resources, examines the life and works of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, an African American author, born in 1825, who advocated literacy for both free and enslaved African Americans.
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Whoever You Are
Students examine cultures, traditions, and feeling throughout cultures. In this cultural lesson, students use literature, maps, and cultural information to examine how people have universal feelings despite their different cultures and...
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Understanding Needs and Feelings
Students identify needs and feelings. In this character education lesson, students read two passages about being shy and scared. Students create an ending to the story on their own.
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Sticks and Stones
Young scholars explore bullying. In this character development lesson, students discuss verbal and nonverbal bullying. Using the "sticks and stones" adage, young scholars write a sentence describing a hurtful act on a gray piece of...
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Miss Tizzy
Students experience ways language and visuals bring characters to life in a story, experience age-appropriate songs, cooking experiences, and art, learn the days of the week in a new learning experience, and engage in hands-on learning...
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Larger-Than-Life Lara
Students explore child psychology by reading a children's book in class. In this bullying lesson, students read the book Larger Than Life Lara and discuss the characters and how they treat each other. Students answer study questions...
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Typecasting Roles
Students read and discuss various news articles where an element of surprise was present about the criminal and the crime. They research a news story, present the information in the form of a newscast, and write an opinion piece.
Indiana University
Literature of Asia and the Middle East: "A Sound of Hammering" by Dazai Osamu
Dazai Osamu’s short story, “A Sound of Hammering” is the focus of a three-day investigation of modern Japanese literature and life in post-World War II Japan. The events in Osamu’s story mirror those in his own life, and give a...
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Willie and Friends: Overcomers in the Land Stories by Faith Ringgold
Learners use puppets and plays to examine the role of African Americans throughout history. After being read a story by a puppet, they respond to each one in writing. Individually, they write a story about a place they have wanted to...
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Philanthropy in Michigan???Civil War Lesson 2: Forming Opinions
Learners act out a section of the book Gentle Annie that is depicted in Chapter 4. They discuss the character position taken by each of the characters in the scene. They write a persuasive letter to one of the characters.
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Bronze Bow
Explore ancient Rome through reading The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. Readers activate prior knowledge by examining objects that relate to the story and predict the significance of the items. Their curiosity is aroused through...
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Character Education: Caring- Oprah Winfrey
Students explore celebrity philanthropy. In this character development lesson plan, students read an article and discuss Oprah Winfrey's involvement in several charitable organizations.
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Character Education- Respect
Students discuss what respect means. In this character education activity, students read the book Cynthia Ann Parker and discuss the philanthropic acts in the book. Students answer questions about the text on the provided worksheet.
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Do Something Beautiful
Students recognize philanthropy in literature. In this philanthropy lesson, students read the book Something Beautiful by Sharon Wyeth and discuss how the character performed acts of philanthropy. Students write a reflection in a journal.
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Folktales: Oral Traditions as a Basis for Instruction in our Schools
Students visit their school library to read a variety of folktales. While they read, they identify the trickster or hero in each and discuss how the character represents the chaos in the real world. In groups, they write their own...
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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.