Playing team sports is about more than just scoring the most goals or winning the most games. Read this passage with your class and learn how athletes build character as members of a team. When finished, individuals identify the main...

Students explore how to build their character by respecting and appreciating various cultures. In this character education lesson, students read the book Seedfolks and answer questions based on the character's cultural backgrounds....

Students compare and contrast likenesses and differences to others by creating a life-size picture of themselves. In this character building lesson, students dictate a sentence about comments on sharing and display them with their...

Teens of the world, unite! Take your class or club on a multicultural journey through the relationship between cultural values and teen leadership skills. Groups work together to learn about one another's cultures while examining the...

Are the young leaders of tomorrow sitting in your classroom right now? Polish their skills to perfection using a series of teen leadership activities. Each lesson promotes both personal growth and team building, while helping scholars...

There are few things as frustrating to a teacher as a disrespectful student. Luckily this collection of activities, worksheets, and writing exercises is here to help eliminate this problem by teaching young leaners...

Students explore community service.  In this character development and community instructional activity, students sing a song based on the fable The Lion and the Mouse. Students participate in a discussion about kindness, and...

Students introduce themselves utilizing an alliterative descriptor. They begin building a nurturing learning community and follow multi-step directions for preparing applications and completing forms. Each student also demonstrates how...

Students discover characterization techniques and methods. In this characterization lesson, students choose favorite fiction characters and discuss what makes a character come alive. Students then describe a family member or a friend and...

Benjamin Franklin identified 13 virtues that he felt would strengthen his character if he could focus on each one. A thorough lesson explores high schoolers' personal values in the context of their lives, and compels them to strive for...

Anansi is a tricky character, but can he realize he's wrong and write an apology letter? Learners use Anansi and the Pot of Beans to practice writing, art, and figurative language. A series of activities are engaging for both...

Ideas like this are highly effective for helping build better reading comprehension. The class listens to an excerpt from a grade-appropriate text, and they discuss what clues or words helped them visualize the scene. They then read a...

Students research a famous person, consider what character values make this person a good role model and write a personal vision statement that maps out how to build similar character traits in their own lives.

Learners take a closer look at archetypes. In this characterization lesson, students examine the setting and the characters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as they read and analyze the novel. Learners consider how Twain mythically...

Young scholars explore the definition of philanthropy as it relates to bullying. In this moral values lesson, students listen to the book Thank you, Mr. Falker and identify how the main character was bullied. Young scholars define...

Students explore issues surrounding death penalty debate and participate in a values-clarification activity to help them form their opinions on this topic. They create a talk show to discuss issues involved with DNA testing and the death...

Students discuss the importance of caring about themselves and for others. As a class, they listen as they are read a story and answer questions using examples from the story. They brainstorm definitions of love and role play another...

Young scholars explore American history by reading biographical text in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students research the famous inventor by reading assigned text and answering reading comprehension questions...

Students examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify the...

Give your class an overview of American tall tales and some examples with these slides. The basic definition of folk stories, legends, and tall tales is explained, followed by famous characters from American lore. Reading suggestions are...

Eighth graders read selected passages from The Diary of Anne Frank. Working in pairs, 8th graders determine what qualities and characteristics they would assign to her from their selected diary entry.

Students explore the various societal and cultural "lenses" which color their perspectives and life experiences by reading the short story "What Means Switch" by Gish Jen. They discuss how the cultural ideas and beliefs affect the...

Third graders learn about the value of companionship, the joy of finding friends in unexpected places, and the significance of building a community of different perspectives. They explore how authors develop the reader's understanding of...