Orange County Department of Education
My Character Odyssey
Young scholars explore and analyze how the trials of life can develop one's character and values of respect, responsibility and compassion. Then, while reading and evaluating The Odyssey, they reflect on their own hero journey and write...
Orange County Department of Education
Poppa's New Pants
Angela Shelf Medearis'Â Poppa's New Pants provides third graders with an opportunity to stitch together their own narrative filled with sensory details. After reading the story and noting the sensory and concrete details in the tale that...
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Respect: Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like
Sixth graders participate in a question and answer discussion on respect and then complete the "Planning to Use Respect" activity sheet. They describe the senses of a stuffed animal to their peers and assess how respect looks, sounds and...
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Explore Cultural Diversity Through Art
Explore cultural diversity and build tolerance. Learners view art representing various cultures by Canadian painters. (Adapt with images or artists that reflect your demographics.) The class creates a collage or mural depicting cultural...
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Owen and Mzee
Students examine the trait of compassion. In this character education lesson plan, 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...
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Whoever You Are
Students examine cultures, traditions, and feeling throughout cultures. In this cultural instructional activity, students use literature, maps, and cultural information to examine how people have universal feelings despite their...
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Cultivating Caring - Filling Buckets of Caring Carrots
Students practice compassion. In this character education lesson, student read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. Students discuss the book as well as ways to demonstrate they care for one another. Students fill buckets...
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Defining Caring
Eighth graders define caring. For this character education lesson, 8th graders examine the attributes of compassion as they discuss altruism, empathy, and selflessness.
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Belonging
Middle schoolers examine their personal feelings regarding exclusive groups. In this character education lesson, students conduct mini-debates as they discuss how they relate to one another regarding exclusive social groups.
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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Students explore the concept of self-respect. In this character education lesson, students listen to the original "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" story and listen to the song. Students discuss the meaning of the word underdog and the...
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Caring for Others
Young scholars explore the importance of caring for others in leadership. In this leadership and compassion activity, students define compassion and brainstorm a list of do's and don'ts for caring. Young scholars research articles that...
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Animal Explorations
Students discover compassion for animals. In this animal lesson, students go to a local animal welfare organization and help out. They reflect on compassion and how to make changes in the lives of animals.Â
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Claim It: Differences and Similarities, Creating a Climate of Inclusion
Students explore the concept of diversity. In this inclusion lesson, students discuss similarities and differences among students in their class, identify the benefits of diversity, and write personal commitment statements regarding...
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Caring Makes a Difference
Students define caring. In this character education instructional activity, students examine the attributes of compassion as they read a folktale and discuss plans to help those less fortunate than themselves.
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Kindness Feels Good/Reading Kindness Books
Students complete acts of kindness. In this kindness and compassion instructional activity, students read books about acts of kindness and complete various activities each month to show kindness.
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Character Ambassadors
Students act as ambassadors. In this character education instructional activity, students take on the roles of ambassadors of the character traits listed. Students write essays regarding the character traits they select.
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Math with Character
Students write math sentences to fit a given story. They recognize number families and discuss the character traits of a sharing and relate their feeelings and experience with sharing. The Doorbell Rang story is read and the students...
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Huddle up with a Character based Economic Plan to help Community Friends
Students complete Perseverance, Courage, and Caring lessons from Get into the Game: Beyond Winning to properly prepare students for cooperative group learning and create a class climate conducive for a successful unit. They create a...
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Defining Character Traits
Students read and analyze an extended definition in preparation for writing an extended definition of a CHARACTER TRAIT. They use analogy as a definition strategy to tailor writing to a particular audience. Finally, students SHARE...
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Pandora Puppy's Caring Circle
Students are introduced to the concept of compassion. As a class, they read a story together about Pandora Puppy's caring circles and identify the main points. They complete a worksheet and take a test to review how compassion is...
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Accentuate the Positive
Students analyze the attitudes, ideas and beliefs of characteristics that
assist humans in living a positive, proactive life that values self,
family, community, nation and world. Students identify their own strengths as individual....
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Protection and Compassion
Learners investigate ways to protect themselves against AIDS while learning compassion for the those with the disease. In this HIV/AIDs lesson, students discuss ways to protect themselves against contacting the disease. Learners discuss...
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When were you selfless today?
Young scholars, after reading and analyzing the poem, Selflessness of Mind, by Joe Gurknecht, brainstorm and discuss specific recent student acts of selflessness. They develop strategies to tie those acts of selflessness to themselves...
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When were you selfless today?
Students, after reading and discussing the poem, Selflessness of Mind, by Joe Gutknecht, discuss specific recent acts of selflessness and then write a first draft paper on selflessness. They compare/contrast their own lives to the poem...