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...

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...

Angela Shelf Medearis' 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...

Students examine the trait of compassion. In this character education instructional activity, 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...

Learners define the word care and discover the importance of caring for others. In this character education lesson, students work as a class to brainstorm synonyms for care. Learners write a list of 5 things or people that they care about.

Young scholars act as ambassadors. In this character education lesson, students take on the roles of ambassadors of the character traits listed. Young scholars write essays regarding the character traits they select.

Young scholars 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...

Students explore the concept of self-respect. For 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...

Read the story The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog: A Folktale from Great Britain by Margaret Read MacDonald and choose from multiple activities to learn about the tale's theme—kindness. With so many options, your kind kids will...

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...

Help your learners discover empathy and understanding by investigating two sides of a situation. In this humanities instructional activity, pupils examine different pairs of shoes and hypothesize about who may have worn them. Discuss...

Students listen to the story Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon and discuss the way each character interacts with the others. They role play pares of the story to practice showing compassion, and how to positively interact with their peers.

Introduce S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders with a bell work journal that asks class members to define loyalty. Key words (patience, unity, honesty, caring, etc.), drawn from their musings, are posted around the room, and groups search for...

Students explore appropriate ways to communicate feelings.  In this character development lesson, students listen to Hands are not for Hitting and several other books about expressing emotions appropriately.  Students observe...

First graders learn the importance of listening carefully and why to follow oral directions carefully by playing Simon Says. They learn the importance of waiting your turn.

Students read excerpts from an autobiographical work and retell scenes from the book. They consider the ways Susie King Taylor's autobiography displays character traits including courage, creativity, compassion and determination.

In this language arts worksheet, young scholars read through the summaries of the eighteen chapters from this book study of The Pigman.