Health Smart Virginia
Face of Mental Illness
There are a lot of myths and misinformation out there about mental illness. Help set the record straight with a resource that debunks the falsehoods and provides high schoolers with accurate and important information about the various...
Curated OER
Surveying Salinger with Dialogue and Disillusionment
Find creative ways to teach Salinger's stories by focusing on dialogue, cultural context, and characterization.
US Institute of Peace
Nonverbal Communication
What is your body saying that maybe your words aren't? Scholars explore the vast world of the subtle, and not-so-subtle, nonverbal communication cues through group and individual work. Lesson seven in a series of peacebuilding exercises...
Overcoming Obstacles
Integrity
A lesson showcases the character trait of integrity. Scholars define the term, discuss how having integrity means being trustworthy, that one can choose to have integrity, and the significance of looking at situations from other...
Overcoming Obstacles
What Is Overcoming Obstacles?
Just like becoming proficient at playing an instrument or sport requires practice, so too does developing the skills to overcome life's obstacles. That's the big idea in the first lesson in a life skills course. To begin, participants...
Louisiana Department of Education
Hatchet
Accompany a novel study of Hatchet by Gary Paulson with a unit consisting of 16 lessons focused on physical and emotional survival. Reading the story along with a variety of informational texts, scholars compare and contrast reading...
Greater Good Science Center
Seeing The Good In Others
Showing gratitude is an intentional act and it's the glue in relationships. That's the big idea in a activity for tween and teens. Scholars leave post-it thank you notes on other's character strength posters that acknowledge those...
Nemours KidsHealth
Conflict Resolution: Grades 9-12
Conflicts happen. Learning to deal with them positively, manage anger, and communicate feelings is the focus of a lesson that gives high schoolers the tools they need for conflict resolution. After reading a series of related articles,...
Scholastic
Hopes and Dreams
A lesson encourages mini scholars in setting goals. Peers share their hopes and dreams and discuss how each one adds to everyone's unique character. Class members draw themselves in a scene achieving a goal. A follow-up meeting allows...
Overcoming Obstacles
Listening Responsibly
Responsible speaker + critical listener = effective communication is the equation at the heart of a responsible listening lesson about the power of words. Class members view the clip of the courtroom scene from the film A Few Good Men...
Curated OER
Following Their Footsteps
Students research and create a book report on a famous person. In this character education lesson, students examine the positive traits exemplified by a famous person and present an oral presentation for their classmates.
Curated OER
Picture (More) Perfect
Students help their community. In this character counts activity, students discuss problems facing the world and their community. They come up with solutions to some of these problems.
Curated OER
Respectful Interview
Students interview elderly people in a senior citizen community center. In this character counts lesson plan, students interview the elderly about how society can be more respectful. They videotape and watch the interviews together.
ReadWriteThink
A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools
Paul Langan's novel The Bully is the core text in a six-session unit plan that engages high schoolers in an in-depth examination of bullying and its effects on bullies, victims, and bystanders. The richly textured and carefully...
Curated OER
Courage in the Movies
Students examine the decisions and behaviors of movie characters to encourage awareness of their own ethical decision making. In this character education lesson, students discuss integrity and watch one of the listed movies to focus on...
Curated OER
First Impressions
Students consider the implications of respect. In this character education lesson, students create a list of attributes that people use to size others up when they first meet them. Students discuss how to show others respect.
Curated OER
Defining Caring
Eighth graders define caring. In this character education lesson, 8th graders examine the attributes of compassion as they discuss altruism, empathy, and selflessness.
Curated OER
Character Education Story
In this writing worksheet, students read a short story about a boy who is being bullied at school. Students are asked to write what they would do in this situation.
Curated OER
Character Education: Breaking Rules
In this writing worksheet, students are presented with a short story about a scenario where it is necessary to break a rule to be safe. Students write in response to the story.
Curated OER
How Can We Care?
Students explore the concept of caring. In this character education instructional activity, students consider how to show others they care about them as they brainstorm and discuss acts of caring.
Curated OER
Exaggerated Expressions
Pupils read literature, write poetry, plays, or explore historical information containing characters with strong emotions. After sketching a picture of the main character, they create a soft sculpture face. Students attach a the head...
Curated OER
Bullying at School
In this character education worksheet, students answer 6 questions about their experience being bullied at school. Students chart the frequency of these events.
Curated OER
Identity, Belonging, and Social Inclusion
Students explore personal and social identity. In this character education activity, students create identity profiles and design welcome plans for their school community in order to build personal and community identities.
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.