ReadWriteThink
Living the Dream: 100 Acts of Kindness
Inspire kindness in and out of school with a lesson plan that challenges scholars to perform 100 acts of kindness during the time between Martin Luther King Jr. Day to Valentine's day. Leading up to a celebration of friendship,...
Curated OER
Manners and Mores of Washington's America
Students explore the social policies of early America. For this etiquette lesson, students read George Washington's "110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." Students identify expectations for their own...
Agriculture in the Classroom
A Rafter of Turkeys
How did that turkey get from the early Aztec culture to your table? Learn about the history of wild and domesticated turkeys in North America, as well as their inclusion in Thanksgiving traditions, with a two-part agricultural science...
Scholastic
The Flight of Amelia Earhart Teaching Guide
Amelia Earhart's accomplishments and strength of character extend beyond her status as one of the first female aviators in America. Elementary and middle schoolers learn about Earhart's early life and the historical context surrounding...
Curated OER
Pioneering Principles: Why Character Matters
What does it mean to "be of good character"? What are the qualities that define such a person? The 1825 Colonization Law of Coahuila y Texas required that all new immigrants into Mexican Texas present documentation that they were of...
Curated OER
Courage: Hero Traits
What does it mean to be a hero? Who qualifies as a hero? In groups, middle and high schoolers brainstorm a list of heroes and create a list of characteristics that a person must possess in order to be a hero. Extend this activity by...
Civil War Trust
Civil War Personalities Lesson Plan
Caring, trustworthiness, and responsibility—these are only a few character traits in focus of a lesson based on stories from the Civil War era. Class members explore several influential lives while reading biographies that highlight...
Curated OER
Traits Needed for Effective Group Process
Students brainstorm characteristics that are needed to succeed in various occupations. They observe the list and discuss the most-listed traits. The list is left up in the classroom for inspiration.
Curated OER
Personality Development
Students identify and explore the 5 traits that define personality. In this personality traits instructional activity, students build a character using 3 of the 5 personality traits and present their character. Students create a chart...
Scholastic
Lesson 2: Values and Barriers
Scholars investigate and discuss the importance of values and how they can be used to break barriers. Small groups work collaboratively to examine the text and draw inferences to answer questions. A writing assignment challenges pupils...
Curated OER
Hero Traits
Eighth graders explore the concept of serving the common good. In this service learning lesson, 8th graders brainstorm a list of real-life heroes and create charts displaying how the actions of the heroes affected others.
Peace Corps
Culture is Like an Iceberg
What influences the way you dress, or celebrate holidays, or connect with your friends? Explore the cultural traits that are not easily seen with an engaging discussion. Using the model of an iceberg, learners place features of culture...
Curated OER
Portrait of a Hero
Students examine the concept and characteristics of a hero. They brainstorm and categorize a list of heroes, develop a chart checklist, discuss real-life heroes, and create a hero hall of fame display.
Curated OER
Born Gay
Is a person's sexual orientation determined at birth? With the informative website, scholars prepare for a debate about the topic. They learn the top pro and con arguments and read through a historical timeline of homosexuality. They...
US Institute of Peace
What Does It Take to Be a Peacebuilder?
Is the spirit of peacebuilding already inside you? Scholars take a closer look at the characteristics of peacebuilders, past and present, in lesson 13 of a 15-part series. Individuals identify common traits of peacebuilders, then work...
Curated OER
All About Me
Learners examine their own personality traits and preferences. They use this information to write an autobiography.
Curated OER
Cultivating Caring - Filling Buckets of Caring Carrots
Students practice compassion. In this character education lesson plan, 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...
Curated OER
Electing a president
Young scholars create a list of characteristics of a president and reach consensus about the most important qualities. In this electing a President lesson, students work in groups to choose the most important traits of a president...
Curated OER
Traits Needed for Effective Group Process
Students compile a list of 10 desirable traits for working with others. They evaluate the traits that are necessary for specific jobs and describe them in work settings.
Curated OER
Mother's Day lesson plan
Students research character traits of famous women in history, compare those traits to those of his/her mother or guardian, and create Mother's Day cards, on which they list traits their moms share with famous women in history and a...
Curated OER
Being a Good Citizen
First graders discuss citizenship. In this being a good citizen lesson, 1st graders complete a worksheet identifying characteristics of a good citizen. Students draw a picture then use a flip camera to capture good classroom citizens.
Curated OER
The Best of the Best
Students participate in a discussion about the definition of the word 'hero'. They research baseball players and managers and then engage in a formal debate about the merits of their subjects.
Curated OER
A Newer, Better, Older Me
First graders engage in a lesson that is concerned with self-respect and interpersonal relationships. They create a character clover as an art project that lists positive character traits and specific attributes of strength. Then...
San Francisco Symphony
Lesson Ideas for Any Music
Music is a wonderful tool you can add to enhance the learning process for every subject. Here is a list of music selections that are categorized by subject, along with some neat teaching suggestions. You'll find songs suited to...