Curated OER
What Would You Do?
Middle schoolers explain how we all face tough decisions everyday. They show how they respond to those events reveals who they are and where they are in their character/moral development. Students predict how to deal with peer pressure...
Curated OER
Kind Kids
Students decide what it means to be kind to others and draw pictures of ways they have been kind. They place kind kids pictures in a book for the classroom library. Students receive certificates for post lesson kind acts.
Curated OER
Setting Goals with Benjamin Franklin
Students discuss historical accounts and accomplishments of "Benjamin Franklin" which exemplify good character traits. They create a display of paper keys which describe these traits. They relate these traits to their future goals and...
Curated OER
Dodging Responsibility
Students explore responsibility. In this character education lesson plan, students review the definition of responsibility and brainstorm possible consequences of taking responsibility and not taking responsibility. Student's thoughts...
Curated OER
Role Playing for the Common Good
Students explore conflict resolution. In this character education activity, students role play simple conflict resolution situations at school and present the skits to other classes.
Curated OER
Cinderella Stories
Students listen to the Scottish tale, The Princess and the Golden Shoes, creating a character chart. They develop a newspaper containing news stories, personality profiles, and editorials regarding The Princess and the Golden Shoes.
Curated OER
Characterization in Literature
Students discover characterization techniques and methods. For 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...
US Institute of Peace
Maintaining Trusting Relationships
What role does trust play in diffusing a tense situation? Young social scientists explore trust on a personal and global level during a instructional activity on peace and conflict. After participating in a trust sit, participants work...
Curated OER
Solution-Hero
Students analyze the decision-making skills. In this character education lesson, students read a comic book and identify the superhero. Students then analyze the types of decisions the character makes throughout the story and if the...
Curated OER
What is Honesty?
Young scholars explore the concept of honesty. In this character lesson plan, students work in groups to brainstorm and discuss what it means to be honest. Each group shares their ideas with the class and they keep a list of keywords and...
Curated OER
A Straightforward Approach
Middle schoolers discuss the importance of honesty. In this character education lesson plan, students discuss being honest. Middle schoolers explore the question, "How is our community and world improved and strengthened when people are...
Curated OER
Sharing in the Classroom
Students explore the concept of sharing. For this character education lesson, students role play methods of sharing in the classroom and create a guidebook for sharing in the classroom.
Curated OER
Grow Your Character Bookmarks
Students make bookmarks out of seed paper to study the growth of seeds and complete an activity for the Six Pillars of Character. In this science and character lesson, students describe the stages of growth of plants and determine what...
Curated OER
Character Education: Responsibility
Learners study Manuel de Zavala and his role in the history of Texas. In this character education lesson, students read about Manuel Lorenzo and underline the responsibilities he took on in his life. Learners then answer questions about...
Sunburst Visual Media
Respect: It Starts With You!
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 what respect really...
Advocates for Human Rights
All about Me!
Celebrate the uniqueness of your students with this character building lesson series. In order to learn about and appreciate diversity and individuality, children create All About Me books by cutting out and drawing pictures that...
Center for History Education
To What Extent Were Women's Contributions to World War II Industries Valued?
Women rose to the challenge when the nation's war effort called them—but were sent home when the GIs came back from World War II. Young historians consider whether the United States valued women's contributions during the war using a...
Curated OER
Acting With Honesty
Students analyze stories to study the value of honesty. Songs and role playing are included in this lesson of character education. Activities include: brainstorming situations that would be easy to be dishonest, drawing pictures to...
Curated OER
A Monument to Value
Students build a monument to represent trustworthiness. In this trustworthiness lesson plan, students discuss traits related to trustworthiness, suggest images that represent trustworthiness, and build a monument with those images.
Curated OER
Character Education: Perseverance
Students analyze and define the word perseverance as it applies to Martin Luther King, Jr. In this Martin Luther King, Jr. lesson plan, students discuss the book 'I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King.' Students analyze the...
Curated OER
Fair Use and Music
Students examine fair use. In this character education lesson, students discover copyright and fair use laws regarding media. Students discuss the ethics of movie and music sharing.
Curated OER
Twain: Tom Sawyer—Mythic Adventurer
Students take a closer look at archetypes. In this characterization instructional activity, students examine the setting and the characters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as they read and analyze the novel. Students consider how Twain...
Curated OER
And Others?
Having integrity is often easier said than done. After completing the first lesson in a unit on being true to themselves and their values, learners engage in a discussion about three different people in difficult situations that call for...
Curated OER
Novel Jeopardy
Play a classroom version of the classic game show Jeopardy, to review and discuss the novel your class has been reading. Questions about plot and other story elements are written on cards and given point values. Divide the class into...