Teaching Tolerance
Identity Self-Portraits
What symbols represent you best? Individuals consider how they would draw peers using symbols about their identities with an interview and art activity. After conducting interviews and portraits, the art makes a great centerpiece for...
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...
What So Proudly We Hail
A Lesson on Benjamin Franklin’s “Project for Moral Perfection”
Benjamin Franklin identified 13 virtues that he felt would strengthen his character if he could focus on each one. A thorough lesson explores high schoolers' personal values in the context of their lives, and compels them to strive for...
August House
Anansi and the Pot of Beans
Anansi is a tricky character, but can he realize he's wrong and write an apology letter? Learners use Anansi and the Pot of Beans to practice writing, art, and figurative language. A series of activities are engaging for both advanced...
Curated OER
Full Esteem Ahead
Young learners who feel good about themselves will fare better in the long run than those who do not have a high level of self-esteem. Introduce youngsters to what it means to like themselves. Discuss positive characteristics and...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Illustrating Text
Ideas like this are highly effective for helping build better reading comprehension. The class listens to an excerpt from a grade-appropriate text, and they discuss what clues or words helped them visualize the scene. They then read a...
Curated OER
Respect
Students explore and discuss why Aretha Franklin's song "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" has been so popular over the years. They survey a variety of definitions and perceptions of what truly respect is and how one shows respect to others as well as how...
Curated OER
Children's Books Teach Diversity, Respect
Students compare aspects of children's books that teach diversity and respect. They examine universal values such as courage and bravery, respect and apathy. They create a final project based on their ability to recognize the values in...
Curated OER
What Will I Be When I Get Big
Young scholars research a famous person, consider what character values make this person a good role model and write a personal vision statement that maps out how to build similar character traits in their own lives.
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
Moving West!
Students explore, explain and experience the importance of good character traits in everyday life by assessing the challenging journeys traveled on the Oregon Trail. They study the daily accounts of perseverance and courage along the trail.
Curated OER
Compliments can Change the World
Students explore the definition of philanthropy as it relates to bullying. In this moral values instructional activity, students listen to the book Thank you, Mr. Falker and identify how the main character was bullied. Students define...
Facing History and Ourselves
Who Am I?
Sixth graders explore how people throughout time have responded to questions regarding identity. For this The House on Mango Street lesson, 6th graders create an identity chart for a fictional character and then write personal essays...
Curated OER
Service Learning
Students explore the value in helping others. In this ethics lesson, students use videos, worksheets, Internet articles and group discussion to develop a personal perspective on what it means to help others.
Curated OER
My Life 24-7
Analyze the "My Life 24-7" project as a part of community involvement. Students discuss the pros and cons of being community involved. They will also write a proposal to increase community involvement and submit a blog entry about the...
Curated OER
Culture, Race & Ethnicity
Is there a difference between culture, race, and ethnicity? In order to celebrate Harmony Day and cultural diversity, your class will brainstorm, discuss, and discover that there is. The class splits into three groups, each group is...
Curated OER
Courage
Students review the definition and the need for courage. As a class, they brainstorm a list of ways one can be couragous at different ages. In groups, they apply courage to the four facets of life and share their responses with the...
Curated OER
Testing DNA and the Death Penalty
High schoolers explore issues surrounding death penalty debate and participate in a values-clarification activity to help them form their opinions on this topic. They create a talk show to discuss issues involved with DNA testing and the...
Curated OER
Optimism
Learners engage in a lesson to build the character trait of optimism. They use two quotations to begin the class discussion. Students brainstorm to come up with a definition of optimism. Then they read a story that is used as an...
Curated OER
Caring
Students discuss the importance of caring about themselves and for others. As a class, they listen as they are read a story and answer questions using examples from the story. They brainstorm definitions of love and role play another...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin and the Way to A Good Life
Young scholars explore American history by reading biographical text in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students research the famous inventor by reading assigned text and answering reading comprehension questions afterwards....
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin’s Community Contributions
Students research Benjamin Franklin's community contributions. In this social studies lesson plan, students create a collage showing things they can do to improve their communities.
Curated OER
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
Students examine the early years of Harry Truman to determine how his upbringing influenced his character. His political career from county judge to president is explored and some of the decisions made as a politician, evaluated.
Curated OER
Lesson 1: Theatre Arts
High schoolers create and perform based on cuttings from various plays and literature to demonstrate the learning of the process of improvisation. Students connect improvisation with theatre and real life. High schoolers participate in a...