| 7-8 |
Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity |
Character Traits |
Character Traits: What Do They Mean?
Students will learn the definitions for character traits related to respect, responsibility, and integrity. They will describe behavioral examples and non-examples of the character traits as they appear in their own lives at school, at home, and in the community. This activity will provide the students with a common language and an understanding of each character trait. This lesson will also prepare students for classroom experiences that will make connections between coursework and character development throughout the school year. (Three 40-minute periods.) |
| 7 |
Respect and Integrity |
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler |
From the Mixed-up of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler: Character Analysis
Students will analyze one of the main characters in the novel, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in relation to several core ethical values. They will reflect on the character’s behaviors, thoughts, and motivations. Students will reflect on their own actions and words as well as take the perspective of that character and relate his/her experiences to their own lives. (Three 45-minute periods.) |
| 9 |
Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity |
Romeo & Juliet |
Romeo and Juliet: Exploring Timeless Social Issues
This lesson contains pre-reading and post-reading activities for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Collaboratively students will evaluate, rank, and discuss timeless moral and ethical events central to the play. Students will reflect upon and defend their own thinking and beliefs. They will compare their responses before and after reading the play. (Two 50-minute class sessions) |
| 7 |
Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity |
All About Me Essay |
Writing an Essay: All About Me
Students will be led through the five-step writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and final draft) to write a five-paragraph autobiographical essay. Students will respond to a set of writing prompts for each paragraph which includes questions about how the character traits of respect, responsibility, and integrity relate to their lives and to reaching their school and personal goals. This essay can be used as a getting-to-know-you assignment at the beginning of the school year. (Three 50-minute class periods) |
| 9 |
Integrity |
"Thank You, M'am" By: Langston Hughes |
Integrity and "Thank You, M'am"
Students will examine, discuss, and write about their own views on integrity as a preparation for reading the Langston Hughes story "Thank You, M'am." This lesson offers several variations for studying this story and examining the integrity of the main characters (i.e., interactive reading, and a Socratic Seminar approach). (Two or three 50-minute class periods depending on the activities used.) |
| 5 |
Integrity |
A Boy Called Slow (Houghton Mifflin Grade 5) |
Integrity and a Boy Called Slow
After reading the story "A Boy Called Slow," students will take part in a discussion on how the main character felt about his given name, what he did to earn a new name, and how he showed integrity. Students will take the perspective of a Native American, think of a new name they would like to earn, and propose a plan to earn the new name. (45-60 minutes) |
| 5 |
Integrity and Fairness |
Katie's Trunk (Houghton Mifflin Grade 5) |
Katie's Trunk
Students will identify the traits of integrity and fairness in the characters John Warren and Katie, and understand how different people can experience the same event but interpret it differently depending on who they are and why they are in the situation. Students will practice considering others’ points of view. (Two or three 45-60 minute sessions) |
| 9 |
Honesty |
The Glass Slipper |
The Glass Slipper Shatters
Students will analyze the relationship between the two main characters in the short story “The Glass Slipper”. The lesson explores the role of honesty as each character in the story tries to impress each other by lying. Students practice note taking and forming opinions based on evidence from the text in preparation for writing an essay of literary analysis. (50-60 minutes) |
| 9-10 |
Integrity, Responsibility, and Respect |
Any. This lesson presents examples from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. |
The Hero: Writing and Responding
This lesson is a culminating activity at the end of a unit, quarter, or semester. Collaboratively, students identify and discuss the heroic and non-heroic traits of characters from the literature in your curriculum. To prepare for writing an essay, students use a graphic organizer about a character whom they consider heroic and support their thesis with evidence from the text. In small groups, students are engaged in a “writing and responding” process to edit their essay. (Two to four 50-minute class sessions.) |
| 3 |
Integrity and Respect |
The Lost and Found (Houghton Mifflin Grade 3) |
The Lost and Found
Students create a character study of two of the main characters from the story “The Lost and Found.” Through discussion and self-reflection, students demonstrate their understanding of the characteristics of integrity and respect. (40 minutes) |
| 1 |
Courage and Responsibility |
Abbie Against the Storm: The True Story of a Young Heroine and a Lighthouse |
The True Story of Abbie Burgess
Students will read a story about Abbie Burgess and identify at least three specific actions this main character takes to make the author call her a heroine exhibiting traits of courage and responsibility. Through discussion of the story, students will learn that children as well as adults can become heroes by helping others out in a time of need. Students will also learn to identify the beginning, middle, and end of a story. (30 minutes) |
