| Ideas & Strategies |
- Promote a wide range of diverse teaching strategies that provide opportunities for all learners to engage with the curricular materials.
- Provide opportunities to address ethical issues in all content areas. Weave the question “What is the right thing to do?” into discussions.
- Have journal writings focus on character development traits.
- Have students create character posters of people who exemplify one or more of the character traits.
- After a unit of study, have students create a character “quilt” (using paper, felt, etc.) that details the character traits that are associated with what they have studied.
- Have students create a “chain of kindness”—a paper chain with acts of kindness written on each link.
- Provide “anonymous compliments” activities by having students draw a name of a classmate and write down a compliment. Place these in the “compliment box,” and after review by the teacher, give to the student. Staff members might also enjoy this activity.
- Have your students participate in the Laws for Life essay contest.
- Utilize read alouds as examples of strong character. Chicken Soup books and some newspaper human-interest stories are good resources for this.
- Use www.goleaps.com to integrate various academic and behavioral mini-lessons into your classroom.
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| Useful Links |
Foundation for a Better Life
www.values.com
Provides commercials, readings, quotes, billboards, etc. that depict various character traits |
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ |
Teaching Tolerance
www.tolerance.org
A project of the Southern Poverty Law Center |
Institute for Global Ethics
www.globalethics.org |
Good Character Website
www.goodcharacter.com
Provides a variety of free lessons, resources, and materials. |
National Character Education Center
www.ethicsusa.com |
The Center for Character and Social Responsibility
http://www.bu.edu/ccsr/ |
Center for Civic Education
http://new.civiced.org/home |
