Young scholars explore and analyze how the trials of life can develop one's character and values of respect, responsibility and compassion. Then, while reading and evaluating The Odyssey, they reflect on their own hero journey and write...

Students prepare for and hold a classroom debate via typed text on a literary topic. Two groups conduct an iChat debate using iChat AV software to document the debate as it happens. Pupils conduct a post-debate analysis of the debate...

Students analyze the attitudes, ideas and beliefs of characteristics that assist humans in living a positive, proactive life that values self, family, community, nation and world. Students identify their own strengths as individual....

High schoolers read and analyze an extended definition in preparation for writing an extended definition of a CHARACTER TRAIT. They use analogy as a definition strategy to tailor writing to a particular audience. Finally, students SHARE...

Read the story The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog: A Folktale from Great Britain by Margaret Read MacDonald and choose from multiple activities to learn about the tale's theme—kindness. With so many options, your kind kids will...

Students recognize the value of multiple perspectives and differences of opinion. They build empathy and open-mindedness for other points of view. They study the complexity of social and cultural issues such as violence in media.

Students identify missing characters from a text, particularly a school text. They increase critical thinking by supplying missing perspectives in a text an build empathy through surveying different points of view. They reflect on the...

What does empathy look like? Encourage your pupils to put themselves in another person's shoes with several writing and discussion activities that relate to a featured short film. Over the course of the activity, individuals collaborate...

Teach middle schoolers how to develop healthy relationships with activities and lessons designed to create a kind and inclusive classroom. Pupils create guidelines to develop a safe and civil learning environment. They learn how to...

Students read and analyze books about elders and develop a set of interview questions. They define respect and ways to show respect to elders and conduct an interview with elders. Finally, students write an oral history of a senior...

Students, after reading and analyzing the poem, Selflessness of Mind, by Joe Gurknecht, brainstorm and discuss specific recent student acts of selflessness. They develop strategies to tie those acts of selflessness to themselves and...

Students, after reading and discussing the poem, Selflessness of Mind, by Joe Gutknecht, discuss specific recent acts of selflessness and then write a first draft paper on selflessness. They compare/contrast their own lives to the poem...

Second graders interact with the story of Alexander's horrible day by connecting it to their lives. They practice predicting, writing paragraphs, reading aloud, discussing his problems, making a card to cheer him up, and designing a pair...

Pupils listen to the story Little Brothers Share Big Bond and answer comprehension questions. In this instructional activity on acceptance, students use various areas of reading (vocabulary, fluency, comprehension) to promote compassion...

Students investigate what is the same and what is different in the daily lives of children around the world. In this citizenship lesson, students develop compassion for others through understanding how their lives are the same and...

Students read excerpts from an autobiographical work and retell scenes from the book. They consider the ways Susie King Taylor's autobiography displays character traits including courage, creativity, compassion and determination.

Young scholars list traits that make them unique. They participate in a Bingo-like game, where they try to identify people by their traits.

Students study the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Through studying primary source materials from American Memory and other online resources, students of all backgrounds study the relationships between blacks and whites.

In a single, soundly-designed class period, high schoolers define good character, think-pair-share about thought-provoking quotes on character (More options would enhance the discussion, worth searching online for other quotes to add.),...

Introduce S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders with a bell work journal that asks class members to define loyalty. Key words (patience, unity, honesty, caring, etc.), drawn from their musings, are posted around the room, and groups search for...

Eighth graders read selected passages from The Diary of Anne Frank. Working in pairs, 8th graders determine what qualities and characteristics they would assign to her from their selected diary entry.

Students reflect on emotions commonly expressed by outsiders. They identify feelings of people who have just arrived in America. They read and analyze a poem about immigration.

In this novel test, students complete a variety of questions including true/false, short answer, fill in the blank, essay,matching and bonus questions. The cover page of the test contains a area to record the student's score.

Students become familiar with Hispanic heritage and discuss others using your belongings through the reading of Under the Lemon Moon. In this onatatopeia instructional activity, student set a purpose for reading, find phrases using...