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“The function of
education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically...
Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Class Extensions
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Strategies for Empowering Students
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/ce/strat-index.html
These activities will challenge students' minds, empower their senses of well-being,
and rekindle their hearts with a commitment to values and beliefs essential
to becoming and being whole individuals. The activities are divided into primary,
intermediate, and upper-grade levels, each with appropriate developmental
strategies.
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Hero Quest
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/activities/view_activity.cgi?activity_id=7077
This short activity encourages students to explore what qualities make a hero,
using the six values of Character Education.
- My Hero
http://myhero.com/
My Hero illuminates the "unsung" heroes in the cities, towns, and countries
where we live. Submit a description of your hero or browse other submissions.
(Read about artists, explorers, scientists, teachers, and other inspirational
people at this extensive Web site. If your hero is missing, create a Web page
and submit it for inclusion.)
- Academy of Achievement
http://www.achievement.org/
The centerpiece of the site is the "Gallery of Achievement" which showcases
the lives and achievements of legendary persons who have contributed to the
development of the 21st century and who fascinate the public. The purpose
to the exhibit is to show that these achievers were ordinary people that did
extraordinary things, thereby inspiring others to greatness. The gallery features
audio and video clips as well as written interviews with the subjects, biographies
of their lives and profiles of their accomplishments. The achievers are categorized
into several areas including the arts, public service, sports, business, and
science and exploration.
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Kids Helping Kids
http://www.unicefusa.org/issues96/sep96/guide/english.html
Team up with UNICEF USA and make a real difference in the world. A teacher's
guide with activities and resources to help you teach about peace.
- Department of
Justice: Kids and Youth
http://www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/
The DOJ designed this page to teach kids about different aspects of justice.
Students can learn about what happens inside a court room, the FBI, drug prevention,
and ways to stop hateful acts.
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Online Activities
- Decisions, Decisions
Online
http://ddonline.tomsnyder.com/
Bring contemporary issues alive in your classroom with the Internet version
of the Decisions, Decisions series from Tom Snyder Productions. As students
role-play legislators faced with a critical situation, Decisions, Decisions
Online stimulates discussions that start inside your classroom and continue
outside of it. Each month, Decisions, Decisions Online introduces students
to the clashing viewpoints behind a controversial social issue drawn from
today's news headlines.
The Book of Virtues
http://pbskids.org/adventures/
Read stories that highlight various virtues, such as honesty, compassion,
self-discipline and more. This site is connected to the PBS program Adventures
from the Book of Virtues.
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Lesson Plans
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Good Manners are Fun!
http://henson.austin.apple.com/edres/ellesson/elem-goodmanners.shtml
A classroom atmosphere is created in which students become excited about using
their best manners. They practice good manners and use technology as a tool
for their manners unit.
Cultural/Social Diversity Appreciation and Understanding Activities
http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/diversity.html?cat=diversity
Here are some class activities from the PBS Arthur: Teacher's Corner.
Social and Emotional Development Activities
http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/development.html?cat=development
More class activities from the PBS Arthur: Teacher's Corner.
Elementary Lesson Plan Ideas
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/char_ed/lessonplans/bettycha.htm
Betty Chamberlin has shared how she implements the character education curriculum.
Secondary Lesson Plan Ideas
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/char_ed/lessonplans/secondary.html
Each of the following five lessons could be used following discussion on the
life of Martha Hughes Cannon and could be integrated into existing curriculum.
Character Education Teaching Ideas
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Character Education Information
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Character
Education Materials
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/Char_ed/resc/orgsprov.html
Here is a list of organizations that provide character education materials.
Children's
Literature
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/curr/Char_ed/resc/bib1-6.html
A list of children's books to support character education.
Character Education
Resources
http://www.goodcharacter.com/
This site contains a variety of classroom resources, such as discussion questions,
writing assignments, and learning activities that were designed to support
the In Search of Character video series. You may find some of these
to be useful even if you aren't using the videos.
A Guide to Moral
Decision Making
http://www.ethicsweb.ca/guide/
Chris MacDonald, Ph.D. suggests steps and questions one should go
through when making important decisions.
Good Character
- Free resources, Materials, Lesson Plans
Character
Education idea links
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/chared.htm
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National Organizations
- Community of
Caring
http://www.communityofcaring.org/
Community of Caring works to implement and encourage five values--caring,
responsibility, respect, trust, and family--in our nation's schools.
Character Education
Partnership
http://www.character.org/
This is a national umbrella for all character education organizations. They
have a collected information on educational and community programs designed
to develop moral character and civic virtue.
National Youth Leadership
Council
http://www.nylc.org/
The National Youth Leadership Council's mission is to engage young people
in their communities and schools through innovation in learning, service,
leadership and public policy. Their web site provides more information on
the organization as well as links to their publications, conferences, training,
news and events. Educators for Social Responsibility
http://www.esrnational.org/
Educators for Social Responsibility (ESR) helps educators create safe, caring, respectful, and productive learning environments. I*EARN
http://www.iearn.org/
The International Education and Resource Network enables young people to undertake
projects designed to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare
of the planet and its people.
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Social Action Projects
- The Earth Day Project
http://www.earthdaybags.org/
To celebrate Earth Day students decorate paper grocery bags with pro-environmental
messages, and give them to stores to use to hold customers' groceries.
iEarn
Projects
http://www.iearn.org/projects/index.html
Check out this long list of student projects organized into these areas: Creative
and Language Arts, Science, Environment, Math, and Social Studies. Participants
may join existing structured online projects, or work with others internationally
to create and facilitate their own projects.
Nonprofit Prophets
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/prophets/index.html
This is an interactive project that challenges groups of students to investigate
a problem that they see in the world, and then create a World Wide Web Resource
page on the Internet that teaches the world about the problem. Typically,
students collaborate with local non-profit agencies that need a website.
Rainforest
Action Network
http://www.ran.org/what_you/index.html
Find out what you can do to help save the rainforest.
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Community Service
- National Service-Learning
Cooperative Clearinghouse
http://www.servicelearning.org/
This site provides LOADS of information on service learning. It is organized
into several searchable databases, as well information resource areas where
you can request publications (newsletters, articles, etc.). It provides links
to many other service sites on the web, as well as special sections for Learn
and Serve America grantees, with a list of Learn and Serve state contacts
and Learn and Serve programs.
Do Something
http://www.dosomething.org/
Do Something is a national non-profit organization that inspires young people
to believe that change is possible, and trains, funds and mobilizes them to
be leaders who measurably strengthen their communities. They offer $500 grants
to youth under 30 to implement service projects in their communities. Stop
by this site for a grant application and to find out more about the many other
programs they sponsor.
Kids
Care Club
http://www.kidscare.org/index.jsp
The mission of this club is to develop the spirit of compassion and volunteerism
in children. To that end, we provide children, families, schools and religious
groups with meaningful opportunities to help others in their local and global
communities.
Youth Service America
http://www.servenet.org
Enter your zip code to find volunteer opportunities in your community.
Kids Care Project
http://teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/language/shiloh/activities/care/care.html
This project asks students to identify a community problem and develop an
action plan, including persuasive letters to influential people, to help combat
this problem. Suggested topics include neighborhood clean-ups, recycling,
tree planting, etc.
Corporation for
National Service
http://www.nationalservice.org/
The Corporation for National Service is the private-public partnership which
oversees such agencies as Learn and Serve America, Americorps, National Civilian
Conservation Corps and SeniorCorps. You can find out about new funding initiatives,
as well as locate general resources on service-learning here.
Help the
Homeless
http://www.hud.gov/kids/hthsplsh.html
This site teaches kids who the homeless are and what they can do to help them.
Explorers' Page
http://www.epa.gov/kids/
This page has a lot of interesting things about recycling, plants and animals,
air pollution, and other environmental concerns.
Give Water a Hand
http://www.uwex.edu/erc/gwah/
Teachers can download curriculum guides that will help classes perform service-learning
projects with a focus on improving local water quality.
Make a Difference Day
http://www.usaweekend.com/diffday/index.html
Make A Difference Day is a unique program that inspires and rewards volunteers. A national day of helping others -- a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.
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WebQuests
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Web
Quest on Respect - The Grouchy Ladybug webquest
http://www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webqfrey/webqsfrey.html
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Character
Counts Web Quest - Grades 3-5
http://www.rvschools.org/lhoffman/CharacterEdWebquest/Character%20Education.htm
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