Teachable Moments

Design by:  Beth Hudson and Kathy Wood

Celebrate Character in the Classroom

"Education is not enough.  Intelligence plus character - that is the true goal of education."
                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 

Objective:  To provide ideas for classroom teachers to integrate character education into the language arts curriculum, focusing on values of integrity, honesty, respect, and responsibility.

 
Grade level:  Grades 2-5
           
Duration:  two weeks 
 
 

                                                    

Scaffolding

The students will practice basic skills in using Microsoft Word and Excel during weekly computer classes.  If needed, tutorial instructions may be accessed through the links shown below.
 

Microsoft Word

Excel

Directions:  The teacher will select one of the character traits listed in the objective above and announce it to the class.  This character trait will be the focus of the class for the following week.
 


 

Activities
Activity #1  (knowledge, application, analysis)
1.   Students will search the website provided to choose a book that relates to the character trait decided by the teacher.    Character Counts Booklist
2.   The students will be given one week to read the book.
3.   Student will use an Excel worksheet to list the characters in the book and name an example of when or how the character displayed the specific character trait.  The Excel columns should be labeled:
  Character in My Book
  How was Good Character Shown?

 
Activity #2
1. Students will choose their favorite character from the book to write two paragraphs in a MS Word document. (application)
2.   The first paragraph should describe WHY the character was chosen by the student. (comprehension)
3.   In the second paragraph, the student should explain if he/she would like to have this character for a friend.  What could be learned from this character through a friendship?  (analysis, evaluation)


 

Activity #3  (A dictionary is needed for students to complete this activity.)
(comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis)
1.   The student must choose a quote from the website linked provided:     Quotes
2.   The student should copy and paste the chosen quote into a MS Word document.  The quote should be centered at the top of the page.
3.   Skip two lines below the quote.
4.   Make a table with 3 columns labeled:
 New Word
Dictionary Meaning
 Sentence using the Word
5.   Students should find the words in the quote that are new or unfamiliar to them and complete the table.
6.   Each student should print the completed table and share with the class.

 

Activity #4 (comprehension, application, synthesis)
1.   Students will select a quote from the website sited in activity #3.
2.   Students will make a poster using Excel and their selected quote using the Techtorial directions.
3.   Print poster pages, put together and display.

 

 

Assessment


Teachers may choose to evaluate student projects on format, neatness, content and class presentation.
 


Additional Resources
 

http://www.charactercounts.org
http://www.goodcharacter.com
http://www.midgefrazel.net/character.html 

http://www.fg-a.com/gifs.html

  http://www.moosecreekoriginals.com/main.html  http://www.countryclipart.com