Expecting the Best - Optimism Month (March) * — Research indicates that there is a strong connection between optimism, self-esteem, happiness, and health. Keeping a positive attitude is easier for some of us than others, but all of us can choose to express ourselves in a more positive way while doing our best to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Key Ideas: The Power of Positive Thinking - Consequences of Negative Thinking
Character Trait: Optimism

Honorable Work * — Thomas Carlyle once said, "All work is honorable." Each day honorable people get up and go to work. It's easy to take for granted the benefits of that collective effort. These materials allow students to pause and reflect on all the hard work good people do each day from which they benefit.
Key Ideas: All honest work is honorable - Each of us benefits from the honorable work of others
Character Traits: Respect - Gratitude - Strong Work Ethic
Note: This message and lesson plan also work well for for Labor Day.

I'm Listening! - International Listening Awareness Month (March) * — It's important that we learn to listen to one another in order to build successful relationships at school, at home, and in the community. Active listening is an acquired skill. When we listen deeply to one another, we convey respect and caring and make the world a better place to be.
Key Idea: Active Listening
Character Traits: Respect - Civility - Caring

Johnny the Bagger — This plan introduces students to Johnny the Bagger, a real-life, everyday hero who has inspired millions of people around the world through one simple, but kind choice. It's a great reminder to students that every human encounter this school year is an opportunity to make a difference in someone else's life.
Key Ideas: Making a Difference at School - Johnny the Bagger - Power of the Heart - People with Disabilities
Character Traits: Kindness - Responsibility - Respect

Making Amends — We all make mistakes. Sometimes our mistakes hurt someone else or someone else's property. That's when an apology is required, and many times, that's when it's necessary to make amends as best we can. Students will explore the notion that making amends is not a sign of weakness, but of self-respect and strong character.
Key Ideas: Making amends requires both humility and strength of character - Learning from mistakes
Character Traits: : Self-Respect - Humility - Integrity - Reflection

Mixing It Up * — Students consider stepping outside their comfort zones to meet someone new.
Key Ideas: Socializing with new people at school - Overcoming social fears to gain a new friend
Character Traits: Respect - Caring
Note: This message and lesson plan also work well for Mix It Up at Lunch Day in November.

Real Friends - Real Success — Henry David Thoreau once wrote that "A friend is one who always pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues." A real friend can play such an important role in helping us live a truly successful life, a life that is rich in love and caring, which is the kind of success that really matters.
Key Ideas: Friends Are a Token of Success - Friendship Is More Valuable than Possessions
Character Traits: Respect - Caring - Love

Respect: Manners Matter — The word courtesy has its roots in the Latin word cor, which means of the heart. When we are polite and courteous to others, we are acting from the heart and being respectful of other people's feelings. Respectful, caring behavior is the cornerstone of any civil society.
Key Ideas: Polite Behavior - Civil Society
Character Traits: Respect - Civility - Caring - Courtesy

Sharing Our Lives Together * — Family narratives are important because they are personal and true. They can help bond families together, and help young people better understand themselves and the world around them. As we approach the holiday season, students may be spending more time with family, which is a great opportunity to recall and collect some real family treasures.
Key Ideas: Family History - Belonging - Heritage
Character Traits: Respect - Caring
Note: This message and lesson plan also work well for Family Stories Month in November.

Town Mouse/Country Mouse — No matter how hard we try to make the holidays stress-free, there will be moments over the holiday season when students, parents, or other family members get stressed out. In the well-known Aesop's fable, Town Mouse is far too concerned with wanting more and better and forgets that what's truly important is enjoying what we have with the people we love. Great springboard for some meaningful dialogue. Tips for dealing with stress.
Key Ideas: Holiday Stress - Dealing with Stress
Character Traits: Love - Caring - Gratitude

Two in One * — There are nearly 14 million people in the U.S. who speak both English and Spanish. Research shows that, among other things, people who speak two languages increase their thinking skills. Whether one's second language is Spanish, Arabic, or French, there are many benefits to being bilingual.
Key Ideas: Benefits of speaking two languages
Character Traits: Respect - Tolerance
Note: This message and lesson plan also work well during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Want to Be Popular? — Julius Erving (Dr. J.) is one of the most popular and respected professional basketball players ever known. He once said, "I firmly believe that respect is a lot more important, and a lot greater, than popularity." Students examine the benefits of seeking respect from their peers in contrast to seeking popularity.
Key Ideas: Popularity - Earning Self-Respect and the Respect of Peers
Character Traits: Respect - Self-Respect

What's in a Name? — Remembering someone's name may seem like a small gesture, but it can have a big impact. Calling others by their names is an important skill that can help students succeed both at school and in the workplace. These materials will help students understand that remembering the names of others is an act of courtesy that affirms that person's individual value.
Character Traits: Respect - Courtesy

Wisdom from Our Elders * — One of our nation's greatest resources is the wisdom of those who have walked farther down the path of life, but sadly, we don't always foster relationships between our young people and the elderly. This message and corresponding lesson plan will help students better understand how they can benefit from the wisdom of those who have a link to the past.
Key Ideas: Honoring Those Who Can Teach Us - Respecting Elderly Citizens
Character Traits: Respect - Caring
Note: This message and lesson plan also work well for Grandparents' Day, the first Sunday after Labor Day.

The Words We Speak — Students stop to consider that the words we choose to speak are a reflection of who we are. Either words earn the respect of others, or they can cost us respect when others hear our bad language.
Key Ideas: Bad Language - Cursing - Abusive Language
Character Traits: Respect - Responsibility - Civility