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Supplement your Project Wisdom library of timeless messages with
additional broadcast messages and lesson plans which are available
on the highly-rated Project Wisdom Educator Resource Site (ERS).
Great for advisory period! Materials deal with current and calendar
events or pressing issues. These password-protected resources integrate
character education into all grade levels (Elementary) or academic
areas (Secondary-level) and are made available to every registered
user on your campus. Each registered user also receives a weekly
Just For You morale booster written just for educators. Educators
love these! With each new purchase of a Project Wisdom Series of
broadcast messages, you receive a one-year, schoolwide subscription
to the ERS.
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Sample ERS Broadcast
Message
At the Core
Good morning, (name of school). This is (name of narrator) with
a few words of wisdom.
To be a truly successful person in life, one has to ask a very important
question: What are my core values? In other words, what are my beliefs
and ideas about what's really important in life? Many core values
are widely shared by most human beings, such as respect for oneself
and others, compassion, honesty, fairness, and responsibility. Deciding
which values are most important to you will determine the choices
you make, and the choices you make will greatly determine the outcome
of your life, both your successes and your failures.
Now listen to these words from a nephew of Walt Disney:
It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.*
Today, stop and make a list of values you think are most important
and then make the decision to live your life based on those values.
With something to think about, this is (name of narrator). Make
it a great day . . . or not. The choice is yours.
* Roy Disney
Copyright 1992-2009 Project Wisdom. Inc.
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Correlating Lesson
Plan
Key Ideas: Making choices is easier when you know what your
values are - Determining one's core ethical values
Character Traits: Integrity - Respect - Responsibility
Concept: Students determine what values they hold dear and
explore how those values determine their behaviors.
Materials: Suggested activities for art classes may require
materials for creating a drawing, painting, or poster.
Directions: Read or ask a student to read aloud the Project
Wisdom message that accompanies this lesson plan. Distribute and
have the students complete the worksheet. Ask for volunteers to
share responses to the following questions.
Discussion Generators
For the Message and/or Worksheet
- Name core values you believe are important
(e.g., fairness, family, happiness, peace, responsibility, honesty,
truth, compassion, forgiveness, perseverance, love, tolerance,
kindness, service to others). Note to teacher: Record these on
the board.
- Which of these core values is most important
to you as an individual? as a family member? as a member of this
school community?
- Do you believe that most human beings share
these same values? Why or why not? What would our world be like
if everyone accepted these values as important?
- Do you agree with Roy Disney's thought that
"it's not hard to make decisions once you know what your
values are?" Why or why not? Give examples to support your
opinion.
- How do our values influence our behaviors?
Give examples.
- How might taking the time to reflect on one's
core values help a person live a happier and more successful life?
For the Worksheet
- Which six values did you select as being most important to you?
- When you narrowed
that list down to only three, which three remained? Select one of
those three values and tell why it's so important to you.
- Share your vision
statement.
- What is an appropriate
way to handle it when others do not possess your same core values?
Closing
Comments - Core ethical values are the basis for good character,
and good character is crucial to any true success you will ever
enjoy. You can have a million dollars in the bank, but if you are
dishonest, uncaring, and irresponsible, you will make foolish decisions
and live an unhappy life. Deciding which values will guide you is
one of the most important decisions you will ever make, so it's
important to choose those core ethical values wisely and let those
same values help you make choices that will reap the best results.
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Student
Worksheet
There are many core ethical values that are widely shared
by most human beings, values such as respect for oneself and others,
compassion, honesty, fairness, and responsibility. Deciding which
values are most important to you will determine the choices you
make, and the choices you make will greatly determine the outcome
of your life.
1. From the list below, circle six values you believe are very
important to being a person of good character. Feel free to add
a value(s) not listed.
Respect
Kindness
Forgiveness
Tolerance
Peace
Perseverance |
Responsibility
Compassion
Hard Work
Love
Patience
Self-control |
Fairness
Honesty
Family
Service to Others
Humility
Self-discipline |
2. Choose three of these
six values that are most important to you and tell why each one
is so important to you personally.
(Value) _________________ is important to me because ___________________
__________________________________________________________________
Value) _________________ is important to me because ____________________
__________________________________________________________________
(Value) _________________ is important to me because ___________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Using your ideas above,
create a personal vision statement that expresses the kind
of person you want to be and how these core beliefs will help you
be a person of good character. Be prepared to share your vision
statement with the class.
GLOSSARY
ethical - based on what is considered right; a system
of morally correct conduct
outcome - the result of something
vision statement - a statement that outlines what a person
or a company wants to be; a source of inspiration that provides
guidelines for decision-making.
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Follow-up
Activities
Art
- Do artists sometimes use their artmaking as
a way to examine and promote their core beliefs and values? If
so, how? Is this a viable way to go about examining your core
values? Why or why not? When viewing artwork, can the viewer determine
some of the core values of the artist? If so how? If not, why
not? Discuss.
- Is it important as a viewer of fine art as
well as the larger visual culture to be aware of the values being
communicated? Why or why not? How can you develop a critical eye
and mind to be able to do that? How can you become aware of the
values you are communicating through your own artmaking? Is it
important to be aware? Why or why not? Discuss.
- Should art be banned that does not depict
or represent good, wholesome core values? Can this be a determination
that is agreed upon? Discuss. What are the implications of allowing
art to become mainstream if it represents less than tactful values?
Discuss.
Social Studies
- Do certain nations and cultures hold different
core values from those of other nations and cultures? Brainstorm.
How do we come to know the values of a nation or culture? How
are they communicated? Do the values of a nation's government
always reflect the values of the citizens? Why or why not? Give
some examples. What can United States citizens do if they feel
their government is not reflecting their core values? Discuss.
- Break your students into groups of four or five.
Ask them first to individually compile a list of 10 personal core values.
Then ask them to work off the list to compile a list of five (only) agreed-upon
group core values. Afterward discuss the process as a class. Was it a simple task?
A difficult task? What were some of the challenges? Do these same challenges face whole nations?
How or how not? Discuss.
- Is it possible to have a set of universal values?
Do you think this exists? Why or why not? Explain.
Language Arts
- Ask your students to choose one of their core values
and write a personal essay expressing why they value it and how it expresses
itself in their lives. Afterward break into small groups and ask the students
to read their essays to their group members. Return to the class as a whole and discuss.
Were there similar values expressed in the essays? What were they? Why are they valued?
- Choose a poem to read to the class which you believe expresses a
core value covertly rather than overtly (such as "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", by Robert Frost).
Discuss the poem with the class. What is the value expressed? How is it expressed?
Discuss as a class. Ask your students to try their hands at a poem which expresses a core value that they espouse.
- Children's books often teach a life lesson
or attempt to instill such ideas as values. Have students choose
one of their core values and write a short children's book that
explains to young children why that particular value is important.
Share with the class.
And more for Science, Math, Computer
Science . . .
Copyright 1992-2009 Project Wisdom. Inc.
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