SISD CHARACTER EDUCATION OCTOBER, 20042005

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SISDCHARACTER EDUCATION OCTOBER, 2004-2005

• INTEGRITY
• Primary Elementary

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FOREWORD

• The goal of the SISD Character Education Program
  is to provide a foundation for academic learning
  and moral thinking, being, and doing through
  structured discussions and activities based on
  the character traits which can help students to
  begin to internalize how character is built.
• The quotes, activities, and ideas contained in
  the monthly packets can help educators plan a
  variety of character education learning
  experiences. These activities capitalize on the
  daily teachable moments we encounter as well as
  utilize teachers creative resources to integrate
  the information into daily lessons. It is hoped
  that school principals and teachers will use the
  materials to help enhance the climate of their
  schools.
• Character education is about the connection of
  the head, the heart, and the hand which
  encourages civility, service to others and moral
  thinking and behaving.
• _ Duane Hodgin
• Character education creates the climate for
  learning and caring schools.

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OCTOBER INTEGRITY

• A person with integrity is honest, loyal,
  dependable, reliable, and is thought of highly by
  those that know them. They are honorable people.
• A person with integrity
• Does Tell the truth
• Stay faithful to family, friends and other
  commitments
• Have self-respect
• Reach their goals
• Fulfill his or her obligations and promises to
  others
• The right thing without caving into peer
  pressure
• Have others trust them
• Doesnt Lie
• Cheat, take short cuts or deceive to achieve
• Let others down
• Break promises
• Give away secrets
• Allow others to persuade them into negative
  situations

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Character Education Primary Elementary
ActivitiesIntegrity

• ACTIVITIES
• 1. Slide Bulletin Board Ideas
• 2. Slide Are You A Person of Integrity?
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry
• 3. Slide Can You Be Trusted?
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry
• 4. Slide How Would You Practice Integrity if
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry
• 5. Slide Remember
• Possible uses

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Character Education Primary Elementary
ActivitiesIntegrity

• Activities
• 6. Slide The Empty Pot
• Possible uses
• - Print story and questions for students to read
  then complete questions
• - Have students take turns reading from the
  power point screen and answer questions out loud
  with class discussion to follow
• - Read The Empty Pot from library book and then
  project questions for class discussion
• 7. Slide Tower of Trust
• Possible uses
• - Start with the first slide entitled Tower of
  Trust by reading it and having a class
  discussion
• - Follow the class discussion with the slide
  entitled Making the Walls of the Tower of
  Trust. Hand out one index card to each student
  and have them write down one thing they could do
  to prove they are trustworthy.
• - Next, use the slide entitled Directions for
  Building a Tower of Trust to explain how to make
  the tower. Have students take turns reading their
  card then SLOWLY placing them one at a time to
  make the four walls and ceiling of the first
  floor of the tower. The sixth student will start
  making the second floor of the tower. It should
  take five students to make a floor of the tower.
  Have each student add to the construction of the
  tower.If the tower should fall before the
  completion of construction, use this as an
  opportunity to discuss how it takes a long time
  to build trust and how quickly that trust can be
  broken with one wrong decision.
• - The final slide entitled Build A Tower of
  Trust would be the last slide you would use if
  your tower did not crash before now. Have the
  students take turns taking off cards each time
  you read an example of trust being broken. Once
  the tower falls, discuss how it takes a long time
  to build trust, but how very quickly that trust
  can be broken with one bad decision.

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Character Education Primary Elementary
ActivitiesIntegrity

• 8. Slide The Boy Who Cried Wolf!
• Possible uses
• - Either read the story from a library book or
  paraphrase the story and have a class discussion
  based on the questions
• 9. Slide Having Integrity Means You Are Honest
  With Yourself and Others
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry
• 10. Slide Cheating
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry
• 11. Slide Cheating Hurts
• Possible uses
• - Whole class discussion
• - Warm Up
• - Journal entry

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BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS

• Post the quote A man of words and not of deeds
  is like a garden full of weeds Mother Goose .
• Under the quote have cut outs of flowers that
  have words of character for stems (integrity,
  respect, responsibility, perseverance, empathy,
  cooperation, kindness and citizenship).
• Use the header Hats off to honest people.
  Label hat cut outs with actions that demonstrate
  honesty and integrity Return money you find,
  Tell the truth, Dont steal, Dont give away
  secrets, Keep promises
• Use the header People with integrity are loyal
  to themselves Show pictures of students with
  lists of goals, ambitions, dreams (or figures
  representing these).
• Use the header A person with integrity is
  dependable. Have cut outs of clocks, appointment
  books, and homework with words next to each of
  them, such as Be On Time, Show Up, and Do your
  Homework.
• Mirror Do you like what you see? Be a person of
  integrity.
• When looking for faults use a
  mirror, not a telescope.

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BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS

• Soup cans Success comes in cans. I can! You can!
  We can!
• Rubber Band Nothing ruins the truth like
  stretching it!
• Kleenex Tissues Character is contagious. Is
  yours worth catching?
• Wishbone Success depends more on your backbone
  than on your wishbone. Show integrity!
• Hot Water The trouble with letting off steam is
  it gets you into hot water.
• Lighthouse Lighthouses dont blow horns. They
  just shine. Does your light of character shine
  for others to see?
• Smile Become the most positive and enthusiastic
  person you know!
• Skyscraper You are responsible for building your
  own character. No one can build it for you!
• Trophy or Ribbon Attitude The difference
  between winners and losers.
• Money You cant buy trust. You earn it!
• Light Bulb Showing your Good character is a good
  idea!
• Exclamation Mark Get excited about doing the
  right thing!
• Woodpecker Keep Pecking away at ____________!

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BULLETIN BOARD IDEAS

• Picture Frame Picture it! Picture yourself doing
  the right thing!
• Magic Wand Magic wont make you a person of good
  character. It takes work
• Building Blocks (ABC) Attitude Behavior
  Character
• Mirror Look for the best in others and in your
  self!
• Star Let your good character be a shining star
  example!
• Chalkboard and Eraser Each day is a clean slate!
• Toolbox Stock your toolbox with good character!
• Ruler and yardstick Measure up to your true
  potential!
• Door Run through open doors of opportunity!
• Pencil Write down your goals and see them
  happen!
• Basketball Goal Dont take your eye off your
  goals!
• Barbell Pump yourself up with good character!
• Target Target your goals until you make them!
• Candle Let your good character shine through!
• Sunglasses Good Character shines so bright you
  need glasses!

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Are you a person of Integrity ?

• Are you
• responsible?
• respectful?
• trustworthy?
• dependable?
• honest?
• someone that people can count on?

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What is Integrity?

• You are person with integrity if
• ...You are honest with yourself and others
• You act the way you believe
• You do the right thing even if its difficult or
  unpopular
• You dont give in to your friends when they want
  you to do something wrong
• In school a person of integrity follows rules,
  participates in class, and is helpful to others.
  Teachers, coaches, and counselors have confidence
  in you.
• At home, a person of integrity is eager to please
  his or her parents by following family rules,
  doing chores on time, and obeying those in
  charge. Parents may give you more freedom and
  responsibility if you display integrity. They can
  trust you because they can depend on your
  behavior being consistent and constant. Your
  thoughts and beliefs match your actions and words.

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Can You Be Trusted?

• A person of integrity is trustworthy which means
  you
• keep your promises to family, friends,
  teachers, and others
• are able to accept the consequences of your
  actions
• admit when you make a mistake instead of
  trying to make excuses
• can be counted on to tell the truth, take
  responsibility, and do the right thing

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How would you practice integrity if

• your little brother accidentally breaks a model
  airplane in your room?
• your friend wants you to sneak out at night when
  your family has gone to bed?
• you lost your basketball game by two points in
  the last twenty seconds?
• a glass of milk spills on the kitchen floor and
  your brother blames you?
• youve been called in from playing outside to
  clean your room?
• a neighbor calls you an ugly name?
• your friend wants you to read her sisters diary
  without permission?
• youve been unjustly called a cheater?
• your older brother continues to make fun of your
  new haircut?
• you see a woman accidentally drop a twenty-
  dollar bill out of her purse?

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REMEMBER

• ?
• Practicing integrity means
• Youre disciplined from within
• You make your own decisions
• You take care of yourself
• You control your self in tempting situations
• You can change negative thinking into positive
  thinking
• You behave respectfully in any situation
• Other people trust you more and give you greater
  independence
• You spend your time in healthy and productive
  ways

• ?
• Lacking integrity means
• You expect others to control your behavior
• You have to be told what to do and you cant take
  care of yourself
• You cant restrain your self in tempting
  situations
• You allow your negative thoughts to control your
  behavior
• You act impulsively and in ways that hurt you and
  others
• Others cant trust you
• You spend your time in unhealthy and unproductive
  ways

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The Empty Pot

• Long, long ago in China, there was a boy named
  Ping. More than anything else in the world, Ping
  loved flowers and had the gift of being able to
  make anything grow. He could plant any seed and
  up would grow beautiful blossoms and rich green
  leaves. Pings family and friends would marvel at
  the wonderful things he was able to grow.
• Now, the Emperor in those days was also a great
  lover of flowers and loved to spend time in his
  garden, which was filled with beautiful shrubs
  and fine fruit trees. Each day he would tend to
  all the lovely things growing there.
• But unfortunately, the good Emperor was growing
  old and was becoming more and more worried about
  finding someone who would rule fairly after he
  was gone. How should he choose someone, he
  wondered daily. Finally, he decided that because
  he loved flowers so much, he would let the
  flowers do the choosing.
• The very next day, the Emperor issued a
  proclamation throughout the land.
• All the children in the realm were to come to
  the palace. Each child would be given special
  flower seed to plant. Whoever returns with the
  best in a years time will inherit my throne!
  were the Emperors words.

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• Everyone was so excited by the possibilities
  and the next day all the children of the land
  gathered in a long line to await their seeds from
  the Emperor.
• Ping, so anxious to have something to grow for
  the Emperor, traveled the long distance from his
  home to the palace. He waited patiently in the
  long line until, at last, he gladly received his
  seed from the Emperor. Ping was overjoyed. He was
  certain that he would grow the most exquisite
  flower with such a seed.
• When he arrived home, he chose a sturdy pot
  and filled it with good soil. Each day he watered
  it lovingly and made sure it got the sunshine it
  needed. He could not wait to see it sprout and
  grow into a beautiful flower!
• Days passed, and Ping waited patiently, but
  nothing happened. He became worried and put the
  seed in a larger pot with more good soil. He
  watered it carefully and made certain it received
  sunlight, and still nothing happened. Finally, he
  put the seed into an even better pot and made
  sure it had the richest soil. He continued to
  care for it, and watched over it for months, yet
  no sprout came. Month after month Ping tried and
  waited until finally the year was up.

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• The day had arrived for all the children to
  return to the palace with the flowers they had
  grown. They flooded toward the palace gates,
  eager to be chosen as the next emperor. Ping
  watched as children with azaleas, peonies, and
  chrysanthemums streamed by. He saw roses and
  lilies and orchids like he had never seen before.
  He was so ashamed of his empty pot. He could not
  believe that for once he had not been able to
  make a flower grow.
• Just then his friend passed by, holding a
  beautiful white lily. Ping! he cried. What are
  you dong with that empty pot? Couldnt you grow
  anything at all? Im on my way to the palace with
  this great big flower now. Wheres yours? The
  boy did not wait for Ping to answer. He sped off
  to see if he would be chosen by the Emperor.
• A tear trickled slowly down Pings check. Ive
  grown many flowers before, he said to himself.
  I dont know why this seed would not grow.
• Pings father heard Pings sad words. He placed
  his hand on Pings shoulder and said, Son, you
  did your very best, and that is good enough for
  the Emperor. If the best you could do is in that
  empty pot, then that is what you must show him.

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• Nodding, Ping picked up the empty pot and
  headed directly for the palace.
• When he arrived there, the Emperor was already
  examining the hundreds of flowers brought by the
  eager children. He stopped at each one, but said
  nothing.
• Finally, he came to Ping and his empty pot.
  Ping hung his head, hoping that the Emperor would
  not be angry with him.
• The Emperor spoke to Ping. Why did you bring
  me an empty pot?
• Tears trickled once again down Pings cheeks.
  With his head bowed, he replied, I planted the
  seed you gave me. I gave it a nice pot with good
  soil. I watered it each day, but it did not
  sprout. I put it in a better pot with rich dark
  soil. I cared for it lovingly for a year and
  still it did not grow. So all I have to show you
  is an empty pot. It is the best I can do.

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A smile swept across the Emperors face and,
holding Pings hand high in the air, he
exclaimed, I have found him! I have found the
next emperor! It is this boy and this boy alone
who is worthy! Then he spoke sternly to all the
other children who had gathered with their
flowers. I do not know where the seeds for all
of your beautiful flowers came from, for the
seeds I gave you had all been cooked, making it
impossible for them to grow. Placing his hand
upon Pings shoulder, the Emperor said proudly,
Ping is the only one who returned to me with the
truth in his empty pot. It is for his courage and
honesty that I reward him with my kingdom and my
throne! Demi. The Empty Pot. New York H.Holt,
1990
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Empty Pot Questions

• Name all the ways Ping exhibited integrity?
• What part of the story did Ping exhibit courage?
• Name a time you had to use a lot of courage to do
  something.
• Why was it important to the Emperor that the pot
  be empty?
• Name a time in your life when it was hard to be a
  person of integrity and honest?

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Tower of Trust

• If your mom asks you to pick up your toys, can
  she count on you to do it?
• Can she count on you to pick up those toys, even
  if she isnt looking?
• People with good character do good things even
  when no one is looking. When you do good things
  over and over again, even when parents and
  teachers arent looking, you earn trust. Nobody
  is trusted automatically. But when your parents
  and teachers realize that you have a habit of
  doing good things without being asked, then they
  let you do more things on your own.

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TOWER OF TRUST

• What are some things you can do to show your
  mom, dad, big brother, big sister, or teacher,
  you can be trusted?
• Write one of the above on an index card.

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Tower of Trust

• Directions
• Take the index cards and build the tallest tower
  possible
• Take an index card off the tower of trust each
  time an example is given that breaks that trust.

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TOWER OF TRUST

• What if you tell your mom that you picked up all
  your toys, and she finds them under the rug? What
  will that do for the trust youve built? ( take a
  card off the tower)
• What if you tell your mom that you ate all your
  green beans and then she finds them wadded up in
  your napkin? What will that do for the trust
  youve built? (take a card off)
• What if you tell your mom you will wear your coat
  when youre outside and then she sees you playing
  with only a t-shirt on? What will that do for the
  trust youve built? (take a card off)
• Continue with examples until the tower falls.
• Now that the tower of trust has fallen, do you
  see how its going to take a long time to build
  that trust up again. Trust is earned and not
  given away.
• Remember to keep doing good things to build trust
  even when no one is looking.

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The Boy Who Cried Wolf!

• Questions on The Boy Who Cried Wolf!
• What happens if someone lies a lot?
• Why didnt the people believe the boy when there
  really was a wolf?
• What is the best way to make sure people believe
  us all the time?
• Has this sort of thing ever happened to someone
  you know?

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Having integrity means you are honest with
yourself and others.

• Why should you be honest even when it may get you
  in trouble?
• Name some examples of getting in trouble when you
  were being honest and demonstrating integrity?

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CHEATING

• Why do people cheat?
• Does cheating lead to other kinds of dishonesty?
• Why is important to do your own work and not have
  someone do it for you or copy someone elses?
• Why is it important to be honest with yourself?
• What is a white lie? Why is it potentially
  harmful to tell white lies?
• Why is cheating sometimes thought of as being
  sneaky?

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CHEATING HURTS

• Read each of the reasons why cheating is wrong
  and decide on your top three.
• You lose the teachers trust that you will do
  your own work.
• Your friends learn that you cant be trusted if
  you cant be trusted in school, why should they
  trust you to keep a secret or tell the truth?
• You lose your self-respect and pride do you
  really want to think of yourself as a cheater?
• When you cheat you are lying to other people
  about how much you know do you really want to
  be a liar?
• If you can justify cheating, youll probably end
  up lying more about other things.
• Once you tell one lie, you need to create a
  whole bodyguard of lies to protect it. Winston
  Churchill
• Cheating is like robbing from students who are
  honest.
• If you get into the habit of cheating when youre
  young, youll find it easier to cheat when youre
  older.
• Cheating is taking something that you havent
  earned is this any different than stealing?

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• No matter how far you have gone down a wrong
  road, turn back.

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• Our decisions define us.

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• A bad attitude is like a flat tire, you cant go
  anywhere until you change it.

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• Do all the good you can,
• by all the means you can,
• in all the ways you can,
• in all the places you can,
• at all the times you can,
• to all the people you can,
• as long as you can.

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• Character isnt inherited. One builds it daily by
  the way one thinks and acts thought by thought,
  action by action.
• - Helen G. Douglas

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• Moral excellence comes about as a result of
  habit. We become just by doing just acts,
  temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing
  brave acts.
• -Aristotle

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• Good grades are something you have to achieve,
  not something that is free to receive.

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• If you want to build good character,
• start now!

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• You cant have a good day with a bad attitude,
  and you cant have a bad day with a good attitude!

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• When everything seems to be going against you,
  remember that the airplane takes off against the
  wind not with it.
• -Henry Ford

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• Positive people take the cold water thrown on
  them, heat it with enthusiasm, and use the steam
  to push ahead!

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• When things happen that you do not like,
• you have two choices
• you can get bitter
• or you can get better.

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• If you think you can do a thing
• or think you cant do a thing,
• youre right.
• -Henry Ford

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• In life you are given two ends one to think
  with and one to sit on. Your success in life
  depends on which end you use the most.
• Heads you win.
• Tails you lose!

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• Stand up for what is right,
• even if youre standing alone!

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• Bad character is like a rock that sinks.
• Good character is like a boat that floats.
• Bad habits put holes in your boat.

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• You can always be a better person today than the
  one you were yesterday.

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• Let your efforts
• rise above your excuses!

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• Dont just do enough to get by
• do enough to get ahead!

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