more good ideas (6-12) lessons

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8 More Good Ideas to Help Young People Develop Good Character ©2013 Josephson Institute

l read up and reach out at CharacterCounts.org l

IDEA #3

Stereotyping in the Media

OvErvIEw: Students learn the truth about common Arab and Muslim stereotypes, then analyze the media for these stereotypes.

prEpArAtIOn / MAtErIAlS: tape of news program in which Arabs and/or Muslims are discussedOR class set of newspapers

prOcEDurE:

There is scarcely a group that is free from stereotypes. There are stereotypes for whites and blacks, jocks and nerds, gays and lesbians, Jews and gentiles. Be sure that students understand what a stereotype is. Say, A stereotype is a faulty generalization about a group of people that represents oversimplified opinions, prejudiced attitudes and uncritical judgment.

The groups this lesson addresses are Arabs and Muslims. Ask the students to come up with a few stereotypes that apply to these groups. The list might include:

1. All Arabs are Muslims.2. All Muslims are Arabs.3. All Arabs are desert-dwelling nomads.4. All Arabs and Muslims are terrorists or sympathize with terrorists.5. All Muslim men oppress women.

Then discuss how these statements are false. Use this information to inform your discussion:

1. & 2. Many Arabs are not Muslim, and not all Muslims are Arabs. Of the more than one billion people who practice Islam, only 12 percent are Arab. Large populations of Muslims live in Asia, India and sub-Saharan Africa. Of course, many Arabs are Muslims; Islam’s holiest places are in the Arab world, and the Koran was originally written in Arabic.

3. Only about 2 percent of Arabs belong to the Bedouin culture, the one associated with the nomadic lifestyle of oases and camels. Most Arabs live in modern cities just like most Americans.

4. Terrorists represent only a tiny fraction of any population, including Arabs and Muslims. Islam does not encourage or condone killing innocent people, and

Grade level: 6th-8th respectAge level: 11-14

Civilizations

should be measured

by the degree of

diversity attained

and the degree of

unity retained.

— w.h. Auden English poet (1907-1973)

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9©2013 Josephson Institute More Good Ideas to Help Young People Develop Good Character


Grade level: 6th-8th respectAge level: 11-14

those who terrorize in the name of Islam violate its teachings. There are also Christian extremists, Catholic extremists and Jewish extremists who have used violence to terrorize their enemies. The vast majority of Muslims are peace-loving people who are just as appalled by terrorist actions as anyone else.

5. Although some groups — the Taliban in Afghanistan, for instance — have used Islam to deny women civil liberties, not all Muslim women are oppressed. In many predominantly Muslim cultures, women have become highly educated and socially respected. In addition, most Middle Eastern countries have laws allowing women to vote, work outside the home and run for elective office. Often, the customs that Westerners deem oppressive, such as wearing a veil, are reflections of local tradition, not the religion of Islam.

After exposing these stereotypes and providing students with correct information, have students scan the media for Arab and Muslim stereotypes. Record a news program and show it in class, or obtain a class set of newspapers and have students search for examples of stereotyping. Have students keep a list of where they hear or see the stereotyping, and what constituted it. This exercise can take place during one class period, or over a week or more. After students have gathered all their examples, have a class discussion regarding the power of the media to shape people’s opinions.

_________________________________________________________________

See http://library.eastside.org/islam/stereotypes.html and http://www.muhajabah.com/anti-arab.htm for many useful links about stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims.




IDEA #10

writing a children’s book

OvErvIEw: Students write a children’s book about caring, in whatever form they feel is most entertaining and educational.

prEpArAtIOn / MAtErIAlS: a dozen or so children’s books materials for making a book (minimally: blank paper, pens, crayons,

markers, and a stapler; ideally: construction paper, ribbon, cloth, scissors, hole puncher, pipe cleaners and other creative materials)

prOcEDurE:

Communicating effectively requires the ability to tailor your message and speaking or writing style to your audience. In this activity that audience is children ages 5 to 7. Tell students that they will be writing a children’s book about caring, in whatever form they feel is most entertaining and educational.

To remind students what children’s books look like, go to the public library and check out a dozen or more examples. Have students get into groups of three or four and give each group one or two books to look at. Have them analyze the book and take notes on the content, structure, and design of the books. Things to look for:

How long are the sentences? How many words appear on a page? How big is the type? How much space do the pictures take? How many pages are in the book?

The first step is to write the story. Encourage students to brainstorm ideas and jot down notes for a few minutes to get their creative juices flowing. After writing a draft of the story, have peers edit each other’s papers. Next, have students create a mock-up of the book using regular notebook paper. This is where students decide how to break up the text among the pages, what the pictures will look like, and other matters of layout and design. Tell students to be creative and to consider adding elements like fabric, pipe cleaners and pop-up pages. The book should be attractive and fun to look at and read, from the point of view of a 5-year-old.

Extension: Follow up with a field trip to a nearby elementary school where the older children read their books to the younger children. That way, they are demonstrating caring, in addition to writing and reading about it.

_________________________________________________________________

Grade level: 6th-8thAge level: 11-14

There’s nothing

that can help you

understand your

beliefs more than

trying to explain

them to an

inquisitive child.

— frank A. clarkAuthor (b. 1911)

caring




IDEA #13

Spoke Diagram

OvErvIEw: Students create a spoke diagram illustrating the Six Pillars.

prEpArAtIOn / MAtErIAlS: • blank paper

• markers• string or yarn• stapler or pushpins

prOcEDurE:

Discuss The Six Pillars of Character, explaining that these are core ethical values that should take precedence over personal, non-ethical values when we make decisions. Tell the students that they will be representing these values graphically by organizing the Six Pillars into a giant spoke diagram (see illustration on the following page). Graphic organization of information helps visual learners and can be a useful study skill applicable to all subject areas.

Create the center of the diagram by cutting a sheet of paper or construction paper into a large oval and writing in large print “The Six Pillars of Character.” Staple it to the center of a bulletin board. Have students get into six groups and assign each group one of the Six Pillars. Distribute blank paper and markers and give students the following instructions: In your groups, I want you to come up with eight examples of your assigned Pillar. These can be ways you have demonstrated that character trait, ways you would want to show it, behaviors you’ve seen others exhibit, etc. Write your group members’ names and the eight examples on the sheets of paper I have passed out.

When students are finished have them assemble the giant spoke diagram by placing their papers around the center oval on the bulletin board, stapling them, and stretching a piece of yarn or string from the center oval to their papers. Secure the yarn or string with a push pin or by stapling.

Looking at the large spoke diagram, discuss how the Six Pillars work together and how they might sometimes conflict with one another.

An alternate version of this activity would be for each student to create an individual spoke diagram, scaled down to fit on a single sheet of paper.

_________________________________________________________________

You’ve got

to do your own

growing, no

matter how

tall your

grandfather was.

— Irish proverb

Grade level: 6th-8thAge level: 11-14 General




Grade level: 9th-12thAge level: 14-18 citizenship

IDEA #26

national Service

OvErvIEw: Students learn about the sacrifices civilians made on the home front during World War II, and draw comparisons to the current push toward national service.

prEpArAtIOn / MAtErIAlS: none

prOcEDurE:

When the United States entered World War II, Americans had to make an array of sacrifices — such as making do with rationed food and gas, conserving soap, plant-ing victory gardens, buying war bonds, volunteering for civilian defense and, for women, taking over in the factories. This unprecedented mobilization on all levels of society helped make our nation victorious.

After September 11, Americans again united against a common enemy, renewing interest in the many opportunities available to those wishing to dedicate themselves to the service of our country. Some chose to enlist in the military, putting their lives on line, willing to make that ultimate sacrifice. Many more are volunteering their time in organizations with varying purposes, the common thread simply being to make the country better and stronger.

Discuss with students what it means to serve one’s country. Ask the following:

What are the benefits of national service? What are its drawbacks? Should every citizen be required to perform national service? What is the ideal length of time to serve? One month? Six months? A year?

A lifetime?

Have students compile a resource with information about service organizations, such as AmeriCorps. It might take the form of a webpage, a printed brochure or a PowerPoint presentation. Students can present their resources to the class or even publish them for the community.

_________________________________________________________________

Service is

nothing but love

in work clothes.

— unknown





IDEA #27

the common Good

OvErvIEw: Students learn about game theory and participate in an exercise illustrating the risk of personal sacrifice for the common good.

prEpArAtIOn / MAtErIAlS: none

prOcEDurE:

Tell students to imagine the following scenario:

An eccentric philanthropist is offering $3,000 to any member of this class who wants it. All you have to do is write a note saying, “Yes, I want it.” Now, this same philanthropist also believes in rewarding unselfishness and cooperation, so if everybody writes a note saying, “No, I do not want it,” then every member of the class will get $10,000. If just one person writes “Yes, I want it” he or she will get $3,000 and everyone who writes “No, I do not want it” will get nothing. What do you do? Do you go for the guaranteed $3,000, or do you trust the rest of the class to get $10,000?

Allow students time to consider their responses, but do not allow them to discuss what they will do. Have them write their responses along with their names on sheets of paper. Then collect the papers and tally the results. Did everyone say “No”? Chances are, at least one person said “Yes.”

Discuss why the results came out the way they did. Ask students:

• What was your reasoning for choosing the way you did?• Are humans instinctively selfish and distrustful?• Does this scenario incorporate any of The Six Pillars of Character?

Tell students that this scenario is an example of what mathematicians and social scientists call game theory. Specifically, this is a nonzero-sum game, the most popular of which is the “prisoner’s dilemma.” These nonzero-sum games involve two people who each fare best if they independently both decide to cooperate; each fares the worst if he cooperates while the other person defects.

A man of

honor should

never forget

what he is

because he sees

what others are.

— baltasar Gracian Spanish Jesuit

philosopher and writer (1601-1658)





If you have time, you might explain the prisoner’s dilemma:

Two prisoners who are suspected of committing a crime together are placed in separate cells and urged to confess. Each is concerned only with getting the shortest possible prison sentence for himself, and without knowing his partner’s decision, each must decide whether to confess or remain silent. A prosecutor makes the following offer to each prisoner: If both of you confess, you each go to jail for five years; if neither confesses, you both go to jail for one year (for possessing concealed weapons); and if you confess and your partner does not, you go free and the silent one gets a 20-year sentence.

Discuss the ethical implications of nonzero-sum games and how the prisoner’s dilemma in particular might demonstrate a lack of Six Pillar values. For instance:

• Trustworthiness: Do the prisoners consider the importance of being honest or loyal in their decision-making?

• Responsibility: If the prisoners did commit a crime, do they show any interest in being accountable for it?

• Fairness: Do the prisoners pursue only their self-interest or do they consider what is fair for all “stakeholders” (those who have a stake in the decision)?

• Caring: Do the prisoners show concern for each other’s welfare?

Discuss issues like recycling and donating to charity in terms of self-interest and interest in the common good. One person’s choice to recycle or donate to a charity is commendable and to some extent helpful. But if nobody else does it, that effort won’t make much of a difference, and one person is doing a lot of work for basically nothing. Meanwhile people who choose not to recycle or donate are living carefree lives without the burden of social responsibility. Society as a whole cannot begin to benefit from recycling or donating to charity until participation is more widespread and the impact is much greater.

If time permits, play the game again after the discussion to see if there are different results. Also, keep track of the results for each period and present a comparison/contrast to students the next day. If one class had vastly different results, discuss possible explanations. What makes one group more inclined than another to cooperate and work for the common good?

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The eccentric philanthropist scenario was adapted from the game theory webpage by Paul Cox located at http://members.cox.net/mathmistakes/game_theory.htm.


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