Honesty is the Best Policy

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  HE.5.R.2.1- Describe the importance of having the courage to the do the right thing even when it is difficult.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “The Honesty Reward.” See CPALMS resource ID# 221263.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson is designed to help students build career-ready skills by learning about doing the right thing and how making the right choice can influence their personal lives. This lesson is designed to help students learn durable skills of communication through receiving and providing feedback. Students will also use problem solving and critical thinking skills in their discussion and writing.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Describe the importance of doing the right thing.
  • Write a personal narrative describing a time they may need courage to do the right thing.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Identify differences between right versus wrong actions or behaviors.
  • Define courage.
  • Write a basic personal narrative.
  • The procedure for giving writing feedback to peers.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • Why is it important to do the right thing even when it is difficult?
  • How can you choose to have courage to do the right thing?

• Procedure

  
  
  • To introduce the lesson, present students with the question “How would you define courage?”
  • Allow students time to discuss in pairs.
  • Allow students to share their responses with the class.
  • Develop a class definition of the word courage and write it on the board.
  • Provide students with a copy of the case study “The Honesty Reward” (see CPALMS resource ID# 221263).
  • Students can be grouped in pairs or small groups to read the case study.
  • Before reading, challenge students to consider alternate endings for each character, based on the choices that character makes in the scenario.
  • When students have finished reading, present the following questions to students:
  • How does Jake show courage throughout the scenario?
  • Why is Brianna upset? How could she show courage to do the right thing?
  • How will Alexa be impacted by her choices?
  • How can showing courage to do the right thing impact all of the fifth graders at Riverpointe Elementary?
  • How do you think the scenario ended for Jake, Brianna, Alexa, and Ms. Brigg?
  • Allow students time to discuss the questions in small groups, then share out responses with the whole class.
  • Students will then work in pairs or small groups to brainstorm a time they may need to display courage to do the right thing. Encourage students to select a topic that is relevant to school, so every student is able to relate to the narratives. Each student completes the Brainstorming Activity (see attachment) independently, but can work as a group to develop ideas.
  • Examples that can be shared to help students develop their own scenarios:
  • Walking home from school, John receives a text that wasn’t meant for him, and it contains embarrassing information. Kyle encourages him to share the information with other friends who are nearby. What should John do?
  • During lunch, Jodie usually eats with Eliza. Eliza is out of school for three weeks for a surgical procedure. Your friend group thinks Jodie is weird, but she looks lonely. What should you do?
  • Ms. Wiler spot checks homework. Sometimes she simply asks if students completed it. Last night, Ellie forgot to complete the assignment. Ms. Wiler asks if it is completed, and she is not going to come check it. What should Ellie do?
  • Once students have developed a brainstorming idea, allow them to partner with a person from a different group to receive feedback. The students can provide ideas to add on to the scenario, provide alternate solutions, or provide praise for brainstorming that was well thought out.
  • Students create their narrative using the brainstorming sheet and feedback they received from their peers.
  • To close the lesson, present students with the following questions:
  • How can doing the right thing impact larger groups of people (your class, school, family, friend group)?
  • Why is it important to consider making the right choice even when it is difficult?
  • Allow students to share their responses with the class and reinforce how doing the right thing even when it is difficult allows for people to see you as trustworthy and honest.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • All activities can be provided digitally or on paper.
  • If time does not allow for the narrative writing process, this can be completed at home or during the next class period.
  • If extensions to the lesson are desired, students could develop powerpoints or comic strips based on their narrative to present with their peers.