Caring When it Counts

Topic: Caring

Grade: 7th

Objective: Students will be able to identify and demonstrate three ways they can care for their family, community, and environment.

Teaching Techniques: Video Response, Role Playing, Drawing/Writing

Lesson Materials:

• Caring People Board Work, one for each student
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEDBnKahuNs (Girls Softball “Miracle”)
• Kindness Scenarios, cut apart before class
• http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/Stories/Features/Signs-of-the-Kind.html (Signs of Kindness)
• Poster board, markers

Resources: Activities from Anne Steele’s Developing Character When It Counts, Los Angeles, CA: Character Counts!, 2002 and Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (www.randomactsofkindness.org); Lesson written by Colorado Uplift staff, Sue Scheeres and Sue Erickson (www.coloradouplift.org). 

Board Work: Teacher writes the objective on the board and hands out the board work sheet. Have students complete the “Caring People” sheet independently. (Download attached document).

 Introduction: Teacher says “Today we will be talking about caring and how we can show kindness to people we know or those we don’t know.” Have students share their board work.

 Procedure:

1. Girls Softball Video Clip

1. Say “In the video we are going to watch, members of a girls’ softball team showed true character in helping an injured player on the opposing team.”
2. Play the video about the girls’ softball game.
3. Then ask the following questions:
   1. If you were on the opposing team, would you have carried Sarah around the bases? Why or why not?
   2. Have you ever been in a situation where you showed or experienced an extraordinary act of caring?

2. Acts of Kindness Role Plays (download attached document)

1. Divide the class into groups of five students.
2. Hand each group a different role-play. Ask the students to read over the situation together and figure out how to act it out for the rest of the class.
3. Perform as many of the role-plays as time permits.

3. Acts of Kindness Posters, if time permits

1. Say “We have talked today about ways to be kind in different situations. A Denver group called the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is encouraging people to think about simple ways we can show kindness to others. One idea they have is to create kindness posters to display in the community.”
2. Show the video about creating and displaying posters in the community.
3. Hand out a poster board and markers to each group. Explain that as a group, they need to develop one idea to put on the poster that encourages others to be kind. Explain that simple is better. Some examples “Help an elderly person cross the street.” or “Respect your teacher.” Or “Smile and show a friend you care.”
4. Allow time for students to create and design their poster.
5. Decide as a class when the students are going to hold up their signs around school, such as during lunch, after school, or during a passing period. (NOTE: Hanging the posters on the school walls would not be as effective as having the students hold up the posters themselves for people to read.)

 Evaluation: Teacher asks “What does it mean to show kindness to some one?”

 Summary: Teacher says “Caring is being compassionate, considerate, and unselfish. A caring person shows appreciation, forgives others, and finds out who needs help and then helps them. They help people without expecting anything in return. Doing something for other people without expecting anything in return is a valuable trait for each of us to have. Our community and family benefits when people care about each other. This week, look for ways to show kindness to others, whether you know them or not!”

*Lesson plan reprinted with permission from Colorado UpLift: www.ColoradoUpLift.org