Character Education and Newspaper Activities

Character Education
and Newspaper Activities

Respect

Treating other people the way you would want to be treated.
It’s treating other people’s property or possessions with care.
It is recognizing the value of ideas different from your own.
It is listening to those around you and hearing what they are saying.

Look through the paper today and for several days and find one example of a person showing respect and one example of a person not showing respect. Make a chart to show the difference in their attitudes.
Find a story in today’s paper about a political leader and write about what this person has done to earn respect. Write also what you think the person could do to earn more respect.
Write a short editorial giving your opinion on testing products on animals. Does this disrespect them? Be sure to give reasons for the way you feel.
Go through the sports section and write down five players you respect for their ability and the reason you respect their ability. Now, write down five players you respect for the kind of person they are --- attitude, personality, or character. Next to each, write why you respect him/her as a person.

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Responsibility
It is doing the things you say you will do.
It is accepting the results that come from your actions.
It is knowing the difference between right and wrong.
It is stepping up to do something when no one else will do it.
It is thinking things out and making informed decisions.

Find a story of someone being responsible or taking responsibility. Write out what the person did and why it was responsible. Write a letter to the editor telling why taking responsibility was a good thing.
Look through the TV listings in the newspaper and find a show in which one main character is always responsible and one irresponsible. Write a sentence showing how each acts this way.
Look through the stories and ads in the paper for examples of new products. Pick three and pretend you are in charge of writing safety rules for it. What safety issues can you think of for each product?
Scan today’s sports section and find an athlete you would like as a role model. Write down one reason you would choose this person. Now plan to interview this person for your school newspaper. Write out five questions you would ask this person about being a role model. Trade questions with a friend and answer them as you think the athlete would.

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Fairness
It is making sure that everyone gets an equal chance to show
what they can do.
It is treating other people the you would want to be treated.
It is not discriminating .
It is about accepting people who are different from you.
It is playing by the rules.
It is about sticking with friends in good times and bad.

Children are often employed as actors and actresses on popular TV shows. Make a list of shows using kids from the TV listings of today’s newspaper. Make a pie graph showing how many shows use child actors out of all shows. Finish by writing three rules to protect child actors working for TV shows.
Companies that make popular products do not want bad publicity because it can hurt sales. Look through the ads in today’s paper for products you like. Pick three and write how your feelings would change for the product if you knew young children were forced to work making it.
Find a news story in which fairness is an issue. Write about what is at stake in the story. Then write a proposed solution that you think would be fair.
Pick a favorite sport written about in today’s paper. If you could re-write the rules, what changes would you make to make the competition more fair? You could eliminate rules as well as write new ones.

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Caring and Kindness
It is reaching out to someone when they need help.
It is feeling sympathy for someone who is less fortunate.
It is concern for what happens to other people.
It can be friendship, volunteering and sharing your skills.
It can be taking pride in your work or effort.

Search the newspaper for stories about agencies or groups that help children. Pick one and design a poster showing the work it does. Then think of fund-raising activities that could raise money for this agency.
Look through today’s prime time TV listings. Pick a favorite show and write a plot outline for an episode in which characteristics will show caring for children.
Look through the news, business, sports and features sections and find a story or photo about a group or community. Write a paragraph describing how caring for others in the group is important to the success of everyone.
Protecting wild animals and the environment is an important concern for many people. Look through the photos in the paper for a picture of a wild animal or a natural outdoor area. List five things that could be done to help the animal or improve of beautify the place.
Find a sports player written about in the paper and think of a ‘caring’ cause you would like this player to help you with. Write a letter to the player seeking to persuade him or her to help your cause.

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Honesty and Truthfulness
It is not telling lies.
It is stating what you believe.
It can be expressing things people don’t want to hear.
It can be playing fairly at sports.
It can be giving all the facts, not just some of the facts.

Look through the news sections of today’s paper and find a story in which truthfulness is an issue. Write a sentence stating the importance of truthfulness in the story. The write a sentence stating the results of a lack of truthfulness in the situation.
Look through the ads in today’s paper for new products. Pick two and list all the adjectives, adverbs, or claims the ad makes about the product. Next to each item, write a question an alert consumer would ask about the term. Which of your two ads is more believable after your have analyzed it?
Look for an ad and write down five words to describe the ‘image’ you think the ad gives the product.
Look through the stories in the business section of today’s paper and find a story about a business that operates in your community. Pretend you are an investor who wants to buy this business. Make a list of five questions you would ask about the business before buying it. Be as specific as you can.

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Courage
It can be bravery when you are afraid.
It can be taking an unpopular position all by yourself because
you know it is right.
It can be standing up for someone that is bullied.
It can be refusing to go along with the group.

Look through the paper and find an example of a person showing courage, either physical or emotional or intellectual. What is the situation faced by that person? How is that person displaying courage? What does courage give that person? Write a paragraph describing the power of courage shown by the newsmaker.
Look through today’s newspaper for an opinion column or editorial that takes a stand. What is the issue? What courage was needed for the writer to take the position? Write your own editorial on a problem, taking a position you feel is courageous.
Think about medical or scientific problems that still need to be solved. How will courageous behavior play a part in finding the solution?
When pro athletes make mistakes they make them in front of thousands of people. Afterward, they must meet the newspaper and TV reporters. That requires courage… to publicly discuss mistakes that you made. Find a story in the paper in which a player discusses a loss or mistakes. How does he or she handle it?

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Self-Discipline
It is self-control.
It can be forcing yourself to finish a job you begin.
It can be resisting pressure to do things when “everyone is
doing it”.
It can be pushing yourself to do better.
It can be keeping your mind focused.

Look through the entertainment section in the paper and find someone who has created something. Make a list of ways the person would have to use self-discipline in order to create the work of art or music.
Look through the paper and try to find an example of someone teaching some else a new skill. For each example, write a sentence stating how self-disciple is important in learning that skill.
Look through the food ads in today’s paper. Pick an ad and number the items advertised as they would fit into the six food groups in the food pyramid. Which group is advertised most? Why do you think that is true?
Find an athlete in today’s paper about who you feel has self-discipline. Write a paragraph describing how this athlete shows self-discipline, and what I gives him/her as a performer. The look through the sports section for an athlete you feel does not show self-discipline. Write a paragraph about how this affects him/her in or out of the arena.

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Tolerance
It is to endure the practices and beliefs that are different
from your own.
It is about keeping an open and understanding mind.
It is about accepting something different even though you don’t
agree with it.

Find a photo in the newspaper that you think shows a lot of diversity, then write down the differences between the people pictured. Present your photo to the class and point out the differences. Discuss the tolerance portrayed in the photo.
Imagine that you are going to teach the value of tolerance to someone else. Find five items in the newspaper that you could use to teach about tolerance. Cut them out and attach them to a paper and be prepared to share why these items could help to teach about tolerance.

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Compassion
It is about caring for others.
It is about doing kind things for other people.

Find a compassionate act in the comics and write a news story about what you found.
Find a story about a politician in today’s paper. Is he or she behaving in a compassionate manner? Would you vote for that candidate based on that story?
Find a story about a trial in today’s paper. Write a summary of the story. What was the outcome? Was justice served? Can you think of a news story about a trial in which the outcome was not fair and just?

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Conflict Resolution

It is important to study conflict because most people spend a great deal of time and energy in conflict. It’s important to learn the causes of conflict. Conflict offers us an opportunity to look at a problem in a new way. It is a signal that we need to make some kind of change.

Look through the newspaper for pictures of people involved in conflicts. Can you tell from their expressions how they’re feeling? Make a list of emotions you see expressed. Can you think of any other emotions people in conflict might have?
Look for photos or stories that depict violent conflicts. Then look for photos or stories of people handling conflicts peacefully. Create a bulletin board or a poster that contrasts peaceful and violent means of settling conflicts.
Look for an example in a newsarticle or a comic strip of someone using humor in a positive way during a conflict. Explain why you think the humor works in that situation.
When you’re trying to resolve a conflict it helps to remember the difference between needs and wants. Needs are conditions essential to your well-being and Wants are things you’d like to have. Maslow’s pyramid… most basic needs at the bottom:

Self-Fulfillment
Self-Worth
Love and Friendship
Safety
Physical

Search your newspaper advertisements for examples of things that meet needs and wants. Label each as a need or a want. If it is a need, which need is it on Maslow’s pyramid?

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