These carefully selected web pages contain very useful material to assist your efforts in educating for character. There is a lot in this list that you can use as the basis for class discussions, writing assignments and student activities. We have not attempted to sort them according to the virtues they teach because they all teach many virtues.

 

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
www.actsofkindness.org
This website is just packed with great stuff for propagating basic human kindness. Their own description is way too modest, but here it is: "Want to encourage kindness on campus? Access our free Teacher’s Guide, lesson plans, activity ideas, teachers’ experiences, and other materials to help you successfully incorporate kindness into your school." A real gem.

 

The Laws of Life Essay Contest
http://www.lawsoflife.org
This project of the John Templeton Foundation offers young people the chance to reflect on and write about what they stand for. Participants identify the laws of life that mean the most to them, and explain their choices through the experiences they have had, the lessons they have learned, and the people who have served as living examples. A truly great character education activity for any grade level. The website gives detailed instructions and lots of examples. Highly recommended.

 

Wise Skills Resources - Free Lessons
http://www.wiseskills.com/samples.html
These free sample lessons serve up a generous variety of interconnected activities and experiences to help your students develop good character. Written by a former teacher.

 

Do Something
http://www.dosomething.org/
If you want your kids to be passive and docile, don't let them near this website. It'll fill their little heads with ideas about making the world a better place, and empower them to do something about it. Whatever you do, don't click on the "Action Guide."

 

The Ethics Connection at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/education/
Ethical dilemmas for young people written as dialogs. Lots to think about, talk about, write about. Also, they have a very useful framework for ethical decision making, which is at:
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/
In fact, check out the whole website - it's loaded with goodies.

 

Kids Care Clubs
http://www.kidscare.org
Dedicated to developing compassion and the spirit of charity in children. This organization provides children, families, schools, and religious groups with meaningful opportunities to help others in their local and global communities. You can set up an affiliated club in your elementary school.

 

KeyPals Club
http://www.teaching.com/keypals
A place for young people, teachers and students to locate and correspond with other youth and students around the world.

 

Teaching Tolerance (for teachers)
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/
A national education project dedicated to helping teachers foster equity, respect, and understanding in the classroom and beyond. This website offers excellent classroom activities as well as tremendously useful resources for teachers.

 

Tips for Keeping the Peace
http://www.esrnational.org/otc/
Teach your students these practical tips for preventing fights.

 

Respectful Communication - Civility
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/civilcom.htm
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/civility.htm
These are two excellent pages on a University of Colorado website with instructions on how to deal with difficult, long-lasting, and resolution-resistant conflicts.

 

Conflict Resolution Activities for K-12
http://teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3038.html
From Educators for Social Responsibility.

 

Active Peer Mediation Programs
http://www.coe.ufl.edu/CRPM/othersites.html
A list of helpful sites for Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation.

 

Fair-Play Code for Athletes, Coaches, and Parents
http://www.stalbertringette.com/Forms/tabid/1032/Default.aspx
Build character through sports with this code of behavior for student athletes and the people who influence them the most.

 

Fairness In Journalism
http://www.asne.org/works/jvi/jvibalan.htm
Excellent guidance for your journalism students from the American Society of Newspaper Editors

 

A Student Service Learning Program
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/ssl/
What would a model service learning program consist of? This amazing site gives the entire set of blueprints for the Student Service Learning program of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. An indispensable resource!

 

The Big Dummies Guide to Service Learning
http://www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/bigdummy.html
An excellent guide on what to do and how to do it.

 

Learn and Serve
http://www.learnandserve.org/
A comprehensive information system that focuses on all dimensions of service-learning, covering kindergarten through higher education, school-based as well as community based initiatives.

 

National Student Campaign Against Hunger And Homelessness
http://www.studentsagainsthunger.org
NSCAHH works with a coalition of students and community members to end hunger and homelessness through education, service and action. It's the largest student network fighting hunger and homelessness in the country.

 

Oxfam Resources
http://www.oxfamamerica.org
Provides information on educational games, classroom activities, event ideas, videos and links to online resources about hunger and grassroots development around the world.

 

Moral Dilemmas - Right vs Right
http://www.globalethics.org/dilemmas/
A whole collection of juicy ethical dilemmas for your students to gnaw on.

 

Learning To Give (K-12)
http://learningtogive.org/
Teaching the importance of voluntary action for the common good in a democratic society. Lesson plans, lesson plans, and much much more.