Character Education Teacher Resources

As a teacher, you are responsible for not only shaping your students’ academic abilities, but their character as well. They should leave your classroom kinder than when they entered, with more empathy, higher self-esteem, and strong leadership skills that allow them to thrive in the 21st century.

That’s why Lesson Planet’s educational resource team has gathered a selection of character education resources for any grade level. Start with a resource book on the Habits of Mind that integrates persistence, positive self-talk, striving for accuracy, and flexible thinking into any subject’s curriculum. Reinforce kindness in the classroom with a series of lessons that focus on R.J. Palacio’s Wonder.

Recognizing and reflecting on one’s mistakes is an important aspect of character education. Help young writers strengthen their integrity with a writing prompt about when to tell the truth about a past mistake.

For older students, a series of group projects and activities strengthen youth leadership skills and decision making. You can extend these themes with a lesson on peacebuilders and what it means to choose peace over conflict in their everyday lives.

Your students are capable of so much in this new world, and we want to supplement your instruction as you help them realize their true potential. You’re there for them—and we’re here for you!

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Lesson Planet Curated

Ben Across the Curriculum: High School

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Benjamin Franklin: The man, the scientist, the inventor, the statesman, the legend. A 10-lesson collection introduces high schoolers to the many facets of Franklin’s character. Although developed for the International Traveling...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education: Honesty

For Teachers 8th
Middle schoolers define what honesty means. They will discuss omission as a form of telling lies. Furthermore, they will compare and contrast to other forms of lying. In the end, they give examples of different types of lies and evaluate...
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

What Ben Read

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Just what did Ben Franklin read? By juxtaposing Ben Franklin’s reading material as a young man with an analysis of his developed ideas, learners gain the opportunity to see how the influences of his youthful reading played out. Roman,...
Worksheet
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Word Search: Character Counts

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this character education word search activity, students identify words pertaining to positive character attributes such as respect, truthfulness, and fairness. Students locate 19 character traits on the puzzle.
Lesson Plan
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Character Education Podcasts

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study character traits. In this character education lesson plan, students create podcasts highlighting a particular character trait. Students broadcast one podcast per week.
Writing
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Character Education: Confessing Mistakes

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this character education worksheet, students are asked to read a short passage and share their opinion. Students will need to decide what the character in the story should do in the given situation.
Lesson Plan
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Character Education - Self Respect, Respect for Others

For Teachers K
Students respond the story of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and discuss the ways in which she showed respect for herself and for others.
Lesson Plan
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Integrating Character Education into Lesson Plans

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students select a favorite lesson and list character traits from that lesson to serve as indicators on various questions under review. Character traits included are honesty, compassion, strong work ethnic and respect for the environment.
Lesson Plan
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Character Education: Caring

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students create a bookmark with reminders of simple acts of kindness. In this character education lesson plan, students participate in a mini-lesson plan that serves as a great introduction to a service project. Students first brainstorm...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education- Respect

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students discuss what respect means. In this character education instructional activity, students read the book Cynthia Ann Parker and discuss the philanthropic acts in the book. Students answer questions about the text on the provided...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education: Perseverance

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders develop long term finance goals and understand why they are important. In this character education lesson, 6th graders compare the benefits of perseverance versus impulse spending. Students set five personal goals.
Lesson Plan
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K-5 Integrating Character Education/A Lesson on Responsibility

For Teachers K - 5th
Students demonstrate traits of responsibility. They explain that accepting responsibility is more rewarding than avoiding responsibility. Students bring pictures of responsible and irresponsible situations or behaviors. They explore the...
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Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools

PSE Character Education: Respect

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Every healthy classroom community is built on a foundation of respect. Through whole group discussions, shared readings, and collaborative activities this lesson teaches children how to be respectful of one another, making for a much...
Lesson Plan
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Dilworth Elementary Character Education Respect (September)

For Students K - 5th Standards
R-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to your class! After a grand conversation about what is, and how one can show respect, scholars take part in a plethora of activity choices such as role playing, a game of Simon Says, wood working,...
PPT
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Happy Game: Citizenship

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Play a game to quiz your kids on what they know about citizenship. There are 10 questions that cover topics ranging from responsibility to volunteerism. The game is cute, interactive, and perfect for second through fourth graders.
Worksheet
La Jolla High School

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Sketching a Portrait--Character Traits

For Students 6th - 9th
Use this handout to focus on the character traits of George and Lennie in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Readers are given a set of specific traits to search for in the first chapter. They are required to list two textual examples of...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education: Fairness

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss issues related to fairness and the music industry with a variety of partners. In this character education lesson, students sit in a round formation and discuss five topics for one minute at a time before changing...
Lesson Plan
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Spookley the Square Pumpkin

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Young scholars complete activities with the story Spookley the Square Pumpkin. In this holiday lesson, students listen to the story and create their own Spookley pumpkin with Popsicle sticks and paints. They use their character counts...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Learners read about character education in stories online. In this character education lesson, students complete activities about making good choices and sign a pledge to be a good person.
Lesson Plan
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Character Education Poster

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students participate in a class discussion about what makes a poster promote a message. They explore topics from character education and make a poster to define and promote a desirable character trait.
Writing
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Character Education: Making Friends

For Students 4th
In this character education worksheet, students will read a short passage about a boy facing a dilemma about fitting in with his new schoolmates. Students will then write an essay about how the boy should handle his situation. They will...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Character Education: Confessing Mistakes

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this character education worksheet, students read and analyze a short story and then write their reflections on Eric's admission of his mistakes.
Lesson Plan
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Character Map

For Teachers 6th - 7th
A character map worksheeth as this would be handy for your class to support characterization study for any text. It is completely adaptable: your learners choose a character, write three traits in ovals and identify two instances that...
Lesson Plan
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Character Education: Integrity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students understand the definition of integrity and explain quotes about it. In this integrity lesson, students apply quotes about integrity to a personal experience and write about it.