Our Centers for Ethics:

Weekly writing prompt

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April 19 – 25, 2009 The Other Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Earth Day is April 22nd. Of course, being ecologically responsible means forming habits that last throughout the year, but this is a good opportunity to remind ourselves how to care for the environment. This week students will examine ways they can conserve resources at school.

Write or discuss it! Foundations for Life gives teachers an easy way to improve students' critical thinking and composition skills. Each of these weekly prompts comes with a maxim illuminating an ethical issue. Students can analyze it and apply it to current events and their own lives, through discussion or writing. Each prompt also references at least one of the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. As a result, students can easily tie the author’s words to community values. Suggestions for using the prompts:

• Read the biographies in the Teacher’s Resource.
• Present the maxim to the students.
• Briefly discuss:
  •   What did the author mean?
  •   Can you think of ways the statement applies to something in your life?
• Point out the Pillar related to the maxim.
• Present the writing prompt to the students and have them answer these questions in their draft book or other format.

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Elementary level

"Actions speak louder than words."
– American proverb

Focus Pillar: Citizenship
Your teacher has informed the class that the school is using too much paper. She has asked you to create a plan for conserving paper in your classroom. Write a letter to your fellow students that explains your plan and asks for their support. Be sure to include:

• How assignments could be done without paper
• Strategies for using paper more than once
• How you will make sure everyone takes action on the problem

Secondary level

"If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem."
– Eldridge Cleaver, civil rights activist and writer (1935-1998)

Focus Pillar: Citizenship
Your school has placed recycling bins around the campus, but students rarely use them. Cans, bottles and paper usually end up in the regular trash cans – if not on the ground. Write a proposal to your principal on how to improve the recycling process. Keep in mind the following questions as you write:

• Are there enough bins?
• What can persuade students to use them?
• Has the recycling program been adequately publicized (in the school newspaper, on posters, in class discussions)?
  

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