Our Centers for Ethics:

Weekly writing prompt

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May 25 - 31, 2008 Celebrate Asian-American and Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Months America is made great by its many cultures and traditions. As we end the month of May, celebrating the rich heritages of Asian and Asian-Pacific nations, use the prompts below to explore two facets of Japan and China. For information on Asian-American and Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Months, visit: Scholastic's Notable Asian Pacific Americans Smithsonian Education's Asian American Pacific Heritage Month

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

"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."
– American Proverb

Focus Pillar: Respect
“Kamishibai” is a form of traditional Japanese storytelling. A “kamishibai man” would read text printed on the back of large, illustrated cards while children viewed the corresponding illustration on the front of the card.

Imagine you have just traveled from Japan to America with your family. Write a story in the kamishibai format about the experience of your first day in America. For each event, illustrate the experience on one side of the card and write your story on the other side. Describe the setting, characters, objects, and events in detail.

Once your story is complete, trade your kamishibai cards with a classmate and read your stories to each other. Suggest ways your classmate can make the story better by adding or deleting parts or by fixing spelling and grammar.

Secondary level

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
– Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher (c. 6th century B.C.)

Focus Pillar: Respect
Imagine you have just returned from a two-week long voyage in China. Your principal has asked you to tell the whole school about your trip at an upcoming assembly.

Based on your knowledge of Chinese culture, write a story about your fictional experience that includes a plot line, dialogue and narrative action. Revise your writing to ensure everyone in your school will understand the logic, tone and words you have chosen to describe your perspective of China.

See the National Geographic profile of China »

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