Our Centers for Ethics:

Weekly writing prompt

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June 1 - 7, 2008 Looking ahead… With summer approaching, now is the time for students to plan how to spend their time off from school. While it’s important to have fun, it’s also important to keep long-term goals in mind.

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

"Think forward! Concentrate on who you want to be and where you want to go, not on who you were or where you’ve been."
– Michael Josephson, American ethicist, author, radio commentator, and founder of CHARACTER COUNTS! and the Josephson Institute (b. 1942)

Focus Pillar: Responsibility
Your teacher wants your class to read certain books over the summer and turn in a list with summaries of each. You are in charge of this summer literacy initiative. Write an expository paragraph explaining how you will get the kids in your class to read even though you are out of school. Think of all the places you can tell your class to buy or check out books. Also, express why it’s important to keep reading over the summer and explain how this will make next year successful. Remember, a good expository paragraph has:

• A strong topic sentence
• Transitions to tell the reader what you will do next
• A conclusion that brings all of your ideas together

Secondary level

"My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."
– Charles F. Kettering, American inventor (1876-1958)

Focus Pillar: Responsibility
You have decided to get a job over the summer to earn spending money and save up for the future. Think of a job you would like to have during the break. Next, create a resume to give to your prospective employer. Remember to list your accomplishments in a way that showcases your talents. Use the following format:

• Work Experience - This can include volunteering, babysitting, or duties you have done at school.
• Education - List the amount of education you have completed so far.
• Interests - List your hobbies and special interests.
• Additional Experience - List your computer skills, special classes you have taken or any additional information the employer should know.

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