CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Bravery - 11-Year-Old Boy Wows at School Talent Show

Self-trust, purpose, and vulnerability can contribute to our ability to display bravery.

Bravery
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Respect
  • Good Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Self-Awareness
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion

Definitions

Respect
  • Follow the Golden Rule.
  • Be accepting of differences.
  • Be courteous to others.
  • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
Good Citizenship
  • Do your share to make your home, school, and community better.
  • Cooperate.
  • Stay informed. Vote.
  • Be a good neighbor.
  • Make choices that protect the safety and rights of others.
  • Protect the environment.
Self-Awareness 

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes.

Social Awareness

Assess and be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others.

Curiosity and Passion

Enthusiastic to understand more about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
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The Ray Center at Drake University

Students will gain a better understanding of the bravery it takes to share one’s authentic self. They will also identify ways to better support each other in vulnerable situations.

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activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • How do you define bravery?
    • Bravery is the ability to confront challenges while staying true to oneself.
  • Who do you think of when you think of someone who is brave?
  • Think of a time when you had to be brave. How did you feel before? After?
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

Think about the video.

  • What is the impact of Samuel’s bravery? Use examples from the video and think about what impacts may not have been included in the video.
  • Are acts of bravery always obvious? Why or why not?
  • What are different ways you can show bravery?
  • How can acts of bravery make positive change in a community?
  • How can other people help you be brave?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Appropriate performance space
activity

Activity: Share Your Talents

  • Students will share a unique skill or trait they have with the class in a miniature talent show.
  • Challenge students to demonstrate their skill or trait for the class in 30 seconds or less.
  • Give students the option to participate individually or in pairs.
  • Optional: Give students the chance to prepare outside of school and bring in props.

  • Follow-Up Questions
    • What did you expect from your classmates during and after your performance?
    • How did you feel when your performance was complete?
    • Did your classmates know about this skill before your performance?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • List three professions where bravery is needed. How are those workers brave?
  • What are some things that help you to be brave?
  • Describe a time you were brave. How did you feel afterward?

6-12

  • How has someone else’s bravery changed the way you think?
  • Describe a time you wish you could have shown bravery. What would you have done differently?
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch

Discuss

Use these questions to start meaningful conversations about bravery.

  • Have you ever witnessed an act of bravery?
  • When have you had to be brave? How did the situation turn out?

Activity

  • As a family, create a saying or mantra that you can use to remind one another to be brave in challenging moments.
  • Then, discuss opportunities to use this mantra to help each member of the family face their fears and conquer challenges.

More Kindness 101 Activities

CHARACTER COUNTS! Activities

 

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(C) 2024 The Ray Center at Drake University is proud to be the home of CHARACTER COUNTS! CHARACTER COUNTS!, the Six Pillars of Character, and Pursuing Victory with Honor are trademarks of the Josephson Institute. CHARACTER COUNTS! was founded by Michael Josephson through the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics.