CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Responsibility to Others – Electrician Repairs Woman’s Entire Home for Free

As citizens in a community, we have a responsibility to take care of each other. We all have strengths we can share with others. We also have areas of weakness where we need support. Strong communities take the responsibility to help those in need.

Responsibility to Others
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Responsibility
  • Caring
  • Good Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Self-Awareness
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion
  • Effective Problem Solving

Definitions

Responsibility
  • Do what you are supposed to do. Try your best.
  • Persevere. Keep on trying.
  • Be self-disciplined.
  • Think before you act. Consider the consequences.
  • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes.
Caring
  • Be kind.
  • Be compassionate.
  • Express gratitude.
  • Forgive others.
  • 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.

Effective Problem Solving

Make rational, ethical, and effective decisions to find the best solutions to problems.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
Share This Activity
The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will explore how the success of a community or team is dependent upon the success of each individual.

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activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • What is the definition of responsibility?
    • We show responsibility by doing what we are supposed to do and trying our best.
  • How have you seen someone show care for another person recently? Why do you think they took the responsibility to do that?
  • Why do communities and teams need a variety of strengths to be most successful?
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • When John stepped into Gloria’s home, he had a choice. He chose to help. What do you think motivated him to do this?
  • Gloria expressed gratitude for John’s and others’ work. What other emotions could she be feeling and why?
  • “A team is only as strong as its weakest link.” What does this mean to you? How does this apply to a community’s responsibility to take care of each other?
  • Imagine you are going into a group project. How can you balance each person’s strengths and weaknesses to ensure success?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Painters or masking tape
  • Paper – one piece for each student
activity

Activity: Crossing a River

  • Create a river by placing a line of tape across the floor at one end of the room, representing the river bank. At the other end of the room, create another line of tape representing the opposite bank.
    • Optional: Add “islands” in your river by placing objects like chairs or small pieces of furniture. 
  • Divide the students into groups of 5-7.
  • The goal is to move across the river on the rocks (pieces of paper) without touching the ground.
  • Rules:
    • You are the only one able to move your rock, and you must move it with your hands only. Anyone can stand on your rock, but only you can move it.
    • Once a rock is placed in the water, a foot must stay on it. No rocks may be left unattended.
    • You must go around islands without touching or moving them.
    • You may not touch the river with any body part or article of clothing (shoes included).
    • If you or your teammates break any of the rules, you must all start over on the starting bank.
  • Give the groups 5-10 minutes to plan how to cross the river. Encourage them to think about the strengths of each team member and where each team member may need support.
  • Depending on the size of your class and your classroom, you may be able to have all groups attempt to cross the river at the same time. If not, be sure that the other groups are unable to watch the strategy of the teams currently playing.
  • Follow-up questions:
    • What strengths and weaknesses did you find in your team?
    • Which of your team’s actions were individual-focused? Which were team-focused?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • What strengths do you bring to your community? What areas do you need support from others?
  • What kind of world would it be if everyone felt like it was someone else’s responsibility to help a community member in need?

6-12

  • Think about an area of your life where you need the support of others. How would it feel if someone stepped in and helped you? How would it feel if everyone ignored your needs because they felt it was someone else’s responsibility to help you?
  • What are your strengths? How can you use those strengths to help support the people around you?
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 our responsibility to others.

  • Where do your community members need support? Can you and your family create a plan to help?
  • What are the strengths of each of your family members, and how can they use those to help others?

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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