I informed all of the fifth grade teachers that I would like to facilitate guidance lessons in their classrooms. I asked the teachers what their main concerns or problems were so that I could facilitate a lesson based on their needs.
The first request I received was for a lesson on responsibility and good character. I utilized the responsibility lesson I found on the Character Counts website. Character Counts has lots of free lessons and activities for download.
Although the lesson says that it is for students ages six to nine, I tailored the lesson for the fifth graders I was working with. The lesson includes words and definitions. I printed the words in orange and the definitions in white. I cut out the words and definitions so that the students could choose them out of a cloth bucket. Once each student picked a word or definition out of the bucket, I instructed the students to read their word or definition. When they finished reading, I instructed them to find their partner with word or definition that matched their own. The students gathered on the carpet once they found their match.
After everyone found their partner, I had each group share their word and definition. We talked about how they could use each aspect of responsibility such as self-reliance, punctuality, perseverance, character, and self-control in school. Some comments from students were:
For self-reliance, "if we don't do our homework it is our fault."
For punctuality, "we need to be on time and go to school so that we do not miss learning new things."
For perseverance, "if you try something and you don't get it the first time you have to try again."
For character, "it's what you do when no one is looking... you still have to be good and respectful."
For self-control, "when you are angry at someone, instead of punching someone, you could walk away or ignore them."
Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Contact Danielle via email, follow her on twitter, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.