http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit319/lesson1.

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9th-12th Grade
Subjects:
Language Arts, Library / Technology and Social Studies
Key Words/Concepts click to view

Focus Question(s):
What is a world citizen's responsibility to promote and advocate for justice and kindness?
NOTE: Prior to this lesson, use the Blue Sky Activity in which students envision a better
world. If you already have a Blue Sky display, revisit it before beginning this lesson.

Purpose:
Learners will define justice, kindness, peace and tolerance. They will recognize these as attributes of a civil society.
They will look for examples of their presence or absence in the news media and will brainstorm how they can
promote them in their school, community and the world.

Duration:
One Fifty-Five Minute Class Period

Objectives:
The learner will:

recognize issues of justice and the lack of justice in the press.

identify examples of kindness and the lack of kindness in the press.

find examples of conflict resolution by peaceful and violent means in the press.

identify examples of tolerance and respect and intolerance in the press.

Materials:

Student copies of Attachment One: Vocabulary

One teacher copy of Attachment Two: Role-Play Suggestions

Internet access to view news articles

Scissors

Chart paper

Masking tape

Colored markers

Handout 1
The Vocabulary of a Civil Society
Handout 2
Role Play Suggestions

Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Have the words justice, kindness, peace and tolerance posted on four pieces of large chart
paper on the walls of the classroom when the students enter. Give each
student Attachment One: The Vocabulary of a Civil Society with the definitions of these
words. Discuss the definitions and have students come to consensus about a class
definition in their own words. Ask for a student volunteer to write the class definition
under each posted word on the chart.

Divide the class into four groups. Cut the Attachment Two: Role-Play
Suggestions apart on the lines indicated and give one word/role-play to each
group. Ask them to create a 30-second role-play using the idea on the piece of paper
(or one of their own) to illustrate the lack or absence of the concept indicated.

After the role-plays, discuss with the students antonyms for the vocabulary words.
(some are indicated on the role-play attachment) Help the students understand
that justice, kindness, peace and tolerance are necessary attributes in
a civil society.

Organize the class into eight groups of three or four learners. Assign each group a
topic: justice, kindness, peace, tolerance, injustice, meanness, violence and
intolerance. Create a vocabulary wall chart with one assigned topic written at the top
of each.

Students print out news articles from reputable sources that reflect or illustrate their
topic, and prepare to explain to the group how it illustrates the topic.

As the students work, the teacher draws a vertical line on each vocabulary chart to
divide it into two columns. The teacher writes the positve trait at the top of the first
column and its antonym at the top of the second column.

After the students collect several articles, group members decide in which column of
their wall chart the chosen articles should be displayed. The articles may represent the
presence or absence of their assigned attribute (justice/injustice, peace/violence,

tolerance/intolerance or kindness/meanness). Some articles might be appropriate for

more than one vocabulary wall chart. Students should then sign their names to the
chart to which they contributed.

Give students time to do a walk-about in the room to scan each others articles.

Brainstorm ideas about how they can personally promote these four positive attributes
of a civil society in their school, community, and world. (These can be used to set a
focus for a service project promotingjustice and kindness.)

Assessment:
Teacher observation of learners will serve as the assessment.

Learning Link(s): (click to view)

Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
Encourage students to be observant in the next few days for positive and negative examples
of the attributes. Have them write up a brief description of what they observed, not using
any persons name, and add them to the appropriate chart.

Reflection: (click to view)

Bibliographical References:

Websters New Universal Unabridged Dictionary. Random House, 1996.

Learning to Give Web site at www.learningtogive.org, Resource Room, Vocabulary

Lesson Developed By:

Jerry Morris, Ph.D.

Curriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
Barbara Dillbeck
Director
Learning to Give