Character Education: Courage (Grade 8)
What role does courage play in relationships and life success? How can developing courage equip people as world citizens who contribute to the common good?
Photo credit: Courage by jridgewayphotography is licensed under CC by 2.0
This unit asks learners to choose their favorite heroes from the "Star Wars" or other movies and identify acts of courage. Using charts created in lesson one, learners find hero traits related to courage and facing daunting challenges. After highlighting the key words explaining the classic hero myth, learners look for these traits in themselves, the Founding Fathers, and our current leaders. The learners will then reflect on the relationship between courage and fear, and identify the different character attributes that guide us when facing a challenge.
Learners discuss the courage and traits of a classic hero from literature or movies like the Avengers, Hunger Games, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.
Working in small groups, learners match the classic hero traits to an activist who took social action for the common good.
In this activity, the learners get character snapshots of several different real-life heroes and look for patterns and lessons they can take away.
Learners do a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) of taking courageous action in a difficult situation.
Learners reflect on the relationship between courage and fear, and identify the different character attributes that guide us when facing a challenge.