KEY LESSON

Unit Learning Goal

Students will understand the term “good work” as defined by excellence, ethics, and engagement. 

Lesson Goal

Students will understand how their school and other communities define excellence, ethics, and engagement. They will relate community definitions and values to their own personal values, which will be recorded in written assessments.

Assessment

Written reflections and an exit ticket will be collected and assessed as part of the Good Work portfolio. Teacher impressions of group conversation can be used to provide feedback.

portfolio documentation

Resources

  • “Good Work in My Community” Handout

  • Value Sort Activity

  • Video about Value Sort Activity

  • Video about Talking about Values [link here] 

  • Value Sort Collating Activity

Total TIME

45 minutes

Prerequisite

Lesson 1.8

Instructions

1. Opener: Discuss the top values of the class [15 minutes].

  • Present students with the top four values most commonly chosen by the entire class. 

  • As a group, discuss these values, using the following questions to start the conversation:

    • Are you surprised by any of these values? 

    • Is there something you expected to be in the top four that isn’t? 

    • Look at your own top values. When you look at the top values of our class, do you see any major differences that surprise you?

    • Are there values that you believe are important to doing good work that are not included in these top four?

  • “Here in Romania we have finished Unit 1, but lesson 4 in Unit 1 really got the students thinking. We have a motto of the High school but not a mission statement. Despite the school board having crafted one at some point, it is not known to students and they have never considered what it could look like or what are the values of their school. I only wish I was less pressed for time and gave them more time to think and work on the details.”

    From Briena Stoica at Colegiul Național Al Papiu Ilarian, Romania

2. What is our school’s mission, and how do our values relate [25 minutes]?

  • Project your school’s mission statement, value statement, motto, or other defining statement on the board. Read it aloud. Ask students what they would consider the keywords or most crucial parts and why.

    • If there is no such statement to which you can refer, do one of the following alternatives:

      • Question what such a statement could look like for your school.

      • Come up with a set of values together that your class believes is important for the group. 

  • Break students into small groups of 3-4 with those around them. With students referring to the mission/values/motto/etc., have them respond to the following questions with their group members [10 minutes].

    • Provide example responses if needed in order to spark conversation.

  • Have one student in each group be the “scribe” and write down the points of the conversation.

  • Float around to listen in on conversations and provide guidance as necessary.

Discussion Questions:

  • Provide a definition for any keywords in the statement.

  • Where do you see this statement in action in our school?

  • Do you agree with any particular parts of the statement?

  • Do you disagree with any particular parts of the statement?

  • What values are important at our school?

  • How do our values guide our mission?

  • What does good work mean at our school? 

  • Where do you see good work happening at our school? 

Bring the group back together. Using the questions as a guide, facilitate feedback from each group. Write answers on the board and draw connections as appropriate.

3. Closing & Exit Ticket [5 Minutes]. 

  • Present students with the exit ticket question: 

    • Choose one of the “3 Es” of good work and describe how you see it supported or challenged by the values of our school.

Katerine Hurtatiz’s class, St. George’s School, Colombia

Possible Enrichments:

“Good Work in My Community” 

  • Students will complete the “Good Work in My Community” activity sheet wherein students choose a community of which they feel a part. This can be an activity in which they participate, a religious community, their town or city, their family, an after-school program, etc. 

  • Students will identify the values of their community, explain how those are demonstrated, consider what good work means, and look back at their personal value sort done in Lesson 1.5 to reflect on how their values are in alignment or not with those of the community. 

  • Students should add this activity to the Good Work portfolio.