Character Building Activities for Kids: Ready-to-Use Character Education Lessons & Activities for the Elementary Grades [Paperback]

Darlene Mannix (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130425850 | ISBN-13: 978-0130425850 | Publication Date: December 15, 2001 | Edition: 1

This straight-forward resource gives teachers, counselors, and parents over 140 common-sense lessons with reproducible activities for developing traits selected as representative of good character, such as honesty, generosity and fairness. This guide is organized into three sections focusing on respect for self, respect for others, and a positive outlook on life. Each lesson defines a specific character trait, shows children how to recognize the trait, and provides opportunities for children to apply the trait in their own daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This unique resource gives you hundreds of ready-to-use lessons and illustrated activity sheets for teaching children to define 18 specific character traits representative of good character, recognize the traits in action, and apply then daily to situations at home, at school, and in the community

You'll find an "introductory worksheet" that helps you explain the philosophy underlying the lessons to your class followed by 18 self-contained instructional units you can use in any order with students of varying abilities. Each unit includes:

• A reproducible journal ideas page with self-rating scale to help students reflect on and write their ideas and opinions regarding the trait
• A reproducible pre/posttest featuring scenarios involving the particular trait covered
• Three teacher direction pages with suggestions for using the lesson materials, questions for class discussion, and answer keys to the unit worksheets
• Nine illustrated activity sheets, three each to help students "define the trait in their own words" "recognize the trait in action" and "use the trait in their daily lives".
• A concluding activity/game/puzzle to reinforce students' understanding and practice of the trait, including reproducible card and board games

Moreover, for your convenience, all materials are printed in a big 8-1/4" x 11" lay-flat binding format that folds flat for photocopying of the 180 test and activity pages, and organized into the following three sections:

"Having Respect for Yourself" provides six complete instructional units to help students develop qualities we expect in anyone of good character, including honesty (saying or doing what is true) integrity (keeping your promise...not bragging about yourself...seeing what needs to be done and doing it)... effort (doing the best job you can... and pride (doing things that promise health, not harm, to our body and mind).

"Having Respect for Others" offers six ready-to-use units to help students understand and apply traits that reflect our regard and consideration of others, such as peace-seeking (finding practical ways to solve problems)... generosity (sharing what you have)... compassion (caring about the needs of others)... forgiving (letting bad feelings for someone go)... understanding others (knowing how someone else would feel or act)... loyalty (being a friend to someone all of the time).

"Having a Positive Outlook" presents six more instructional units to teach students traits that convey a positive outlook and desire to improve one's like, including a sense of humor (looking for the lighter side of this) ...fairness (following the rules)... open-mindedness (accepting new information)... initiative (knowing what needs to be done and doing it)... optimism (finding good or hopeful things about life)...risk taking (trying something new or different).

In short, Character Building Activities For Kids gives you a flexible, ready-to-use program for teaching children to understand and apply character traits to their lives-a program that provides clear objectives, interesting and thoughtful activities, and tools for evaluating student achievement.

About the Author

Darlene Mannix (B.S. in Education, Taylor University; M.S. in Learning Disabilities, Indiana University) has been both a special and regular classroom teacher for the past 20 years. Her teaching assignments have included multicategorical resource rooms, a pilot program for language disordered children, emotionally handicapped classes for elementary students, and inclusion teacher for middle school learning disabled students. She has written many practical resources for teachers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (December 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130425850
• ISBN-13: 978-0130425850
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 1 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Darlene Mannix, M.A., has 26 years of experience as a classroom teacher and has taught both general education and special education. She is the best-selling author of numerous books for special educators including Social Skills Activities for Special Children, Life Skills Activities for Secondary Students with Special Needs, and Writing Skills Activities for Special Children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, April 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Character Building Activities for Kids: Ready-to-Use Character Education Lessons & Activities for the Elementary Grades (Paperback)

This book is exactly what I needed! I teach 4th grade and needed to work on character skills with my kids. I really felt like a lot of behavior issues came out of a lack of character skills. This book is very comprehensive and easy to use! Right now I only use the journal prompts, but it's been very effective in the classroom!

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to Use, July 22, 2005

By 

J. Bents - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Character Building Activities for Kids: Ready-to-Use Character Education Lessons & Activities for the Elementary Grades (Paperback)

I am very happy with this book and am excited to use it with my counseling program with individuals, groups, and classroom guidance this fall!

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great material, June 1, 2009

By 

G. Frease "book-aholic" (Southern Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Character Building Activities for Kids: Ready-to-Use Character Education Lessons & Activities for the Elementary Grades (Paperback)

Used as a gift for a grad student, is an excellent aid for character education.