Guidance — Grades 6–8

Seeds of change

This lesson plan offers middle school students an overview of the physical and emotional changes of adolescence. Students will explore emotions experienced each day and how these emotions can impact behavior. Students will examine their school behaviors and identify ways to change negative behaviors into positive behaviors.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Guidance)

Resources on the web

Creating character: Justice and Fairness

In this lesson, students examine the differences between justice and fairness and are encouraged to confront discrimination in the classroom and reflect upon their own prejudices. Students contrast the accounts of Alex Stern, a witness in a war crimes trial;... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Courage

In this lesson, students explore the concept of "courage", in one of six online activities presented by the Shoah Foundation Institute of the University of Southern California. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Responsibility

In this lesson, students explore the concept of "responsibility," by watching video archives from the Shoah Foundation Institute, which focuses on Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Respect

In this lesson, students explore the concept of "respect" by listening and viewing testimonials from Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Perseverance

In this lesson, students listen to the perspectives of three women who discuss the character trait of perseverance. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Introduction

Creating character contains a series of eight multi-media classroom lessons, each of which explores the importance of positive character development. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Guidance and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Concluding lesson

In this concluding lesson, students evaluate and synthesize concepts of character education they learned in previous lessons. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute

Creating character: Citizenship

In this lesson from the Shoah Foundation Institute, students explore the concept of citizenship while listening to the perspectives of Holocaust survivors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provided by: USC Shoah Foundation Institute