Lesson Plan
Investigation Guide
Students will investigate character-based case files to differentiate honesty, integrity, and reliability, then apply these virtues by classifying scenarios and justifying their decisions.
Building moral literacy helps students make ethical choices, understand trustworthiness, and build strong character, fostering a supportive classroom culture.
Audience
4th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Detective-themed inquiry with hands-on sorting and discussion.
Prep
Review Lesson Materials
5 minutes
- Read through the Investigation Guide thoroughly
- Preview the Integrity Detective Slides to ensure flow
- Familiarize yourself with the Investigation Briefing Script talking points
- Sort and organize the Case File Cards into envelopes or piles for student use
Step 1
Detective Briefing
5 minutes
- Welcome students as junior detectives and introduce the investigation theme
- Use the Integrity Detective Slides to present the mission: "Find the truth behind each character’s actions."
- Read the opening lines from the Investigation Briefing Script to set the scene
Step 2
Mini-Lecture on Terms
8 minutes
- Define honesty, integrity, and reliability with clear kid-friendly examples
- Show slide definitions and ask students to share quick examples from their lives
- Emphasize differences: honesty = telling truth, integrity = doing right when no one’s watching, reliability = doing what you say you’ll do
Step 3
Case File Sort
12 minutes
- Distribute sets of Case File Cards to small groups
- Instruct groups to read each scenario card and decide which virtue it represents
- Have students place cards under labeled envelopes or on posters: Honesty, Integrity, Reliability
- Circulate to guide thinking and ask probing questions
Step 4
Class Verdict Poll
5 minutes
- Reconvene as a whole class and review one or two challenging cards
- Conduct a quick vote or thumbs-up/down on classifications using a slide or hand signals
- Ask volunteers to justify their choices to reinforce understanding
- Summarize key takeaways and close the investigation
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Slide Deck
Integrity Detective: Mission Brief
Welcome, Junior Detectives! Your mission is to uncover the truth behind each character’s actions by exploring honesty, integrity, and reliability. Are you ready?
Greet students enthusiastically as they enter. Introduce yourself as the lead detective on today’s mission and build excitement.
Mission: Find the Truth
Use your detective skills to classify scenarios under:
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Reliability
Refer to the Investigation Briefing Script for your opening lines. Emphasize the detective theme and set the stakes.
Key Term: Honesty
Honesty = telling the truth, even when it’s hard.
Example: Admitting you broke a vase by accident.
Define honesty in your own words first, then present the slide. Ask students for additional examples.
Key Term: Integrity
Integrity = doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Example: Returning extra change the cashier gave you by mistake.
Explain integrity with a brief story of your own if possible. Prompt students: “Can you think of a time you did the right thing but no one was watching?”
Key Term: Reliability
Reliability = doing what you say you’ll do, on time.
Example: Turning in your homework by the deadline every day.
Highlight reliability by discussing classroom routines (e.g., turning in homework). Invite volunteers to share when they’ve been reliable.
Detective Tools: Case File Cards
In groups, read each Case File Card. Decide which virtue it represents. Sort cards under Honesty, Integrity, or Reliability piles.
Hand out the Case File Cards. Show students how the envelopes or posters are labeled. Ensure each group has everything they need.
Sorting Time!
Work with your team to sort all cards. Use the envelopes or posters labeled for each virtue. You have 12 minutes.
Set a visible timer for 12 minutes. Circulate among groups, ask probing questions: “Why did you place this card under Honesty?”
Class Verdict Poll
Let’s review a few tricky scenarios.
• Thumbs up if you agree with the classification
• Thumbs down if you disagree
Share your reasoning!
Select one or two challenging cards in advance to review. Guide students through the thumbs-up/down vote and encourage justification.
Case Closed! Key Takeaways
• Honesty: telling the truth
• Integrity: doing right when no one’s watching
• Reliability: keeping your promises
Always aim to be honest, act with integrity, and be reliable!
Reinforce the three definitions. Ask one or two students to summarize each virtue in their own words.
Great Work, Detectives!
You’ve cracked the case! Keep these virtues in mind every day as you make choices.
Congratulate the class on completing the investigation. Encourage them to look for detective moments in real life.
Script
Investigation Briefing Script
Teacher (enthusiastic, stepping into view):
Good morning, Junior Detectives! Welcome to the Integrity Investigation Agency. I’m Detective Parker, and I’m so excited that you’re here today.
Teacher (holding up a magnifying glass prop):
Detectives, put on your thinking caps and grab your magnifying glasses—because we have an important mission! Does anyone here love solving mysteries?
Pause for student cheers or answers.
Teacher:
Exactly! You’re going to use those amazing detective skills to uncover the truth behind people’s actions. Our mission—should you choose to accept it—is called: “Find the Truth Behind Each Character’s Actions.”
Teacher (pointing to slide):
Look at our top-secret objectives:
• Identify Honesty—when someone tells the truth, even if it’s hard.
• Uncover Integrity—when someone does the right thing, even when no one’s watching.
• Spot Reliability—when someone keeps their promise and shows up on time.
Teacher (leaning in, whispering):
Your job is to read each case file, gather clues, and decide which virtue the character is showing. You’ll work in small detective squads to sort these case files into our three evidence envelopes.
Teacher:
Here’s how we’ll get started:
- We’ll review our secret code words—Honesty, Integrity, Reliability—so you know what clues to look for.
- You’ll break into teams, sift through your case files, and sort each scenario.
- Finally, we’ll reconvene and vote on the trickiest cases to see who cracked them best!
Teacher (claps hands):
Are you ready to launch our investigation?
Pause for student response.
Teacher:
Fantastic! Let’s dive in and solve these mysteries together. Detectives, your case files await—let the investigation begin!
Game
Case File Cards
Below are 12 scenario cards. Cut these out and distribute them to student groups. Each card describes a situation. Students should read each card and decide whether it demonstrates Honesty, Integrity, or Reliability.
Card 1
Emily accidentally knocks over a classmate’s water bottle. She immediately tells the teacher what happened, even though she’s worried about getting in trouble.
Card 2
Jamal finds a dollar on the playground. He picks it up and hands it in to the office, explaining where he found it.
Card 3
Amina borrowed a friend’s marker and lost the cap. She admits to her friend and offers to replace it.
Card 4
Lily sees a broken window in the classroom. Later, she tells the principal it was her who broke it by accident.
Card 5
Carlos returns extra change that the cashier gave him by mistake, even though no one else saw it happen.
Card 6
Nathan notices a litter of papers on the school hallway floor and picks them up, tossing them in the trash when no one is watching.
Card 7
Sofia has free time at home. Without being asked, she cleans up her play area and organizes her toys.
Card 8
Ethan is given the answers to a test by a friend but refuses to look at them, choosing to do his own work instead.
Card 9
Mia promises her teacher she’ll bring her library book back on Friday—and she does, right on time.
Card 10
Jayden signs up to feed the class pet each morning and shows up every single day, never missing a turn.
Card 11
Zoe says she’ll help her partner with their reading assignment and is there, ready, with a smile, when the partner arrives.
Card 12
Liam promises his mom he’ll finish his homework before dinner. He sets a timer and hands it in first thing the next morning.
Students should sort these cards under Honesty, Integrity, or Reliability piles. Once sorted, have groups justify their choices and discuss any tricky scenarios together!