Lesson Plan
Your Values, Your Voice
Students will be able to define personal values, identify at least three of their own core values, and explain how these values influence their behavior and expectations in the classroom and community.
Understanding personal values helps students make positive choices, build strong relationships, and contribute to a respectful learning environment. This lesson empowers students to live authentically and thoughtfully.
Audience
5th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, individual reflection, and a collaborative activity.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck, Markers or pens, Values Exploration Worksheet, and Cool Down: Value Verdict
Prep
Review Materials & Setup
10 minutes
Before class, please review all generated materials: the Your Values, Your Voice Lesson Plan, Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck, Teacher Script: Your Values, Your Voice, Values Exploration Worksheet, and Cool Down: Value Verdict.
Ensure the projector or whiteboard is ready for the slide deck. Print enough copies of the Values Exploration Worksheet and Cool Down: Value Verdict for each student.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Matters Most?
5 minutes
Begin by asking students to think about things that are really important to them.
Use Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 1-2.
Facilitate a brief class discussion. (See Teacher Script: Your Values, Your Voice for prompts).
Step 2
Defining Values
5 minutes
Introduce the concept of 'values' using kid-friendly language. Explain that values are like inner compasses.
Use Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 3-4.
Provide examples of values and discuss why they are important.
Step 3
Exploring Personal Values
10 minutes
Distribute the Values Exploration Worksheet.
Guide students through the worksheet, encouraging them to identify and reflect on their own personal values.
Use Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 5.
Circulate to offer support and answer questions.
Step 4
Connecting Values to Expectations
5 minutes
Bring the class back together. Discuss how personal values connect to classroom expectations and positive behavior.
Use Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 6.
Ask students to share examples of how their values might guide their actions in school and with friends.
Step 5
Cool Down: Value Verdict
5 minutes
Distribute the Cool Down: Value Verdict exit ticket.
Ask students to summarize one new thing they learned or one value they reaffirmed.
Use Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 7.
Collect the cool-downs as students leave.
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Slide Deck
What's Really Important to You?
Think about...
- What makes you happy?
- What do you care about a lot?
- What do you believe is right or wrong?
Welcome students and get them thinking about what's important. Ask open-ended questions to start the conversation.
Share Your Thoughts!
Who wants to share something that is really important to them, and why?
(Allow a few students to share)
Prompt students to share some initial thoughts. Encourage a few different students to speak, emphasizing that there are no wrong answers.
What Are Values?
Values are things that you believe are important in life.
They are your beliefs about what is right, good, and worthwhile.
Think of them as your inner compass guiding your choices!
Introduce the formal definition of values. Use simple language and relatable examples.
Examples of Values
- Kindness: Treating others with care and respect.
- Honesty: Always telling the truth.
- Responsibility: Doing what you say you will do.
- Creativity: Coming up with new ideas.
- Fairness: Treating everyone equally.
Provide clear examples to solidify their understanding. Ask if they can think of other examples.
Discover Your Values!
Now it's YOUR turn to think about your personal values.
We'll use the Values Exploration Worksheet to help you discover what matters most to you!
Explain the worksheet activity. Emphasize honest self-reflection. Tell them they will get a worksheet to help them think about their own values.
Values in Action: Expectations!
How do your values show up in your actions?
- How does kindness help our classroom?
- How does responsibility help you be a good student?
- How does fairness make you a good friend?
Lead a discussion connecting values to actions. Ask specific questions about how values affect classroom behavior and expectations.
Reflect and Wrap Up!
Take a moment to think about what you learned today.
We'll do a quick Cool Down: Value Verdict to recap!
Conclude the lesson and introduce the cool-down activity. Thank them for their participation.
Script
Teacher Script: Your Values, Your Voice
Warm-Up: What Matters Most? (5 minutes)
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: what matters most to you!"
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 1)
"Take a moment to think about the questions on the screen: What makes you happy? What do you care about a lot? What do you believe is right or wrong? Just think to yourselves for a moment."
(Pause for 30 seconds)
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 2)
"Who feels comfortable sharing one thing that is really important to them, and why? Remember, there are no wrong answers here, we all care about different things!"
(Call on 2-3 students, encouraging them to elaborate briefly.)
Defining Values (5 minutes)
"Those were great shares! What you just talked about—the things that are important to you—are actually called values."
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 3)
"Values are like your inner compass. They are the beliefs you have about what is good, right, and worthwhile in life. They help guide your decisions and how you act."
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 4)
"Let's look at some examples: Kindness, honesty, responsibility, creativity, and fairness. Who can tell me what one of these values means in their own words? Or, can anyone think of another value that wasn't on this list?"
(Call on a few students for examples and definitions.)
Exploring Personal Values (10 minutes)
"Now that we know what values are, it's time for you to discover your own!"
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 5)
"I'm going to hand out this Values Exploration Worksheet. On this worksheet, you'll find a list of different values. Your job is to choose the ones that are most important to you and explain why. Don't worry if you don't pick all of them, just focus on what truly resonates with you."
(Distribute Values Exploration Worksheet. Circulate to help students as they work.)
Connecting Values to Expectations (5 minutes)
"Alright, let's bring it back together. You've done a fantastic job identifying your personal values. Now, how do these values connect to our classroom, our school, and even our friendships?"
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 6)
"If kindness is one of your values, how does that make our classroom a better place?"
"If responsibility is important to you, how does that help you be a good student or a reliable friend?"
"How does valuing fairness help you interact with others during group work or games at recess?"
(Encourage a few students to share their connections. Guide them to see how personal values contribute to positive expectations and a good community.)
Cool Down: Value Verdict (5 minutes)
"Excellent discussion, everyone! To wrap things up, I want us to reflect on what we've learned today."
(Display Your Values, Your Voice Slide Deck Slide 7)
"I'm going to hand out a quick Cool Down: Value Verdict sheet. On it, I'd like you to write one new thing you learned about values today, or one value that you already knew was important to you, but you thought about in a new way. When you're done, you can hand it to me on your way out."
(Distribute Cool Down: Value Verdict. Collect as students leave.)
"Thank you all for your thoughtful participation today!"
Worksheet
Values Exploration Worksheet: My Inner Compass
Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________
Part 1: What Are Values?
In your own words, what is a value? Why are values important?
Part 2: Discover Your Top Values
Read through the list of values below. Circle or highlight 5-7 values that are most important to you. If a value isn't listed but is important, write it in one of the blank spaces!
- Adventure (trying new things, exploring)
- Bravery (being courageous, facing fears)
- Caring (being kind, helping others)
- Community (working together, belonging)
- Compassion (understanding and feeling for others)
- Creativity (imagining new ideas, making art)
- Curiosity (wanting to learn and discover)
- Determination (never giving up, working hard)
- Empathy (understanding how others feel)
- Fairness (treating everyone equally)
- Friendship (having good friends, being a good friend)
- Generosity (sharing, giving to others)
- Gratitude (being thankful)
- Honesty (telling the truth)
- Humor (making people laugh, finding joy)
- Independence (doing things by yourself)
- Integrity (doing the right thing, even when no one is watching)
- Justice (standing up for what is right)
- Kindness (being nice, thoughtful)
- Learning (gaining knowledge, improving skills)
- Optimism (being hopeful and positive)
- Patience (waiting calmly)
- Perseverance (keeping at something difficult)
- Respect (showing regard for others and yourself)
- Responsibility (being dependable, doing your part)
- Self-Control (managing your feelings and actions)
- Teamwork (working well with others)
- Trustworthiness (being someone others can count on)
My Own Values (write any others here):
Part 3: Why These Values?
Choose three of your top values from the list above. For each value, explain why it is important to you and how it might guide your actions in school or with your friends.
Value 1: ____________________________
Why is this value important to you? How does it guide your actions?
Value 2: ____________________________
Why is this value important to you? How does it guide your actions?
Value 3: ____________________________
Why is this value important to you? How does it guide your actions?
Cool Down
Cool Down: Value Verdict
Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________
1. One thing I learned today about values is...
2. One value that is important to me, and why, is...