I am (two special characteristics)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)

I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)

I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort about)
I hope (something you actually hope for)

My family (something about your family)
My dad (something about your dad)
My mom (something about your mom)
My sister(s) (something about your sister or sisters if you have any)
My brother(s) (something about your brother or brothers if you have any)
My house (something about your house)

I wish (your greatest wish!)
That’s who I am!

• Make sure the ethical dilemma is in good taste and is not at all gross or terribly bad
• DO NOT use names of students in 6th grade.
• After explaining your ethical dilemma, come up with AT LEAST eight (8) guide questions for students to answer.
• Make sure to check your grammar and spelling before publishing!!!
• Once complete, we will have everyone go to different ethical dilemmas and have  everyone provided responses.
• Start!

David is a student in a school district where his mother is on the school board. Recently, three of his classmates posted a web site that openly attacks some of the teachers and students, using explicit and offensive language. They put up very bad information about a lot of teachers and students. They came up with stories of who liked who in their school and a lot of very hurtful lies about students. They also used a lot of bad words against teachers and classmates. The site includes disgusting graphics.

Several weeks ago David learned the identities of the three students who created the website when one of them accidentally said something to him in a conversation. The other two quickly corralled David and pressured him not to reveal their names. He agreed, not thinking much about it at the time. David used to be close to one of the three students, but that friendship has faded.

Now, the school principal has obtained a program that allows him to identify each person who has visited the website. He is asking students to come forward with the names of the creators of the site, and if no one does, he is going to question each student who visited the site. David is one of those who did visit the site. He realizes he may be the only student who knows the names of the three kids who created the site. He can lie and say he doesn’t know, or he can break his promise not to tell.

David has always thought of himself as an ethical person with a pretty clear sense of right and wrong. Right now, however, he feels that either choice will end in disaster.

• What should David do?
• How might David make sense of this situation?
• What do you consider to be David’s responsibility?
• A common definition used to describe an ethical choice is a “choice between two rights.” How might you apply this to David’s situation?
• What would you do if you were in David’s place? How would that choice affect the others in this case?
• How might your decision be affected by whether or not you were close with one of the teachers or students that were humiliated on the site?
• How bound would you feel by the promise you made to the three students?
• Have you or someone you know ever been in a situation where you were expected to turn someone in? Share what that was like.
• Is there ever a point where the good of a community is more important to honor than the good of an individual relationship?

Brendan was in third grade when he was caught cheating on his math quiz. He had been doing poorly in math and his parents had threatened that if he didn’t raise his grades they wouldn’t let him play on the baseball team. So he cheated. When the teacher asked him about it, he denied it at first, but finally admitted to writing down the answers ahead of time.

A parent conference was called and Brendan had to sit with his parents, the teacher, and the principal to discuss the school policy on cheating and lying. On the way home, his father told Brendan he was deeply disappointed in him and expected more from him in the future. That night, Brendan felt like the whole world was against him, but he also felt guilty for letting his parents down.

That weekend, Brendan and his family went to a movie. When they got to the ticket window Brendan’s dad asked for children’s tickets for both Brendan and his 16 year old brother. Brendan looked over at his brother, who stared down at the sidewalk and hunched his shoulders hoping the ticket seller wouldn’t notice that he was well above the age for a child’s ticket. The ticket seller glanced suspiciously back and forth between the father and the brother, and then, with a doubtful look on her face, she handed them the the two child’s tickets. This happened every time they went to the movies, and it always made Brendan feel weird.

On the way home from the movie, Brendan asked his father why it was okay to lie and cheat the theater out of money but not to cheat on his math quiz. His dad responded that sometimes its okay to lie as long as nobody gets hurt.

The rest of the way home Brendan just got more and more confused. Cheating on his test hurt nobody. He didn’t steal the answers from any of the other students. If he hadn’t gotten caught, he would have been praised.  How was what he did different from what his dad did over and over again? And should he continue to stay silent the next time his dad lied?

• What is Brendan’s dilemma?

• Have you ever seen an adult or friend do something you felt wasn’t right? What did you do? How did it make you feel?

• Do you think Brendan should try to talk to his Dad again about his lying at the movies?

• Who might Brendan have hurt by cheating on his quiz?

• Brendan’s Dad said it was okay to be dishonest if no one was hurt. Who do you think might have been hurt by his lying at the movie ticket office?

• Have you ever felt like doing (or have you actually done) the “wrong thing” because you felt like it was worth it? Do you still feel that it was worth it?

Then add your thoughts about the following:

1. Who do I think about on Valentine’s Day?
2. How have I shown my love for those who care for me?  Who cares for me?
3. What did I receive from my friends?  Who are my friends?
4. What have I learned so far in my life about caring, friendship, and loving?
5. Why is it important to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
6. Why do we give gifts on Valentine’s Day?

You can answer in a long paragraph or you can use the numbered listing (I taught you how to use this) so your numbers are automatically inserted for you as you type.

Happy Valentine’s Day!