Conscience Guidance Lesson

                                         

Grade level: K-8th

Lilia Hueso, Lindsey Earl, and Kyle Johnson

(SJV)

Rationale and clear purpose for the unit or lesson (it’s a summary of your group planning): Students will understand and be able to explain conscience. Pre and post-assessments will show students’ growth through students writing and verballing telling what the definition of conscience is.  Activities such as scenarios, art projects, and poems will be utilized to demonstrate an understanding of conscience.  Students will be able to recognize their conscience and be able to act on it.  To achieve the learning objective, there will be consistent checking for understanding, through simple thumbs up and various activities.  We will know students have met the learning objectives through how they define conscience and are able to apply it to the different areas.


Applicable ASCA standard(s), objective(s), competency(ies): 
“Students will…” (e.g.: Students will understanding the relationship between learning and work).
Identify specific standards (found in your ASCA green book).

B-SMS 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to assume responsibility.
B-SMS 2: Students will demonstrate self-discipline and self-control.
B-SS 5: Students will demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility.

Christian Living Curriculum objective(s) and competency(ies): 

Identify healthy choices that promote well-being (e.g. exercises, good nutrition, laughter, relationships, prayer, meditation, communal faith life).
Recognize how emotion affect one’s sense of well-being.
Demonstrate the ability to advocate for oneself and on behalf of others.
Evaluate personal behavior as appropriate, inappropriate, safe, or dangerous.
Explain reasons for having and following rules and regulations.
Explain the role of conscience formation in making moral decisions.


Developmental Learning Activities designed to meet the objective(s)

What are the activities? Activities for the counselor? Activities for the student?

The Treasure Map Activity comprises most of the entire guidance lesson.  It is introduced at the start of the lesson, and guides the rest of the lesson with other activities for students, such scenarios, a poem, and drawing.

How do these activities meet the objectives of the lesson?

Each activity explores conscience through a different aspect of Multiple Intelligences.  They guide students to think about what they would define conscience as and what their conscience tells them in a variety of circumstances.

Do the activities maintain the activity level of the students (keep them engaged)?

The overarching Treasure Map Activity provides a consistent goal through the entire lesson, acting as a game and challenge for students.  As previously stated, the activities vary and meet students who may learn through different Multiple Intelligences.

Cultural Considerations

Different cultures and families may have differing expectations on how to respond in different situations.  Because of this, people may have different action responses to the thoughts that their conscience provides.  Another cultural consideration is the religious aspect.  For our audience, it is appropriate to bring in religion, however in some environments, this wouldn’t be appropriate.

Developmental Tasks

The pre and post-tests are differentiated from the lower grades to the higher grades, as the writing level may get in the way of assessing the level of understanding of the topic focused on.

Stressors

Possible stressors could include reading and writing levels, especially for younger grades or students at lower academic levels.  Another could be sharing in front of the class.

Introduction

Treasure Map Activity:
Introduce Treasure Map Activity.   

Tell the class that we are talking about conscience, which is a lot like a map for our own lives.
Tell the class that we have an envelope filled with pieces of a treasure map, but we need their help to get the pieces all together.  In order to get each piece, there are tasks the class needs to complete.  Once a task is completed, tape the corresponding piece up in the correct order.  The tasks encompass the entire lesson, and include a variety of the following numbered parts.

                       
Pre-Assessment:

1. What is conscience?
Activate previous knowledge: (remind students they already know    something about the topic)

K-2: Have students raise their hands if they know what conscience means, and call on students to answer:
“What is conscience?”
“What do you think of when you hear ‘conscience’?”

3-8: Hand out blank notecards to each student and have them write down their definition of “conscience” on it.

School Definition:

K-4th: “God helps us to choose to be good people”

5th-8th: “Conscience is the voice of God within us. A developed conscience helps us make decisions that support truly loving relationships.”

Our definition: “The feeling or voice inside you that helps push us towards what is right”

2. Scenario: 

Have the class discuss the following scenarios with a neighbor, then as a class:

K-2 “You see a classmate taking something from the teacher’s desk without asking”

3-7 “You are out shopping with your friends and see them take a toy and put it in their pocket”

8 “If your family was without food, and didn’t have the means to get more, would you steal a loaf of bread in order to feed your starving family? Why or why not?”

3.“The Voice” Poem

Pass out and read “The Voice” by Shel Silverstein

“There is a voice inside of you
that whispers all day long,
'I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong.'
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
or wise man can decide
what's right for you - just listen to
the voice that speaks inside.”

Ask questions:

“What words stick out to you?  Underline, circle, or highlight them.”

K-2: “Where does this voice come from?”

3-8: “Read the line ‘No teacher, preacher, parent, friend or wise man can decide what's right for you’ What feelings or thoughts do you have?”

4. Scenario: 

Have the class discuss the following scenarios with a neighbor, then as a class:

K-2 “Your classmate forgot their lunch. What does your conscience tell you to do?”

3-7 “You’re driving and pass by a man with a cardboard sign saying ‘Hungry,need food’.  What does your conscience tell you to do?”

8 “What is something your conscience is telling you to do in your community that needs attention?”

5. Fill in the blank for Bible verse:

“Therefore I do my ____ always to have a _____ __________ toward ____ and all _____” Acts 24:16

Answer: “Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience toward God and all people” Acts 24:16
Have conversation about what it means to have a “clear conscience toward God and all people”?

6. Art Activity:

Draw what you think your conscience looks like.

Pass out paper and have students draw individually

After all the map pieces are put up and put together, say that there is one more task that needs to be done before we find the treasure.


Closing and Follow up

Review the definition of “conscience” described earlier in the lesson.  Tell the class that the map is complete, and bring out candy as the “treasure”.  Pass out to each student (or give to teacher to distribute at their own time).

Post-Assessment:

Have students fill in the blank on the bottom of the poem: “Conscience is __________”.

Resources

6 prepared map pieces, paper, pencils, coloring materials, candy.