Activity Idea

The objective is to help kids understand the importance and place of core ethical virtues in their life. The choices we make on a daily basis either contribute to our mission and purpose or our choices involve us in activities that for the most part are short lived. By placing 7 walnuts into a jar you can label each walnut as one of the 7 core ethical virtues in the values in Action! Character Development program: Positive Mental Attitude (Best Result Thinking)- Respect-Integrity- Compassion-Cooperation- Perseverance-and Initiative (Highest form of Responsibility).

Place 7 walnuts in a small jar and fill the remainder of the jar with rice. . The walnuts represent RESPECT, INTEGRITY, COMPASSION, POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE, COOPERATION, INITIATIVE, & PERSEVERANCE.

The rice represents all the activities we participate in our lives, including birthday celebrations, hanging out with friends, athletics, beach parties, movies, dances, etc.

Lesson: If you pour the rice into the jar first, the walnuts (7 Core Ethical Virtues) will not fit into the jar. If you place the walnuts into the jar first, hundreds of kernels of rice can be added. Rice poured over the walnuts and around the walnuts will fit.

Learning

If we place priority on our values and make ethics a focal point of our behavior there will always be enough room for activities. If, however, we fill our lives with activities represented by the rice and exclude our values and ethics it’s impossible to include them once our lives are consumed by activities.

“Make Values a central part of your life and they will enhance and contribute greatly to the richness of your life.” You can be sure of your value when you are sure of your values! Gene Bedley