This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills.  For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to The League.

Anticipatory Set

Display the chart papers from the previous lesson. Have the students read over the group responses and take notes as they walk past and read all of the responses looking for things they can learn from heroes about courage and facing daunting challenges.

• Discuss the findings of the learners, focusing on the role of courage in facing challenges.
• Tell the students that "Star Wars" and the Harry Potter series and The Lord of the Rings are classic hero tales. Give them a summary of the classic hero tale. For example, there is a classic hero with a humble beginning who, through difficult circumstances, finds himself faced with saving the world. He repeatedly shows courage by facing stronger enemies or daunting obstacles. His good character and wise and loyal friends give him the strength he needs to rise above his fears and limitations to ultimately change the world.
• Point out that many of these traits are present in the real heroes they studied. Ask the students to analyze the italicized words above and determine if they (the students) could also share these traits in an important situation.
• Discuss whether our Founding Fathers exemplified these traits. Then discuss whether it would take courage (and why or why not) for our current leaders to make these traits a focus of their work with our current daunting challenges.