Character is Destiny
Author unknown
"Watch your thoughts,
They become your words.
Watch your words,
They become your actions.
Watch your actions,
They become your habits.
Watch your habits;
They become your character.
Watch your character;
It becomes your destiny."
Subject: Character Education
Grades: 5, 6, 7, and 8
Strand: Citizenship
1 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Democracy: government of, by and for the people, exercised through the voting process.
2 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Respect for and acceptance of authority: the need for and primacy of authority, including the law, in given circumstances.
3 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Equality: the right and opportunity to develop one's potential as a human being.
4 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Freedom of conscience and expression: the right to hold beliefs, whether religious, ethical or political, and to express one's views.
5 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Justice: equal and impartial treatment under the law.
6 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Liberty: freedom from oppression, tyranny or the domination of government.
7 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Tolerance: the allowable deviation from a standard. Indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own.
8 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Patriotism: support of the U.S. Constitution and love for the United States of America with zealous guarding of their authority and interests.
8.1 Courage: willingness to face danger with determination.
8.2 Loyalty: steadfastness or faithfulness to a person, institution, custom or idea to which one is tied by duty, pledge or a promise.
8.3 Honor: a keen sense of ethical conduct, one's word given as a guarantee of performance.
9 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Respect for the Natural Environment: care for and conservation of land, trees, clean air and pure water and of all living inhabitants of the earth.
9.1 Conservation: avoiding waste and pollution of natural resources.
10 Topic: Citizenship Standard: Respect for the creator: our most basic freedoms and rights are not granted to us from the government but they are intrinsically ours; i.e., the Constitution does not grant Americans the right of freedom of speech, it simply recognizes that each of us is born with that right. This is to say that the founders of the republic recognized a higher authority, a power greater than themselves that endowed every human being with certain unalienable rights that no government or legal document could ever revoke or take away. In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson names this life force that permeates the universe and from which our unalienable rights stem the "creator", "nature's God", and the "supreme judge of the world". If we are to respect life, the natural rights of all people and the authority which the founders based their legal opinions on concerning our separation from Great Britain then there must be a respect for that creator from which all our rights flow. This cannot be interpreted as a promotion of religion or even as a promotion of the belief in a personal God, but only as an acknowledgment that the intrinsic worth of every individual derives from no government, person or group of persons, but is something that each of us is born with and which no thing and no one can ever deprive us of.
Strand: Respect for Others
11 Topic: Respect for Others Standard: Altruism: concern for and motivation to act for the welfare of others.
11.1 Civility and cheerfulness: courtesy and politeness in action of speech.
11.2 Compassion, kindness and generosity: concern for suffering or distress of others and response to their feeling and needs.
11.3 Courtesy and cooperation: recognition of mutual interdependence with others resulting in polite treatment and respect for them.
12 Topic: Respect for Others Standard: Integrity: confirmed virtue and uprightness of character, freedom from hypocrisy.
12.1 Honesty: truthfulness and sincerity.
12.2 Truth: freedom from deceit or falseness; based on fact or reality.
12.3 Trustworthiness: worthy of confidence.
12.4 Fairness and good sportsmanship: freedom from favoritism, self-interest, or indulgence of one's likes and dislikes; abiding by the rules of a contest and accepts victory or defeat graciously.
12.5 Patience: not being hasty or impetuous.
Strand: Respect for Self
13 Topic: Respect for Self Standard: Accountability: responsibility for one's actions and their consequences.
13.1 Commitment: being emotionally, physically or intellectually bound to something.
13.2 Perseverance and diligence: adherence to actions and their consequences.
13.3 Self control and virtue: exercising authority over one's emotions and actions.
13.4 Frugality: effective use of resources; thrift.
14 Topic: Respect for Self Standard: Self-Esteem: pride and belief in oneself and in achievement of one's potential.
14.1 Knowledge: learning, understanding, awareness.
14.2 Moderation: avoidance of unreasonably extreme views or measures.
14.3 Respect for physical, mental and fiscal health: awareness of the importance of and conscious activity toward maintaining fitness in these areas.
14.4 Cleanliness: good habits of personal hygiene and grooming.
15 Topic: Respect for Self Standard: Work Ethic: belief that work is good and that everyone who can, should work.
15.1 Punctuality: being on time for attendance and tasks.
15.2 Accomplishment: appreciation for completing a task.
15.3 Cooperation: working with others for mutual benefit.
15.4 Dependability: reliability; trustworthiness. 15.5 Diligence: attentiveness; persistence; perseverance. 15.6 Pride: dignity; self-respect; doing one's best.
15.7 Productivity: supporting one's self, contributing to society.
15.8 Creativity: exhibiting an entrepreneurial spirit inventiveness; originality; not bound by the norm.
15.9 School pride: playing a contributing role in maintaining and improving all aspects of a school's environment, programs and activities within the context of contributing to the betterment of the city, county and state.