Future Leaders

Ethics & Ethical Decision-Making Vocabulary List

This vocabulary list provides students with essential terminology to understand ethics, decision-making, and ethical leadership, helping them navigate real-world situations with integrity and fairness.

1. Ethics – A set of moral principles that guide behavior and decision-making.

2. Moral Compass – An internal sense of right and wrong that influences actions.

3. Integrity – Acting honestly and consistently according to moral and ethical principles.

4. Ethical Leadership – Leading by example through fairness, honesty, and respect for others.

5. Accountability – Taking responsibility for one's actions and their consequences.

6. Honesty – Being truthful in words, actions, and intentions.

7. Respect – Treating others with consideration, fairness, and dignity.

8. Fairness – Making decisions impartially and ensuring equal treatment for all.

9. Trustworthiness – Being reliable and deserving of others' confidence.

10. Responsibility – Being dependable and making choices that positively impact oneself and others.

11. Unethical Behavior – Actions that go against moral principles and accepted standards of conduct.

12. Consequences – The results or effects of one's actions, either positive or negative.

13. Decision-Making – The process of making choices based on ethical reasoning and values.

14. Empathy – Understanding and considering the feelings and perspectives of others when making ethical decisions.

15. Peer Pressure – Influence from others to behave in a certain way, which can be either ethical or unethical.

16. Conflict Resolution – Finding a peaceful and fair solution to a disagreement or problem.

17. Bias – A preconceived opinion or preference that may affect fairness and judgment.

18. Dilemma – A difficult situation requiring a choice between two or more options, often involving ethical considerations.

19. Consequential Thinking – Evaluating the potential outcomes of an action before making a decision.

20. Courage – Standing up for what is right, even when faced with challenges or opposition.

Ethical Leadership - Complete Curriculum Guide  / Complete Resource Folder

A review of top news stories from 2021:

• Las Vegas Raiders coach resigns following a New York Times report that revealed his penchant for racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language and behavior.

• Whistleblower exposes Facebook's unethical practices, including turning a blind eye to most misleading, inaccurate political posts and failing to protect teenager girls from social media content causing body image anxiety and depression.

• Miami condominium complex collapse likely caused by major structural damage to concrete beneath the swimming pool and in the underground parking garage--damage that the complex's management association became aware of three years ago but hadn't yet repaired.

• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigns due to harassment accusations and sexual improprieties.

Based on the events of 2021, some people might conclude that “ethical leadership” is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Admittedly, many politicians and top executives have become famous in recent years for behaving unethically and/or condoning the inappropriate actions of subordinates. Given the news media’s focus on these scandals, some people might even wonder if ethical leaders exist in our society.

In reality, ethical leaders exist everywhere, in all walks of life. They are the individuals who step forward when crises occur, come to the rescue of others, and generally do what’s right, no matter what—even when it doesn’t benefit them personally.

These individuals weren’t born with ethical leadership skills; instead, they learned them over time, perhaps at home, in a place of worship, or even at school. Ethical leadership skills can certainly be “taught,” although perhaps not in the traditional sense of the word. The key to becoming ethical leaders is being provided with opportunities to learn about, develop, and apply ethical leadership knowledge and skills firsthand.

Toward that end, the Ethical Leadership for Middle-Level Students course proactively exposes students to ethically-questionable, authentic cases and scenarios to facilitate growth of students’ ethical leadership skills before being faced with similar situations in real life. 

Ethical Leadership for Middle-Level Students is a foundational ethics Curriculum that gives students the language and tools necessary to distinguish between right and wrong. It introduces students to key ethical principles, including respect, responsibility, integrity, transparency, fairness, trust, following rules and laws, and viability. Throughout the curriculum, students examine and apply these principles to real- world situations that pre-teens and young adolescents commonly encounter in school, at home, and with friends.

Unit Goals

The broad goals of the Ethical Leadership for Middle-Level Students curriculum are to accomplish the following:

• Increase student awareness of ethical principles

• Facilitate student skill development in addressing ethical dilemmas in the family

• Encourage creative thought, problem solving, and ethical decision-making

• Enable students to develop personal and interpersonal skills

• Assist students with enhancing their teamwork & communication skills

• Reinforce academic skills in such areas as communication, reading, and writing

Potential Capstone Projects (could provide choice for students)

1. Ethical Dilemma Debates: Work in  small groups and select an ethical dilemmas related to issues such as honesty, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Plan on debating your dilemma. This will encourage you to think critically and consider multiple perspectives on ethical issues.

2. Character Traits Collage: You will create a collage that represents the different character traits you believe are important in making ethical decisions, such as kindness, empathy, integrity, and courage. You can use magazine cutouts, drawings, or other materials to illustrate your ideas. This project will help you reflect on your personal values and develop your creative skills.

3. Moral Storytelling: Write and present a short story that demonstrates the consequences of making an ethical or unethical choice. This can be done in a variety of formats, such as a skit, a comic strip, or a poem. Be creative and consider different ethical perspectives. This project will help you develop your writing and presentation skills, as well as your understanding of the impact of ethical decisions.

Nature of Ethics Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: What’s Good? (Nature of Ethics)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: consequence, ethical principles, ethics, principles, and unethical behavior.

2. Describe the importance of ethics.

3. Describe the role of ethical principles in decision making.

4. Discuss consequences of acting unethically.

5. Discuss benefits of ethical behavior.

Activity:

Divide the class into eight groups, and assign a different ethical principle to each group (i.e., integrity, trust, responsibility, transparency, fairness, respect, following rules and laws, and viability). Ask each group to identify an individual (real or fictional) who embodies its assigned ethical principle. Each group should then create a presentation, video, etc. of its choice to explain how the person’s behavior exhibits that particular ethical principle. Finally, each group should share its work with the class.

Ethics Case for Students: Ashlyn and her project group just finished presenting to the teacher and rest of the class, and it went extremely well! After the presentation, the teacher approached Ashlyn and told her that she did an excellent job. He told her that because of her hard work, he was going to give her extra credit. Ashlyn was excited and proud, but she also felt guilty. The presentation was successful because of her whole group, not just her individual efforts. What should Ashlyn do? Should she accept the praise and what comes with it? Or should she make sure to give credit to her classmates, even if it costs her extra credit? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Transparency, Fairness, Respect)

Respect Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: With All Due Respect (Respect)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: empathy, ethics, interpersonal skills, principles, respect, self-respect, and tact.

2. Explain the importance of treating others and oneself with respect.

3. Discuss characteristics of respectful individuals.

4. Demonstrate procedures for treating others and oneself with respect.

Activity:

Ask students to write a brief paper about a situation at school or in the community in which a person was treated disrespectfully. Have students include a discussion of the impact that this treatment had on the person and on those around them. Ask students to submit the paper to you for review. Then, lead the class in a discussion of ways to show respect and dignity to others.

Ethics Case for Students: While walking to the cafeteria for lunch, Anaya overheard one of the teachers quietly making negative remarks about a student to another teacher. Should Anaya report what she heard to someone in the school building, or should she keep the teacher’s comments to herself? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Trust, Fairness, Respect)

Responsibility Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Taking Ownership (Responsibility)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: accountability, coachability, ethics, principles, proactive, responsibility, self-awareness, self-control, and self-discipline.

2. Discuss the importance of taking responsibility for decisions and actions.

3. Distinguish between accountability and responsibility.

4. Describe characteristics of responsible individuals.

5. Demonstrate procedures for being responsible.

Activity:

Individually, students should write about someone who has not taken responsibility for their decisions and actions. This person might be a celebrity, a politician, a family friend, etc. Each student should

explain that person’s decisions and actions and the negative consequences of failing to accept responsibility for what they did. Each student should also identify possible reasons for the person’s lack of responsibility, discuss steps that the person could have taken to take responsibility for their actions, and explain how taking responsibility for these decisions and actions could have improved the person’s situation. When finished, students should share their work with the class.

Ethics Case for Students: While you are getting your instrument ready for band class you accidentally knock over a tuba that belongs to your classmate. The tuba doesn’t seem like it was dented or scratched, so you carefully place it back in its cubby and don’t tell anyone. Later, during class, your

classmate raises their hand and says that their tuba doesn’t sound right. Your teacher goes over to help them figure out what’s wrong, but they can’t seem to determine the cause. You know that it’s your fault, but you’re afraid that you'll get in trouble if you tell your teacher. What should you do? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Responsibility, Respect)

Integrity Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: At Face Value (Integrity)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: ethics, honesty, integrity, loyalty, and principles.

2. Explain the importance of acting with integrity.

3. Describe characteristics of individuals with integrity.

4. Demonstrate procedures for acting with integrity.

Activity:

Working in small groups, students should create and present a skit depicting dishonesty at school. The skit should illustrate the problem as well as methods for resolving the situation. Ask students to respond to the following questions at the conclusion of each skit:

1. What seems to be the major problem in the situation?

2. What suggestions were given for dealing with the problem?

3. Were the suggestions ethical or unethical?

4. What are the probable consequences of these suggestions?

5. Should the situation be handled differently? How?

Ethics Case for Students: Your Science teacher assigned a take-home exam and specifically stated that students could not use the textbook, their notes, or the internet to complete the exam. After class, several students said that they were going to use the textbook anyway. They explained that because it’s a take-home exam, the teacher would never know whether they used a book or not. Those students have invited you to get together with them later tonight to work on the test. What should you

do? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Trust, Responsibility, Fairness)

Transparency Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Let Me Be Clear (Transparency)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: empathy, ethics, half-truth, honesty, principles, and transparency.

2. Discuss the importance of transparency.

3. Describe characteristics of transparent communication.

4. Demonstrate techniques for fostering transparent communication.

Activity:

Lead the class in a discussion of open, honest communication, including what it is, its benefits, the role of trust in it, etc. Then, work in partnership with students to develop a set of guidelines for fostering open, honest communication in the classroom. After coming to consensus on the guidelines, which should apply to interactions among students as well as between the teacher and students, post them in the classroom for future reference.

Ethics Case for Students: For the last few weeks, your English Language Arts class has been reading and discussing the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. On the last day before spring break, your teacher assigns a writing assignment about racial injustice, a central theme of the novel. The assignment is due on the first day back to school after spring break. Many students, including yourself, are upset about having to do schoolwork during vacation.

Last year in Social Studies class, however, you wrote a report of similar length about discrimination— and earned an “A” on the assignment. Since the topics of the two writing assignments are similar, you’re tempted to change a few words here and there in the Social Studies report, add references to the book, and submit the essay to your English Language Arts teacher for the current assignment.

Should you reuse the Social Studies report for English Language Arts class? If so, should you tell your teacher that you actually wrote the report last year for a different class, or let them think that you wrote the essay specifically for this assignment? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Responsibility, Transparency)

Fairness Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: bias, empathy, ethics, equality, fairness, principles, and stereotypes.

2. Discuss the importance of treating others fairly.

3. Discuss characteristics of individuals who treat others fairly.

4. Demonstrate techniques for treating others fairly.

Activity:

Divide the class into groups of three or four students each. Instruct each group to brainstorm things that people sometimes do at school or in their personal/social lives that are unfair. Then, each group should identify solutions for at least two of these unfair behaviors and share its ideas and recommendations with the class. Lastly, lead the class in a discussion of the feasibility of and similarities among the solutions that the groups proposed.

Ethics Case for Students: Each summer, Ryan and his best friend Tamir run a lemonade stand. Because

the lemonade stand is at Tamir’s house, he gives his sister a glass of lemonade for free each day.

However, Ryan isn’t sure that’s fair—sure, the lemonade stand is at Tamir’s house, but Ryan would have gotten half the money had Tamir’s sister actually paid for her glass of lemonade! What do you think—is it fair for Tamir to give his sister free lemonade when it affects the money that Ryan earns each

summer? (Ethical Principles Involved: Transparency, Fairness)

Trust Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Two-Way Street (Trust)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: ethics, principles, trust, and trustworthy.

2. Discuss the importance of trust in relationships.

3. Describe characteristics of trustworthy people.

4. Demonstrate techniques for building trust in relationships.

Activity:

Ask each student to identify an organization or group that they are a member of (e.g., athletic team, club, family, circle of friends, etc.). Then, instruct each student to develop a list of ways that other members of their chosen organization/group could earn (or have earned) their trust. Finally, discuss the students' lists as a class, assist the class in developing a list of the top 10 ways to build trust (based on the students' individual lists), and post the top 10 list in the classroom.

Ethics Case for Students: You’re working on a group project with a few of your close friends for Social Studies class. Part of the project is a presentation, which is work a big portion of your group grade.

Because you are naturally a good speaker, you’ve volunteered to present the project if your friends work on the speaking material. The day before the presentation, your friends ask how you are feeling about it—have you prepared? Do you feel ready and comfortable to present? The truth is you haven’t even

looked at the presentation yet, but you aren’t worried about it because you think you can do a good job even without practicing. Should you tell your friends, though? They’ll probably nag you about preparing. Do you promise them you’ve practiced the presentation, or do you come clean and explain that you haven’t prepared at all? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Trust, Transparency, Respect, Viability)

Following Rules and Laws  Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Take Charge (Following Rules & Laws)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: cyberbullying, ethics, fine, governing body, laws, letter of the law, petition, principles, rule of law, rules, and spirit of the law.

2. Discuss the importance of following rules and laws.

3. Explain the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

4. Demonstrate techniques for following rules and laws.

Activity:

Divide the class into groups of three or four students each. Instruct the groups to research the cyberbullying law(s) that people must comply with in your state. After conducting research, each group should develop a poster, website, public service announcement, etc. to teach other teenagers in the community about this law. The students' research product must identify the cyberbullying law, explain the spirit as well as the letter/intent of the law, and describe possible consequences of failing to comply with this law. Lead the class in a discussion of their products and consider inviting members of the school and/or community to learn more from students about cyberbullying laws.

Ethics Case for Students: Ruby is buying a snack after school at the small grocery store down the street. After walking out of the store, Ruby realizes the cashier accidentally gave her more change than she was supposed to receive. Now, Ruby isn’t sure what to do—she’s running late for softball practice and would be embarrassed to go back in and speak with the cashier. After all, it’s not like she stole the snack on purpose! But Ruby also knows that even if it’s not stealing, the store and its employees probably

wouldn’t appreciate that she walked away with their money. What should she do? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Trust, Responsibility, Transparency, Following Rules and Laws)

Viability Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Time Will Tell (Viability)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: consequence, ethics, long-term consequence, principles, self-awareness, short-term consequence, value, and viability.

2. Explain the difference between short-term and long-term consequences.

3. Describe the importance of making viable decisions.

4. Demonstrate techniques for assessing the long-term value and impact of choices and actions.

Activity:

Watch the movie The Emperor’s New Groove with students. Then, discuss the importance of considering the short- and long-term impact of an individual's choices and actions on others.

Ethics Case for Students: During an audition for the school’s after-school chorale, Robert was asked whether he was familiar with the work of a famous composer whose work the choir often sang during the holiday performance. Since it was months before the holiday performance and Robert figured he would have time to study, Robert saw no harm in lying, so he said he was very familiar with the

composer’s work. At the end of the audition, Robert was offered a part in the chorale.

When Robert arrived for his first practice, though, his new conductor was excited to share that the choir would have an opportunity to sing some of their usual holiday songs during an earlier performance— next week! He assigned Robert an important solo part because of his familiarity with the song. Now,

Robert isn’t sure what to do. He knows that if he admits that he lied during his audition, he’ll be in trouble. But if he isn’t prepared for the performance next week, it will be embarrassing for both him and the rest of the chorale! What should Robert do? (Ethical Principles Involved: Integrity, Responsibility, Transparency, Respect, Viability, Following Rules and Laws)

Responding to Ethical Dilemmas Teacher Guide and Activities

Student Slides

Corresponding Instructional Module: Game Plan (Responding to Ethical Dilemmas)

Objectives:

1. Define the following terms: dilemma, ethical dilemma, ethical principles, ethics, and principles.

2. Discuss characteristics of ethical dilemmas.

3. Explain reasons to recognize and respond to ethical dilemmas.

4. Discuss things to consider when determining if a problem is an ethical dilemma.

5. Demonstrate techniques for recognizing and responding to ethical dilemmas.

Activity:

Give an index card or small piece of paper to each student. Explain that each student needs to think of an ethical dilemma that they have experienced and then anonymously write a description of that ethical dilemma on the card/paper. Remind students not to include personal identifying information in their scenarios. If any students state that they have never encountered an ethical dilemma, instruct them to identify an ethical dilemma that someone they know has experienced. Students should not write their names on their cards/papers.

Collect all the cards/papers from the students and review to ensure there isn’t any identifying information on the cards. Then, place the cards/papers in a box, hat, etc., and have students pair up with a partner. Next, recruit a student to select a card/paper and read it to the class. Give the students two minutes with their partners to determine if the dilemma is truly an ethical dilemma and to devise an appropriate response to the ethical dilemma. At the end of the two minutes, call on different groups to share their conclusions. If other groups disagree, allow them to respond. Then, lead the class in a discussion of the best way to respond to the ethical dilemma and how to avoid this type of ethical dilemma in the future. Repeat this process until the end of class or until every ethical dilemma has been shared and discussed.

Ethics Case for Students: Your classmate Asher is struggling in Science class, so you offer to help them study for the upcoming exam. During your study session they ask if they can copy down your notes from class. They say that they’ll only use your notes to supplement their own notes. You agree, and they copy down all of your class notes into their own notebook.

A few days later several of your classmates approach you and thank you for letting them use your notes to study. They sense your confusion and say that your Asher gave out copies to the entire class. You’re upset that Asher took advantage of your kindness, and you consider asking everyone for your notes back. But you don’t want the entire class to hate you, either! What should you do? (Ethical Principles Involved: Trust, Responsibility, Fairness, Viability)

Knowledge Showcase

The knowledge showcase (KS) is a special activity that gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through a preferred medium. The KS can be a stand-alone activity or part of a portfolio compilation. Students may work on their KS throughout the course as they finish lessons and/or units. Instructors may ask students to present their deliverables to the class or to a greater audience, such as through a school-wide symposium. Steps to facilitate the KS are below.

Ask students to reflect on what they have learned during the course of Ethical Leadership for Middle- Level Students (e.g., the nature of ethics, ethical principles, responding to ethical dilemmas, etc.) What knowledge do they have now that they didn’t before? What stood out to or resonated with them?

Encourage students to consider these questions for a variety of environments, including home, school, extracurricular activities, places of worship, digital spaces, different communities, etc.

Then, ask students to create a deliverable showcasing their new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding. Instructors may select the deliverable format, or they may give students the choice of their deliverable from one of the forms below:

• Comic strip

• Short story

• Essay

• Poem

• Skit script

• Video

• Podcast

• Song

• Game

• Presentation

• Piece of art

• Because this activity is repeatable for portfolio compilation, instructors may also decide whether students may be allowed to repeat formats for different modules.)

• Once deliverables have been completed, instruct students to share their “showcases.” This can be done in pairs, in small groups, with the entire class, or as part of a portfolio once all deliverables have been completed.