Lesson Plan: Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development Karen Klass 6th Grade Psychology April 4, 2012 Student Objectives/Student

Outcomes: By the end of class today: Students will be able to identify Kohlbergs six stages of moral development. Students will be able to differentiate Kohlbergs stages. Students will be able to apply real-life scenarios to Kohlbergs stages of development. Content Standards Goal 1: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success. A. Identify and manage ones emotions and behavior. 1A.5a. Evaluate how expressing ones emotions in different situations affects others. A: Consider ethical, safety, and societal factors in making decisions. 3A.4a. Demonstrate personal responsibility in making ethical decisions. 3A.5a. Apply ethical reasoning to evaluate societal practices. 3A.4b. Evaluate how social norms and the expectations of authority influence personal decisions and actions. Materials/Resources/Technology 20 copies of suitcase dilemma Projector Prezi about Kohlbergs six stages 6 posters Tape Small scenario cards 20 exit slips Teachers Goals: Students will examine whether some motivations are better than others. Students will explore whether the means to the end are significant if the outcome is the same. Students will discover the role of morality in their daily lives. To demonstrate to students the importance of moral and ethical emotions and their role in human development and society. Students will be able to apply the idea of means to an end to their real lives by understanding the differences in why people do what they do. Students understanding of right and wrong will be taken a step further, because they will consider the motivation behind choices. Time: 8:00 8:05

Start of Class: The Suitcase Dilemma

Hand out half a slip of paper that says on it You are walking down the street when you come across the suitcase below. Its full of money. No one is around; no one will know what you do with it. Do you a. Keep the money? b. Use it to buy gifts for your loved ones? c. Give it to the poor? Or d. Turn it over to the police? Give students two minutes to quietly answer the question on their own. Encourage them to write down a few reasons why they chose the answer they did. Remind them to be honest and truthful in their response by answering what they actually think they would do in this situation. After working individually, allow the students three minutes to share their answers with their tables. As them if there were any answers that were more common than others? Any answers that no one selected? Why do they think that is? What do they think of each response? Introduction of Lesson Briefly explain Kohlbergs levels of moral development. Share, Lawrence Kohlberg was a professor who came up with reasons we chose to behave the way they do. Lesson Instruction: The teacher will use a Prezi to go through the following instruction. The teacher will lecture about the six levels briefly by explaining them and asking the students relevant rhetorical questions in order to keep them engaged. Levels 1 and 2 motivate little kids Level 1 (I dont want to get in trouble) is the most common level in elementary school. Honestly, how many of you have done your homework because you dont want to get in trouble? Level 2 is I want a reward. Does anyone ever do chores to get paid an allowance? Does anyone ever do their homework because they want good grades? Thats level 2 thinking. Levels 3 and 4 motivate a lot of adults Level 3 is I want to please somebody. You ever work hard for your parents? Or for a teacher? Thats level 3 thinking. Level 4 is I follow the rules. I dont speed because I follow the rules. Or I dont steal because I follow the rules. Levels 5 and 6 Level 5 (I am considerate of other people) is very advanced. It is very rare. It basically says, I care about others and I care about my community. You dont want to bother other people. Tell story about Elizabeth Quiroz at Six Flags. Level 6 is the highest level and its the hardest to reach. Its I have a code of behavior that I follow. Lesson Instruction Continued Each group will receive 6 scenarios and the group will have to work together to identify which scenario fits with each stage of moral development.

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After Class

Together, they will read each scenario and place it on their puzzle board of the six stages (provided by teacher). Additionally, students must justify their reasoning for identifying each situation with the various levels. The groups will come together as a class to compare answers. Lesson Instruction Continued Means to an end discussion: The class will come together for a group discussion to discuss whether they believe if the means to an end really matter. In other words, if people act in a certain way, does it matter why they do what they do? How does this relate to Kohlbergs stages of moral development? For example, if a person decided to turn the suitcase into the police (in the suitcase dilemma) does it matter why he decided to do so? If he was simply scared about getting in trouble versus morally feeling like returning the suitcase was the right thing to do, does it really matter? How can we apply this theory to everyday life? Assessments/Checks for Understanding Exit slips (either to take home or do at the end of class if there is time). Half sheets of paper that ask: what level of moral development each of the students thinks that he or she is currently at, what his or her goal is to become, and how he or she can advance to this level. Closure/Wrap-Up/Review: The teacher will reiterate to the class that today we Learned about Kohlbergs 6 stages of moral development We applied these levels to situations that happen in everyday life Discussed whether the means to the end is important in determining why people act the way that they do Discussed our own individual moral levels and how we can advance further Self-Assessment: My self-assessment will include a reflection and taking the time to see if the lesson instruction and activities were all engaging, interactive, and resonated with the students. I can judge this by seeing how willing the students are to participate in the activities and ensure that I asked questions that challenged their prior thinking.