DUAL PURPOSE EXPERIENCES

Motivational Quote #1: "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through
experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success
achieved."
- Helen Keller

Motivational Quote #2: “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a
habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Four Basic Pathways to Building Character:

1. Role modeling
2. Didactic instruction (the language of paychecks, lectures, deliberate praise, spontaneous
teachable moments, class conversations, songfest, etc.)
3. Reflecting and goal setting
4. Practice

This is our area of focus.

Given the vast array of instructional objectives and standards to which we teach, adding extra
lessons to our already limited teaching time may seem unrealistic or impossible. This is where
dual purpose experiences can really bolster character development in your classroom.

Dual purpose experiences are learning experiences in which the teacher offers both an
instructional objective/aim and a connection to character strengths.

You have the opportunity to work character into your lesson through any one or more of these
venues:

1. Your aim
2. Your hook or connection
3. The direct instruction you provide
4. The reading you expose your students to over the course of a lesson (modeled writing or
think aloud, a particular passage or short text, a story problem, a chapter out of a
science book, etc.)
5. The task students set out to complete for independent practice
6. The share or close to your lesson

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
Example: Reading

Aim: To describe the characters in our books and support our characterizations with details
from the text

Character Connection: Identify the specific character strengths in your characters (grit,
kindness, self-control, gratitude, etc.)

Example: Writing

Aim: To use sensory details in your writing to describe your character at a small but
memorable moment

Character Connection: As you plan your writing, use a graphic organizer that matches the
emotion or character strength you saw in yourself with certain sensory details.

Bravery “My heart pounded with adrenaline as the roller coaster sailed.”
“I steadied my trembling legs and continued to move along the
cliff.”
Grit “My hands burned as I refused to let go of the rope.”
“The sound of my coach’s words pierced me, but I kept doing
push ups.”

Example: Social Studies

Aim: To compare and contrast the events leading up to the Battle of Gettysberg vs. the
Battle of Antiem

Character Connection: The teacher gives students a variety of primary and secondary
sources from both battles and pushes students to infuse the language of character into their
task as they look for examples (or the lack thereof) of grit, social intelligence, bravery and
other traits. This activity could be steered toward class discussion, written response, or a
more straightforward graphic organizer.

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
Example: Math

Aim: To evaluate two different algorithms for long division and determine which works best
for you

Character Connection: As part of the hook, the teacher discusses with students how long
division helps us develop grit because it takes time, patience and a refusal to stop.

Example: Science

Aim: Identify the different parts of the human heart and explain their form and function.

Character Connection: For independent practice, the teacher explains that students are going
to be given the opportunity to develop their creativity and love of learning by creating their
own representation of the heart and its different parts in the form of either a rap, a play, or a
painting.

Example: Character-infused aims

Aim: Write a non-narrative composition about someone that embodies kindness

Aim: Judge the open-mindedness of two different characters from Roll of Thunder, Hear My
Cry

Aim: Create three multi-step story problems that require grit to solve

Aim: Describe three different ways that the Algonquin tribe used creativity to adapt to their
environment in pre-colonial New York

Aim: Memorize a zestful song to remember the names of the planets

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 Possible Dual Purpose Aims/Tasks for Every Subject and the Big 7 Character Strengths

Social
Reading Writing Science Math
Studies
Gratitude To judge To compose To evaluate Write a letter To design and
which a gratitude whether or of gratitude analyze data
characters in letter using not the to a scientist from a
the story appropriate colonists who made an gratitude
have the adjectives were important survey based
greatest and adverbs justified in discovery. on 4 possible
sense of revolting types of
gratitude against the gratitude
British or
lacking
gratitude
Optimism/Hope To determine Write a Select two Select a Reflect on
whether or literary essay aspects of solution to a which skills
not the on To Kill a American world you have
author Mockingbird society that problem that mastered in
intended to based on the you would could be our current
create an theme of improve and solved by unit and set
optimistic or hope. create a plan science and goals for
pessimistic of changes address the future
ending to would you way the improvements.
their story make to the world would
present be better as a
government result of such
to make our a scientific
country achievement.
better.
Curiosity Identify two Write a letter Generate a To create a To use three
genres that to a pen pal, list of series of different
are out of focusing on questions “curiosity algorithms for
your comfort asking lots of about the questions” long division
zone and questions topic of that will help and judge
create a about aspects Ancient you dig which one
reading plan of their Egypt that deeper into works the best
to find a personal life will guide your inquiry for you
book within and culture. your project and
each genre. independent satisfy your
research hunger for
project. knowledge

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 Social
Reading Writing Science Math
Studies
Love To describe Write a love Compare and Discuss the To use
how Holden story. contrast that biology of geometric
Caufield’s two world love, address shapes to
ability or leaders its origins create the
inability to showed and the perfect
be loved patriotic biological Valentine card
affects his love. benefits of for someone
choices or being “in you love ☺
happiness in love.”
Catcher in
the Rye
Self-Control To explain To write a Analyze Design an Create your
the memoir slave experiment own version
relationship about a small narratives that measures of the
between self- moment and explain self-control Marshmallow
control and when you the ways that as it relates experiment
success for a failed to slaves were to biology, that includes
character in show good forced to psychology, some
your book self-control show or ecology. mathematical
and how you incredible analysis.
would relive self-control.
it
Social- To devise a To write a To engage in To give To work
Intelligence book club personal a seminar honest but effectively in
rubric based essay based style debate respectful partnerships to
on social on a prompt by following feedback to complete
intelligence relating to expectations teammates multi-step
and evaluate the for based on the story problems
yourself and importance respectfully design of
your partners of social disagreeing their science
using the intelligence with experiments
rubric in middle teammates
school
Zest To perform a To add To design To have fun To use a
special book emotional questions for mummifying special chant
talk to share punch to our a special dead to roll your
books that monologues edition of chickens multiples of 3,
we loved and by improving “History with our 6, and 9
are excited voice and Jeopardy” groups!
to word choice and compete
recommend in teams for
point

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 Dual Purpose Lesson Plan Template
Academic Aim

Character Focus

Hook/Connection

Mini-Lesson/Teaching

Guided Practice/Active Engagement

Independent Practice/Task

Share/Reflection/Exit Ticket

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 SAMPLE Dual Purpose Lesson
Academic Aim

To be the first group to write one sophisticated sentence for each comma rule indicated below on
chart paper to win the game! (13 in total)
Character Focus

Zest, social intelligence

Hook/Connection

We’ve been putting a lot of energy in writing class into making creating more sophisticated
sentence structure when we write. Today, we’re going to be doing an activity that’s going to
help us practice developing sophisticated sentences using different comma rules. At the same
time, we’re going to do this as a game so it’s going to be a lot of fun and involves working
together really well.

Mini-Lesson/Teaching

Explain the rules of the game and expectations for partner work. All expectations should be
couched in the language of social intelligence:

a. Listen to teammates and pay attention to their feelings to make sure everybody feels
equally involved.
b. Say kind words to motivate and support each other to be the first to win.
c. It’s okay to disagree or correct each other but do it in a kind and careful way.

Give students a list of comma rules with examples of sentences that follow each rule. Model
creating a sophisticated sentence following a particular comma rule. Create a sentence that is
fun.

Guided Practice/Active Engagement

In pairs, students select a comma rule and create their own sophisticated sentence using that rule.
Ask for volunteers to share sentences that are fun or funny.

Independent Practice/Task

Teams begin playing the game. The first group that creates sentences that accurately use all
comma rules to create sophisticated sentences will win.

Share/Reflection/Exit Ticket

Celebrate victorious students with 5 seconds of Spider-Man love or Roller-Coaster Love.

Students shout out teammates for showing social intelligence in a variety of ways.

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 SAMPLE Dual Purpose Rubric
Book Clubs – Teacher, Peer, Self Evaluation

Your Name: _______________________________________________________

Categories Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four

Self-Control Completed less Completed the Completed all Completed all
than half of majority of assigned reading and assigned reading and assigned
assigned reading reading and notes notes on time notes in advance of
and notes deadline
Social Intelligence Does some Either attempts or The majority of the Always does the
combination of sometimes does the time, does the following:
the following: following: following: -Never interrupts
-Interrupts others -Never interrupts -Never interrupts others
-Dominates the others others -Doesn’t monopolize
conversation or -Doesn’t -Doesn’t monopolize conversation
doesn’t speak at monopolize conversation -Makes intelligent
all conversation -Makes intelligent statements to make
-Disagrees rudely -Makes intelligent statements to make teammates more
or disrespectfully statements to make teammates more involved in the
with teammates teammates more involved in the discussion
-Doesn’t listen to involved in the discussion -Disagrees in a very
teammates discussion -Disagrees in a very respectful, thoughtful
-Disagrees in a very respectful, thoughtful way
respectful, way -Nods, smiles, tracks
thoughtful way -Nods, smiles, tracks other speakers at all
-Nods, smiles, other speakers at all times
tracks other times
speakers at all times

Curiosity -Asks few or no -Attempts to ask -Asks relevant, -Asks relevant,

relevant questions some discussion sophisticated, sophisticated,
in discussion questions, which unexpected questions unexpected questions
may be somewhat -Shows some interest -Shows tremendous
superficial or in the ideas of others interest in deepening
expected understanding of the
text through others’
ideas

Zest -Spoke unclearly -Spoke clearly and -Spoke clearly and -Spoke clearly and
or too quietly to loudly some of the loudly most of the loudly at all times
be heard most of time time -Showed great
the time -Showed some -Showed some energy, interest, and
-Showed very energy, interest, and energy, interest, and enthusiasm
little energy, enthusiasm enthusiasm
interest, or
enthusiasm
Gratitude -Takes poor care -Takes fair care of -Takes good care of -Takes great care of
of materials or materials all materials all materials
insults teammates -Doesn’t seem to -Attempts to thank -Offers genuine
show appreciation teammates for thanks to teammates
to teammates one contributions for their
way or the other sometimes contributions

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 Here are suggestions for maximizing dual purpose experiences in your class:

Hooks
• Tell stories and use yourself as a frequent example. You don’t have to explicitly say
what character strengths you are modeling.
• Ask open ended questions that give students the opportunity to articulate their own
thoughts on character.
• BE CREATIVE AND FUNNY. Being creative and funny models very important
character strengths.
• Work character into your Do Nows. This works really well for multiple choice questions.
• Explain to students how what they are about to do connects to a particular aim. This
works really well when the lesson is going to be difficult (grit), creative (creativity),
project centered (love of learning) and/or heavily independent (self-control). Doing
anything well demands some type of character strength.

Aims/Objectives
• Consider creating a character aim to go next to your instructional aim.
• Whenever character analysis happens in reading, attach character strengths to your aim.
• When discussing or analyzing cause and effect relationships in any literacy centered
class, consider bringing character strengths or lacks of character into the aim.
• Infuse one character strength into an aim. If you want the kids to be creative, use that
language in your aim (“create a . . . “) and if you want to push something challenging, use
the word “grit” (“Show your grit by completing a two page essay that . . . “).

Direct Instruction
• Take advantage of teachable moments. Even if you aren’t teaching a lesson on gratitude,
you can still call it out to your kids if it appears in the story you are reading to them.
• Tell stories! Even when you aren’t explicit, telling stories about different character
strengths rubs off onto students.
• Pay attention to the questions you ask while checking for understanding. Is it an
opportunity to bring character into the instruction?
• Work your explicit thoughts about character into modeled think alouds (“I think Olivia is
showing grit here because . . .”).
• Create scenarios or story problems that infuse the language of character into them.

Reading/Material and Independent Practice

• Give kids stories about overcoming obstacles, being brave or honest, showing gratitude
or self-control, making acts of kindness, etc.
• Create scenarios or problems that infuse the language of character into them.
• Give students questions that give them the opportunity to evaluate and judge character in
a variety of contexts.

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
Sharing/Closing
• Reconnect the work you’ve done in class that day to character.
• Use descriptive praise to shout out the character that a student showed (“Jeffrey showed
lots of love of learning today by . . .” or “Anabel showed so much zest in her first draft by
...“
• Ask the students to articulate how the work they are doing is helping them understand
character better.
• Focus a lot of energy on the grit. Constantly remind kids that kids aren’t born smart, they
get there by working hard and never giving up. (“Mathematicians aren’t born, they’re
made!”)

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity
 Planning Calendar for Different Character Strengths

Month of _____________________________________________________________________

Lessons
Gratitude

Optimism

Zest

Curiosity/Interest

Love

Self-Control

Social Intelligence

KIPP NYC PD: Dual Purpose Experience Michael Witter, KIPP Infinity