Print These Pages

It's Magic!
Key Ideas: Standing up for your beliefs/Speaking out against wrong/Creating real success
Character Traits: Integrity/Honesty/Courage
Level: Secondary

Good morning, name of school . This is name of narrator with a few

words of wisdom.

Ever noticed how easy it can be to go along with something you know is
wrong? Like when others are acting like bullies and you join in or you do
nothing to stop it. Or when someone says, "Hey, everybody's doing it!" so
you do what you know is wrong.

W. Clement Stone, a man who created great wealth and success in his life,
said:

Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth.
Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys
to living your life with integrity.

When you choose a life of integrity, you have the courage to face the truth
about wrong behaviors. It's the only way to live a truly rich life filled with the
kinds of riches that really matter — self-respect, caring relationships, and
the desire to make a positive difference in the world.

With something to think about, this is ___________. Make it a great day . . .

or not. The choice is yours.

Broadcast Message
ERS 06-21 (Rev 02-18)
Teacher Copy

It's Magic!
Key Ideas: Standing up for your beliefs/Speaking out against wrong/Creating real success

Character Traits: Integrity/Honesty/Courage

Concept: Students explore the meaning of living a life of integrity.

Materials: Suggested activities for art classes may require materials for creating a drawing,
painting, or poster.

Directions: Read or ask a student to read aloud the Project Wisdom message that
accompanies this lesson plan. Distribute and have the students complete the
worksheet. Ask for volunteers to share responses to the following questions.

Discussion Generators

For the Message and/or Worksheet

1. Why do you think it's so much easier to go along with the crowd even when you know that what
the crowd is doing is wrong?
2. Why does it take courage to stand up and say no or to speak out against what's wrong?
3. W. Clement Stone writes that it's important to have the courage to face the truth. What are some
incidents when young people don't want to face the truth about wrong or even dangerous
behaviors?
4. Give an example of an individual or a company in the news or in history that had money, power,
status, and fame, but lost it because they didn’t have integrity. Discuss how they lost the respect
and trust of the public, and some, lost their freedom.

For the Worksheet

1. How did you paraphrase Gandhi's words?
2. Whom do you know who models integrity for you? Please share a specific example. How has this
person impacted your life?
3. Do you agree with the idea that integrity is the essence of success? Why or why not?
4. What is the greatest challenge that young people face today that requires them to make a choice
between right and wrong?
5. Why is it so difficult to make these types of choices?

Closing Comments – People define success in many different ways, but most would agree that true
success in life isn't about how much money one earns or possessions one acquires. True success means
having self-respect, caring relationships, and a desire to make a positive difference in the world. Without
integrity, these things are impossible to achieve. Each time you are faced with a choice between doing
what you know is right and doing what you know is wrong, you have the opportunity to choose to live a
life of integrity and to enjoy the riches that come with such a life.

Lesson Plan: 06-21 (Rev 02-18)

Page 1 of 4
 Student Copy

It's Magic!
GLOSSARY
Choosing to live a life of honesty and integrity is the only way to live a truly rich life —
a gold-standard life which is filled with the kinds of riches that really matter — self-
conviction respect, caring relationships, and the desire to make a positive difference in the world.
a strong
belief in 1. Mahatma Gandhi lived a life of integrity and made a positive difference in the lives of
something millions of people. Paraphrase his words below.

A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "Yes" merely uttered
essence to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
_______________________________________________________________________
the basic
_______________________________________________________________________
characteristic
_______________________________________________________________________
of something;
___________________________________________________________________over
the quality
that makes it
what it is 2. Whom do you know who models integrity, someone who is courageous enough to
stand up for what is right? Give a specific example of how he or she has modeled
integrity.
integrity _______________________________________________________________________
being honest _______________________________________________________________________
and having _______________________________________________________________________
strong moral _______________________________________________________________________
principals ___________________________________________________________________over

3. Do you agree with the quote below? Why or why not? Can you have success without
integrity? Explain.
paraphrase
Integrity is the essence of everything successful. — Richard Buckminster Fuller
to write or _______________________________________________________________________
say in your _______________________________________________________________________
own words _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________over

4. What is the greatest challenge that young people face today that requires them to
make a choice between right and wrong? Why is it so difficult to make these types of
choices?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________over

Lesson Plan: 06-21 (Rev 02-18)

Page 2 of 4
Teacher Copy

It's Magic!
Follow-up Activities

Art

• Much discussion in the art world has centered on the topic of artistic integrity. What does
that mean? Discuss possible meanings with your students. Come up with a definition for the
class. How is artistic integrity similar to personal integrity? Why are both important?

• Ask your students to make an artwork around an issue about which they feel strongly.
Specifically, ask them to create a work speaking out against something they feel is wrong.
Discuss how artists use their artworks at times as vehicles of social and political change. (Perhaps
view the art of the South African townships. There are many resources on the Internet.)
Afterward, hold a class critique and discuss the works and their meanings.

Social Studies

• Hold a class discussion about Watergate and the events leading up to the impeachment and
resignation of President Nixon. Was what President Nixon did worthy of impeachment? Why or
why not? What do we expect of our leaders in the way of integrity? Is the honorable thing to do
always clear? What are some guideposts?

• Brainstorm with your students and make a list of historical figures who have stood up
courageously for their beliefs or against wrongdoing. Imagine and discuss what the world would
have lost if they had kept quiet. Ask your students to write a short paper about an issue for which
they are willing to stand up. Ask a few to share their papers with the class.

Language Arts

• Read the story of "Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi with your students. The allegory of Pinocchio is
about integrity. What things must Pinocchio do and overcome to become a "real boy"? How are
they similar to what we must do to become real or true? What is the lesson of Pinocchio? Why do
you think it has stood the test of time?

• Poet Archibald MacLeish said, "The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life
when he resigns momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself." Ask your students to write
about a time when they have been the "dissenter."

Math

• A popular expression is "do the math," implying that numbers will always tell the true story. Is
this axiom always valid? Can numbers be robbed of their integrity? How? Why? Are numbers
only as true as the person applying them? Why or why not?

• Discuss what it means for an equation to have integrity.

Lesson Plan: 06-21 (Rev 02-18)

Page 3 of 4
Science

• The 1980 Bayh-Dole Act authorized licensing and patenting of results from federally sponsored
research. What impact may this have had, or have, on scientific integrity? Why? What is being
done to guard the integrity of science?

• Review with your students the basic scientific protocol. Compare and contrast to how we must
approach our everyday lives in order to maintain our integrity.

Computer Science

• Discuss the impact of the Internet on personal integrity. How has it helped us to become a more
honest and courageous society, and how has it hindered us? Ask the students to write about using
the Internet with integrity. What does that mean to them? Ask a few to read their papers aloud.
Discuss.

• Discuss integrity with your students. What does it mean? Then ask your students to use your
graphics program to design a poster or create a webpage that communicates something they
believe in, or that encourages others to be courageous. Display the posters around your school or
make the webpages available to the school.

Lesson Plan: 06-21 (Rev 02-18)

Page 4 of 4