Unit 2: Individuality and Self Branding
Lesson: Making “Judgment Calls”
Page: 1 of 3
Short Description
Given numerous ethical dilemmas, students will analyze the values/morals in conflict and find a
viable solution.
Materials Needed
Copy of Hazing Reflection (one copy for teacher)
Copies of Judgment Call Scenarios (enough copies for each student in the group to have one)
Required Set-Up/Preparation
Provide enough space for the class to be divided into three groups
Lesson Outline
• Introduction – Hazing
• Instruction – Judgment Call Scenarios
• Reflection – Debrief the Scenario Debates
• Extension Activity – Related Lesson
• School Climate Impact – PSA Campaign
Renaissance Leadership Curriculum © 2019 Jostens, Inc. All rights reserved.
Unit 2: Individuality and Self Branding
Lesson: Making “Judgment Calls”
Page: 2 of 3
Introduction - Hazing
Read aloud to the class the article in Hazing Reflection. Be sure to pause when told to do so to lead
the appropriate class discussions.
Instruction – Judgment Call Scenarios
Remind students the definitions of Values, Morals, and Ethics (see lesson titled Values vs. Morals
vs. Ethics).
Discuss with the class how learning to navigate a leadership role will sometimes require them to
make judgment calls. Judgment calls are tough because often they feel like a lose/lose situation with
no clear answer. In those situations, students must rely on their value systems to help guide their
decisions.
The instruction for this lesson will occur through debate and dialogue amongst the students. The
instructor will need to facilitate the rules of the activity and monitor discussions. During the activity,
the class should be divided into three groups. Each group will be given a ‘judgment call scenario’ to
start.
The rules for the scenario are:
• Each student in the group will silently read the scenario to themselves.
• On the back of the scenario, each student will silently and individually write down two things -
the values and morals that are in conflict throughout the scenario AND what they would do
given the information provided. This will require there to be multiple copies of the scenario to
be printed so that each student in the group can have their own copy to write on.
• Once students have completed the individual portion of the scenario review, they will then
compare their findings to those of the rest of their group.
• Each group will debate and discuss until they reach one agreed-upon solution to the
scenario.
Once the first scenario has been processed by each group, this entire activity will repeat itself until
each group has processed five different scenarios.
At the conclusion of all rounds of inter-group debates, have each group present their scenarios and
their findings to the rest of the class. (Because of this, IT IS ADVISED TO ENSURE THAT EACH
GROUP IS GIVEN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FROM THE OTHER GROUPS.)
Examples of Judgment Call Scenarios can be found here. Add to the list as you deem appropriate.
Renaissance Leadership Curriculum © 2019 Jostens Inc. All rights reserved.
Unit 2: Individuality and Self Branding
Lesson: Making “Judgment Calls”
Page: 3 of 3
Reflection – Debrief the Scenario Debates
Ask the class to discuss how they worked out amongst themselves how to handle each scenario
when they may not have agreed in the beginning. Dig deeper into what they say to find out why some
students may have given in on what they thought should happen just so the group could reach one
agreed upon outcome. Also find out how the students decided which values to prioritize when more
than one of their values were in conflict.
After this whole class discussion, have each student individually identify one lesson they learned
about themselves because of this activity.
Extension Activities – Related Lesson
The lesson is best administered immediately after the lesson titled Values vs. Morals vs. Ethics as
that lesson lays the foundational understanding for how to identify values and morals that in conflict
during an ethical dilemma.
School Climate Impact – PSA Campaign
Working with administration and your school’s counseling office; gather information regarding the
most frequent issues appearing in discipline and behavior problems amongst your student body.
Given that information, have your leadership students create a Public Service Announcement around
the discipline issues to be shared with the student body.
An example in action: Cape Henlopen High School in Delaware has their leadership students create
periodic PSAs addressing vaping and targeted toward a student audience.
This PSA approach can be applied to many problems your students see on campus or within their
greater community.
Renaissance Leadership Curriculum © 2019 Jostens Inc. All rights reserved.
