Middle School Dilemmas
Comments Off Click here to download a PDF version of this activity.
Background
This activity was developed for use by schools attending the 2011 Ethical Literacy® Conference presentation “Values in Action: GO HDR!”
Relates to
- Skill development: “Right-versus-Right Decision Making.”
Objective
- To increase student buy-in to your school’s Ethical Literacy initiative
Audience
Administrators, faculty, and staff
Timing
Allow for at least 30 minutes
Preparation
Distribute dilemmas, a sample list is provided within and then provide an overview or review of the principles of ethical decision-making:
- 4—dilemma paradigms
- Truth versus Loyalty
- Justice versus Mercy
- Short-term versus Long-term
- Individual versus Community
- 3—resolution principles
- Ends-based
- Rules-based
- Care-based
Activity
Step 1. Explain, that for middle school students, life is full of dilemmas that most adults take for granted. What may seem small and trivial to an adult can be a mountain of a problem to the middle school student. You have been provided a list of real-life dilemmas written by middle school students. Imagine you are a middle school student and think of two possible solutions to one of the right vs. right scenarios.
Step 2. Divide into small groups (3-5 per group).
Step 3. Randomly assign each group one middle school dilemma.
Step 4. Groups will discuss among themselves at least two possible “right” solutions to their assigned scenario.
Step 5. Each group must report by saying, “While it would be right to….., it would also be right to…….” Then explain how they would solve the scenario.
Step 6. If time allows, use the Four Dilemma Paradigms to define the dilemma and the Resolution Principles to justify the solution.
Reflection
Upon completion of the activity, ask participants:
1. What kinds of dilemmas provide the most authentic real-world connections to ethical literacy for the average middle school student?
2. How difficult is it for middle school students to get away from thinking black/white, right/wrong?
3. How can we best nudge our middle school students into the formal operations stage and abstract thinking?
Acknowledgments
Developed by Chris Cooper and Jill Reilly
Sample Dilemmas
1. One of your friends tells you a secret about something bad that they did, and the school has been trying to figure out who it was that did it for around a week now. What should you do and why?
2. You hear about someone cheating on a test, but you aren’t sure if they really did cheat or not. What should you do and why?
3. You are walking down the hall and you notice someone throw a piece of trash on the ground and walk off. What should you do and why?
4. One of your friends forgets to do their homework and tells the teacher they “left it at home.” You know that they lied and didn’t do their homework, so what should you do and why?
5. One of your best friends just had a death in the family, and you catch them cheating on a test. What should you do and why?
6. You walk into the restroom and catch someone doing Wordly Wise homework, and you’re not sure if they didn’t do it or if they are cheating off of someone else’s homework. What should you do and why?
7. You see one of your classmates sharing homework with another classmate who had a late-night ballgame and didn’t have enough time to finish all of their homework when they got home. What should you do and why?
8. Someone forgets their blazer on Friday, and you catch them go and get one from the lost and found before a teacher can catch them. What should you do and why?
9. Your teacher incorrectly grades your paper, and the mistakes she made give you extra points, even though you really got the questions wrong. What should you do and why?
10. You walk in the lunchroom servery and see forks all over the ground, and no one is paying any attention to them. What should you do and why?
11. The bell rings and lunch is over. You have to get to class on time or you get a referral for being late three times in a row. All your friends scurry out of the lunch room, leaving trash on the table. What should you do and why?
12. Your friends get up to leave the lunch room and leave a few trays on the table. The lunch lady is walking towards the table to pick it up and put it in the cleaning area. What should you do and why?
13. You are playing in a game, and the opposing team leaves water bottles on the field afterward. What should you do and why?
14. You are playing in a game, and the ref makes an incorrect call that benefits the other team. What should you do and why?
15. You are playing in a game, and the ref makes incorrect call that benefits you. What should you do and why?
16. You had a late-night game and did not have time to do your homework. You come to school the next day with NONE of your homework. What should you do and why?
17. You forget your clothes for wellness, but you see an unclaimed wellness uniform in the locker room without a name on it. What should you do and why?
18. When you get to class, you realize that your teacher has forgotten about the quiz scheduled for today. Your best friend did not have time to study for the quiz. What should you do and why?
19. A student got a sandwich and a salad at lunch, but he decided he didn’t want the sandwich. He left the sandwich on the salad bar. Ms. Sue came up and asked, “Who left this sandwich here?” What should you do and why?
20. Your teacher gives a test but forgets to remove yesterday’s notes from the board. What should you do and why?
21. You have a very important Honor Council meeting to attend during study hall, but you have not finished your homework. What should you do and why?
Themocracy