List of 50+ free character education curriculum resources
Looking to complete your character education curriculum or do you just need that one perfect worksheet? We welcome you to browse through this list of all our free character education teaching resources for elementary school-aged children.
In response to the schools from around the world who have asked... here is a concise list of all our elementary character education curriculum resources in one long list. We don't have a definitive curriculum as we find that teachers each have unique goals. We're thrilled to share these free resources for your character ed curriculums and hope our worksheets and lesson plans help students connect with the heart of the character education message-- teaching kids to do the right thing, for the right reason.
New resources available
Please note, our catalog includes many more new items since this list was published. Please go to the main catalog page for the most current information: character ed teaching resources catalog.
Character Education Lesson Plans
These lesson plans are great for character education curriculums. They come complete with instructions, notations on aligning with curriculum learning standards and links to needed materials.
1. Empathy Lesson Plan
Grade level: Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4
Story and worksheets that teach what empathy is, why it is important, how to build empathy skills. Teaching empathy, caring.
2. Honesty Lesson Plan - Story Based
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Story-based lesson using a book and supporting poster and other printables. Teaching Honesty, Conscience, Forgiveness
3. Honesty Lesson Plan - Worksheet Based
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Worksheet based lesson plan using the “What is Honesty” worksheet. For a curriculum about Honesty, Conscience, Forgiveness
4. Honesty Lesson Plan - Kindergarten
Grade level: k, 1
Presentation and Worksheet lesson plan using picture-based materials is great in a curriculum for non-readers. Teaching Honesty, Conscience, Forgiveness
5. Respect in Friendship Lesson Plan
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Story-based lesson plan with supporting worksheet. For a curriculum around Respect, Perseverance, Empathy, Caring
6. Responsibility, Respect Lesson Plan
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Story-based lesson plan with supporting worksheet and activity teaching Responsibility, Respect, Self-control, Empathy, Caring
7. Christian Homeschool / Sunday School Lesson Plans
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
The above lesson plans have been adapted for Sunday School or Christian Home School curriculums.
Character Education Worksheets
These worksheets and powerpoints are ready to be added to a character education curriculum or used as stand-alone lessons.
1. What if Seed Worksheet / Activity
Grade level: Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4
One of our most popular worksheets, this is a printable version of the activity that is included in
Book 3- What if? The activity is ideal for a curriculum around choices and consequences.
2. What is Honesty Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
A word-based worksheet that teaches children to think through several aspects of honesty including lying, deceit, lies of omission, stealing, false accusations.
3. What is Honesty Worksheet- Kindergarten
Grade level: k, 1
This is a picture based worksheet teaching several aspects of honesty including lying, false accusations, deceit, stealing.
4. What is Honesty PowerPoint- Kindergarten
Grade level: k, 1
This is similar to our What is Honesty picture-based worksheet. Great for curriculums with non-readers the PowerPoint displays pictures that show a situation and encourage children to interpret what is happening and whether the action is honest.
5. What is Conscience Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
A worksheet explaining conscience and how to listen to your inner moral compass.
6. What is Respect Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Our most popular worksheet, download this matching-style worksheet exploring how to show respect in multiple situations.
7. Treating Friends with Respect Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Another popular curriculum topic fpr character ed and social skills as it explores issues in friendship and how to resolve conflict with respect and caring. Helps with curriculums about relational aggression bullying as well as the usual friends-being-mean-to-each-other issues.
8. Empathy Worksheet 1
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Uses images from Talking with Trees Book 1, Be Proud, to help children identify emotions in others which is essential to curriculums about building empathy.
9. Empathy Worksheet 2
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Uses images from Book 2, Be Bigger, to help children identify emotions and build empathy.
10. Empathy Worksheet 3
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Uses images from Book 3, What if?, to help children identify emotions by facial expressions and body language to help build empathy.
11. Empathy PowerPoint 1- Be Proud
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
Similar to our empathy worksheets, but in PowerPoint format. Uses images from Book 1, Be Bigger. I this curriculum element, teachers present an image of a boy with an emotive expression and guide discussion about how the child is feeling, then display suggested emotions.
12. Empathy PowerPoint 2 - Be Bigger
Grade level: k, 1, 2, 3, 4
PowerPoint presentation that uses images from Book 2, Be Bigger, to build empathy. Teachers present an image of girls with emotive faces and guide discussion about how the child is feeling, and then display suggested emotions.
13. Responsibility Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Worksheet presents situations and students determine whether the example shows responsibility and what potential consequences could be. Great for a curriculum on responsibility, consequences, cause and effect.
14. Empathy Worksheet- Put Yourself in Someone's Shoes
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Worksheet for a curriculum on empathy. Helps children see a situation through other people’s perspectives- the classic idea of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.
15. Empathy Worksheet- Ways to show empathy
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
Worksheet helps children draw an example of when they have felt empathy or have seen someone else’s perspective.
16. Interactive Conscience Worksheet
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
A cut and paste interactive worksheet helps students compare actions with whether they are right or wrong.
17. Conscience Activity- Build a Conscience 3000-S
Grade level: 2, 3, 4
With some simple materials, build a "Conscience 3000-S" for an interactive lesson about how how a conscience works.
Character Education Coloring Pages
Great for character education curriculums for younger students, these are a nice add on activity after reading one of our picture books to the class.
1. What If Poster coloring page
Reinforces lessons in responsibility, respect, self control. (From What if, Talking with Trees Book 3.)
2. What If Tree coloring page
Teaches responsibility, respect, self control. (From What if, Talking with Trees Book 3.)
3. What If Seed coloring page
Based on our What if Worksheet / Activity. Teaches responsibility, self control, respect. (From What if,
Talking with Trees Book 3.)
4. Believe in Yourself coloring page
Teaches self esteem, honesty. (From Be Proud, Talking with Trees Book 1.
5. You Can Make Good Choices coloring page
Teaches self confidence, making good choices, self control. (From Be Proud, Talking with Trees Book 1.)
6. Be Bigger than Hurt Feelings coloring page
Teaches respect, caring. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
7. Choose the Right Way coloring page
Teaches perseverance, self-esteem. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
8. Show your Super Powers coloring page
Reminds children of core traits: Fair, Honest, Caring, Respectful, Responsible. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
9. Good Character Counts coloring page
Features all core traits: honesty, respect, caring, fairness, responsibility
Character Education Quotes
Add these to your curriculum, or just use them as gentle reminders on bulletin boards, class websites, or discussion starters. Find shareable graphics at each link.
1. “Respect means you care enough about others’ feelings to think before you act.” – the Elm Tree, Be Bigger, Talking with Trees series. Teaching respect and caring.
2. “Remember to as yourself, What if I do this, What could happen?” – the Mulberry Tree, What if?, Talking with Trees series. Teaching respect, responsibility, and self control.
3. “Being Bigger means you treat others the way you want to be treated, even when they haven’t been that kind to you.” – the Elm Tree, Be Bigger, Talking with Trees series. Teaching respect, caring, self control.
4. “Being honest in your heart feels better than ice cream.” – the Oak Tree, Be Proud, Talking with Trees series. Teaching honesty, conscience.
5. “A conscience is that voice in your head, and feeling in your heart, that tells you if something is right or wrong, even when no one is watching.” – the Oak Tree, Be Proud, Talking with Trees series. Teaching conscience, honesty.
6. “Right now is a great time to make a good choice.” – the Oak Tree, Be Proud, Talking with Trees series. Teaching self-control, conscience, making good choices.
7. “There’s the easy way and the right way. Which will you choose?” – the Elm Tree, Be Bigger, Talking with Trees series. Teaching self control, perseverance, making good choices.
8. “Make choices you can be proud of.” – the Elm Tree, Be Bigger, Talking with Trees series. Teaching self esteem, self control, making good choices.
9. “Making mistakes is part of life— and a really big part of growing up. It’s how you learn who you want to be.” – the Oak Tree, Be Proud, Talking with Trees series. TeachinFor curriculums teaching forgiveness, caring.
10. “What type of person do you want to be” – Teaching good character.
11. “Treat others the way you would like to be treated” – Teaching respect.
12. “What if I do this, what could happen? – Respect yourself – Respect others” – Teaching respect, responsibility, consequences.
13. “It’s not only what you say, it’s also how you say it.” – Teaching respect for others.
14. “Find Joy in others’ joy” – Teaching empathy and respect.
15. “Be Truthful in what you say and do.” – Teaching honesty and trustworthiness.
16. “Do what you say you’ll do.” – Teaching responsibility.
17. “Empathy- Make the effort to understand how others feel.” – Teaching empathy.
Character Education Posters
Keep the lesson going with these bright, printable posters. Ideal for character education curriculums around character counts week when the school is decorated with good character reminders.
1. What If Poster
Teaching responsibility, self control and respect. (From What if, Talking with Trees Book 3.)
3. Right Now is a Great Time to make a Good Choice poster
Teaching good choices, self control and conscience. (From Be Proud, Talking with Trees Book 1.)
4. Make Choices you can be Proud of poster
Teaching self esteem, self control. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
5. Listen to your conscience
For curriculums teaching honesty and conscience. (From Be Proud, Talking with Trees Book 1.)
6. There’s the Easy Way and the Right Way poster
Teaching good choices, perseverance. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
7. Be Bigger than Hurt Feelings poster
For curriculums teaching social skills, respect for others, responsibility. (From Be Bigger, Talking with Trees Book 2.)
8. Do What you Say You’ll Do poster
Add to a character counts week curriculum or any lesson on responsibility.
9. Treat Others the way you would like to be treated poster
For curriculums on respect, empathy, personal responsibility.
10. Be truthful in what you say and do
Teaching honesty, trustworthiness.
11. Empathy – Make the effort to understand how others feel
Teaching empathy, respect for others.
Character Education Books
So these aren’t free printables, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include these character education books in our list of learning resources for teaching positive character traits. These are
the books that all these great character education worksheets, posters, and lesson
plans come from.
Talking with Trees books teach kids good traits like honesty, respect, and responsibility. Written
for children in grades K-4, they use engaging pictures and real-life situations to teach kids how to deal with character building challenges they will all face.
Our books are available as printed books and ebooks for Android/Google, Apple/iPad, and Kindle. At just $1.99, you can read it together or display it on a whiteboard, and then do one of our fun character education worksheets or activities.
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