Upon completion, students will be able to…
- Identify different types of lies.
- Predict the extent to which a lie could harm relationships.
- Explain how honesty can impact their integrity.
Upon completion, students will be able to…
VIDEO RUN TIME: 5 mins, 44 seconds
SUPPLIES NEEDED: Whiteboard, paper, and pencils.
What are some real life situations that could tempt a student to lie?
Why do you think it’s so difficult to tell the truth in these situations?
How could dishonesty have a negative effect on your future life?
Have you ever been lied to? What does dishonesty do to a relationship?
Write out your own personal commitment to honesty. Sign and date it.
A. Two Truths and One Lie: Have each student write down two truths about themselves and one lie. Students will then take turns presenting their two truths and one lie. Have classmates vote on which statement they think is the lie. Discuss which types of lies were harder to guess and which were easier. (For large groups you may have to break into smaller groups of 4 – 8 students and have a student leader help facilitate.)
B. Take some time to discuss the Two Truths and One Lie activity. Take a vote on which lie would have had the biggest consequences (if you would have kept telling it in real life).
C. Make a list of 2 or 3 famous people who lied publically and were eventually caught. Next to each name, write some of the consequences that happened after the truth came out.
Make a journal entrydescribing why honesty is important for you and your future. Add a section at the end of the journal entry by writing out your own personal commitment to being an honest
and trustworthy person.
Upon completion, students will be able to…
VIDEO RUN TIME: 2 mins, 55 seconds
SUPPLIES NEEDED: Whiteboard, paper, and pencils.
Why do you think it’s so hard to keep a lie going?
What is so attractive about finding a shortcut to success?
What are some of the craziest homework excuses you’ve heard?
When was one of the last times you struggled with being honest?
If you had a choice between being trustworthy or successful, which would you choose and why?
A. Break students into groups of three or four. Have one student from each group write down a “little white lie” on a piece of paper and read it aloud. Have the student crumple the paper up. Have another student write a lie that could derive from the original lie (using another piece of paper). Crumple that around the first paper. Have students continue doing this process for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes compare to see who has the biggest “snowball.”
B. Have students discuss how a lie can snowball out of control quickly.
C. Write the “Honest” and “Dishonest” at the top of the board. Allow students to brainstorm characteristics of each type of person or possible synonyms for each term. Discuss how the lies of a dishonest person could lead to temporary success but long term failure.
Write a journal entry describing a time you were dishonest and the consequences that happened
afterward. Why were you dishonest? Did it really help you out in the end? How could you have
handled it differently? Show the completed journal to your leader for credit.