This document discusses the concept of kindness and precepts from the book Wonder. It provides learning targets about defining precepts and understanding them through discussion. It summarizes a part of the book where the main character August deals with bullying but makes friends. It discusses how one student stood up for August, changing how he was treated. The document encourages students to start positive movements by being kinder than necessary, like the quote from the book advises. It provides examples of small kind acts and assigns writing a favorite precept on an index card.

1. PRECEPTS…
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 6 C H A R A C T E R E D

2. LEARNING TARGET:
• Students will be able to define the term precept, and identify multiple examples of
precepts.
• Students will begin to understand the meaning of precepts by practicing metaphors
and similies through class discussions.

3. ANOTHER SHORT SNIPPET OF
WONDER… BY R.J. PALACIO
• (Without giving the entire story away!)
• August deals with some very difficult situations and is not accepted by many of his peers
(remember from last week… he has some facial deformities from birth). He is a normal,
ordinary kid like any other 5th grader, but looks different than everyone around him. August
just wants to fit in, but the bullies around him want him to suffer because of how he looks.
However, he does develop a couple of true friendships. Toward the end of the school year,
there is a shift in how he is treated overall after a series of up and down events... And one
major incident gives some students the opportunity to stand up for, and protect “Auggie.”
He finally feels the change of what it’s like to be accepted, cared about, and be surrounded
by friends.
• So… what finally changed?

4. WHAT CHANGED IS ONE PERSON WAS
BRAVE ENOUGH TO START A MOVEMENT…
• The next slide is a short video clip of what it takes to start a movement. Listen and pay
close attention to what the narrator says as you are watching the video.

5. HOW TO START A MOVEMENT…
• Who got the credit for starting the movement?
• What did he say about the first person to follow the leader?
• Why do people feel it’s a risk to join in at first?
• If you have the chance, read the book, Wonder! The movie based on this story will be
released in April 2017.

6. LET’S START OUR OWN MOVEMENT!
“Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary.” --J.M. Barrie
Be brave enough to be the leader or the 1st follower of something good.
Be brave enough to do the right thing, even if everyone else is going the other way.
Be brave enough to stand up for someone else if you see or hear that someone is in
need.
Be brave enough to be a good example to your peers and classmates.
Be brave enough to show others how one person can make a difference.
Be brave enough to be a little kinder than is necessary.

7. LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES…
• You don’t have to look far to find an opportunity to be kind or help out…
• Whether you’re at school, in the community, or at home… reach out to others.
– It’s easy
– It’s effective
– It’s fun
– It’s free!

8. QUOTE FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
DIRECTOR IN WONDER…
• “Shall we make a new rule of life… always try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”
He looked up and repeated, “Kinder than necessary. What a marvelous line, isn’t it?
Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed. Why I love that
line, that concept, is that it reminds me that we carry with us, as human beings, not just
the capacity to be kind, but the very choice of kindness. And what does that mean?
How is that measured? You can’t use a yardstick. It’s not exactly quantifiable, is it?
How do we know we’ve been kind? What is being kind, anyway?”

9. THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS
SIMPLE…
If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary – the world really
would be a better place.
Making a positive difference for someone else:
A smile
Saying hello
Offering a helping hand
Listen
Inviting someone to sit with you at lunch
Holding the door open for someone
Giving a sincere compliment
Going out of your way to simply be nice to someone
Standing up for someone
Share!
Etc….

10. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT…
• Find a favorite precept this week and write it on your colored index card. Bring it back
to your Advisory class next Monday, October 17th to share with your classmates and
enter yours in a drawing for prizes!