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| Activity: |
Honesty is the Best Policy |
| Ages: |
All |
| Value(s): |
Honesty |
| Facility and Equipment |
Sheet of paper with the work "Honesty" |
Description:
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1. Say, "Today we are going to discuss honesty. Honesty means to tell the truth and not to mislead or lie. In sports , honesty also means to play fair and not to cheat. Let’s say we are in the last few seconds of a game. The ball bounces between you and two players from the other team, and then out of bounds. You’re sure the ball hit last you before going out of bounds, but since the three of you were standing there, the official couldn’t see what happened. The official runs up to the three of you and asks, "Who touched it last?"
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2. Divide the players into three groups. Ask the first group what could happen if you tell a lie. Ask the group what might happen if you don’t say anything. Have the third group discuss what could happen if you tell the truth. Let them talk in their groups for two minutes.
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3. Have the "tell a lie" group report. If they do not mention it, ask, "What if you get caught? What if your parents saw what happened? What if you lose anyway What if you win and the other two players tell everyone you would not have won without cheating? What if your coach finds out and decides not to trust you?" The key is to show that most of the possible outcomes are not good ones.
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4. Have the "do not say anything group" report. Ask them some of the same questions. Also ask, "What is the difference between not saying anything and telling a lie?" Again, emphasize the probability of a bad outcome.
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5. Ask the "tell the truth" group to report. Ask,"What is the worst thing that could happen if you tell the truth?" (The other team gets the ball and wins the game.) "Even so, it does not mean that play lost the game. There are a lot of other plays that could have changed the outcome of the game. That was just one second in a game of many minutes. By being honest, you don’t have to worry about any negative outcomes from the two groups. You can focus on getting the ball back and winning or losing fairly."
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6. Say, "No matter what you think about cheating, on this team, we always play fair."
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