Leadership - Identifying the Qualities of a Good Leader (Grades 3-5)

In this election season it would be a shame to let the opportunity pass to talk about voting and voicing your opinion.  However, in THIS election season it would also be a nightmare to discuss politics, so I took a more gentle approach with the subject.  The goal of the class was to identify qualities of a good leader.  We began each class brainstorming what qualities a good leader exemplifies.


Next, I read Harold and the Purple Crayon to the class,

prompting students to think about what qualities Harold had that demonstrated good leadership.  I explained that I felt that Harold modeled many qualities that good leaders have and let small groups brainstorm these and then share back with the group.






Each class now had a list of qualities they believed a good leader should have.  This list will be revisited next class when the assignment is reversed and students then have to find a character that fits the leadership qualities they identified.

I compiled thoughts here so I could see overall what students valued in a leader as we prepared to elect state, national, and school leaders (4th and 5th graders were also campaigning for Student Council positions):
A good leader is...

A good leader...
Other phrases that spoke to students included:

Good leaders...
Make the world better.
Discover new things.
Don't make promises they can't keep.
Use their wits to get out of predicaments.
Care about the people they are leading.
Don't put their hands on other people.
Will not doom our country
Do not start World War III.
Have fast reflexes.
Do things that are better for their country.
Let people borrow their things.
Show people what to do if they are stuck.
Benefit their country or school.
Do things they don't want to do.
Do not say bad things to people.
Stand up for themselves and others.

To be continued...


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