2020 Laws of Life Essay Contest Results
March 28, 2020
March 28, 2020
The COVID-19 Pandemic led to the cancellation of SEE's 2020 Character Celebration where the top ten essayists from the Laws of Life Essay Contest would have been recognized. Congratulations to Connecticut's top ten essayists.
Top Ten Essayists (organized alphabetically by student’s last name)
Essay links are available at- 2020 Winners
The Road to Kindness
Baylor Anderson, Simsbury High School
Trying-Overcoming I Can't
Kylie Ballard, Griswold Middle School
Unconditional Care
Rachel Dingley, Rham High School
Focus on Similarities and Appreciate
Alicia Erami, Rham High School
Perseverance and Determination: A Path to the American Dream
Gabriella Gjoni, Ansonia High School
My Strength-The Importance of Initiative
Jiali Guo, Wilbur Cross High School
Perseverance and Struggle
Hayden Saunders, Lyme Old Lyme High School
Integrity: The Path to True Success
Elizabeth Steeves, Trumbull High School
Perseverance-A Critical Law of Life
Paul Zegarek, The Glenholme School
The Value of Respect
Jay Zimmermann, Clark Lane Middle School
Top Ten Essayists (organized alphabetically by student’s last name)
Essay links are available at- 2020 Winners
The Road to Kindness
Baylor Anderson, Simsbury High School
Trying-Overcoming I Can't
Kylie Ballard, Griswold Middle School
Unconditional Care
Rachel Dingley, Rham High School
Focus on Similarities and Appreciate
Alicia Erami, Rham High School
Perseverance and Determination: A Path to the American Dream
Gabriella Gjoni, Ansonia High School
My Strength-The Importance of Initiative
Jiali Guo, Wilbur Cross High School
Perseverance and Struggle
Hayden Saunders, Lyme Old Lyme High School
Integrity: The Path to True Success
Elizabeth Steeves, Trumbull High School
Perseverance-A Critical Law of Life
Paul Zegarek, The Glenholme School
The Value of Respect
Jay Zimmermann, Clark Lane Middle School
To Kill A Mockingbird Sample Lesson Plan
January 7, 2019
The School for Ethical Education (SEE) provides teachers with sample lesson plans and units to help incorporate the Laws of Life Essay Program into their existing curriculum. Below is some information regarding a lesson plan for the book To Kill A Mockingbird (TKAM) by Harper Lee.
Our TKAM unit found on our website provides teachers with various activities they can utilize while reading the novel. Teachers may utilize some or even all the activities available, though of course, we encourage you to do what fits your time and schedule.
The main goal of this lesson plan is to give students the opportunity to think, reflect, and write about ethical values and principles they can find throughout TKAM. We encourage you to allow your students to use a full writing process, which includes peer editing to complete a Laws of Life essay. For this, we encourage you to use Activities 2, 6, 7 and 8 (all of which can be found through the link below).
The Laws of Life Essay Program, along with this TKAM unit, helps students develop criteria for making informed decisions and judgments. It also helps students uphold their beliefs, so they may conduct themselves in an ethical, moral and legal manner (as stated in Connecticut’s Common Core of Learning for Aspects of Character).
This TKAM unit also provides students the opportunity to master Connecticut State Teaching Standards, which are outlined within the TKAM unit packet.
To find out more about what other sample lesson plans and units we offer visit: https://www.ethicsed.org/sample-laws-of-life-lessons.html.
To utilize the TKAM unit specifically visit: https://www.ethicsed.org/uploads/8/9/6/8/89681855/tkamunitoutlinefinal.pdf.
January 7, 2019
The School for Ethical Education (SEE) provides teachers with sample lesson plans and units to help incorporate the Laws of Life Essay Program into their existing curriculum. Below is some information regarding a lesson plan for the book To Kill A Mockingbird (TKAM) by Harper Lee.
Our TKAM unit found on our website provides teachers with various activities they can utilize while reading the novel. Teachers may utilize some or even all the activities available, though of course, we encourage you to do what fits your time and schedule.
The main goal of this lesson plan is to give students the opportunity to think, reflect, and write about ethical values and principles they can find throughout TKAM. We encourage you to allow your students to use a full writing process, which includes peer editing to complete a Laws of Life essay. For this, we encourage you to use Activities 2, 6, 7 and 8 (all of which can be found through the link below).
The Laws of Life Essay Program, along with this TKAM unit, helps students develop criteria for making informed decisions and judgments. It also helps students uphold their beliefs, so they may conduct themselves in an ethical, moral and legal manner (as stated in Connecticut’s Common Core of Learning for Aspects of Character).
This TKAM unit also provides students the opportunity to master Connecticut State Teaching Standards, which are outlined within the TKAM unit packet.
To find out more about what other sample lesson plans and units we offer visit: https://www.ethicsed.org/sample-laws-of-life-lessons.html.
To utilize the TKAM unit specifically visit: https://www.ethicsed.org/uploads/8/9/6/8/89681855/tkamunitoutlinefinal.pdf.
Tips for Teachers - Lesson Outline
November 19, 2018
The School for Ethical Education has many resources on our website that can help teachers incorporate the Laws of Life Essay Program into their classroom. Last week we talked about writing prompts and how to help jump start students in the writing process. This week, I would like to provide all teachers with a suggested lesson outline to further assist them with incorporating the essay into their course.
Sample Lesson Plan:
The teacher or school coordinator should implement the local plan to have the essays judged to determine which essays are forwarded to SEE for the Connecticut statewide evaluation. One essay for every 50 local participants may be forwarded to SEE with a completed Student Entry Form that is submitted online.
Remember to do what fits! There are numerous ways that the Laws of Life Essay Program can be woven into different content areas and this outline is only suggested from other successful Laws of Life essay programs.
More detailed and targeted lesson plans can be found here.
If you would like to register for the contest click here.
For more information about SEE’s 19th annual Laws of Life Essay Program click here.
November 19, 2018
The School for Ethical Education has many resources on our website that can help teachers incorporate the Laws of Life Essay Program into their classroom. Last week we talked about writing prompts and how to help jump start students in the writing process. This week, I would like to provide all teachers with a suggested lesson outline to further assist them with incorporating the essay into their course.
Sample Lesson Plan:
- Introduce Laws of Life to your students. Encourage them to use the essay they will be assigned to reflect on values, principles, or character traits that help them, or others live successful lives.
- Pre-Writing Activity. Depending on your curricular connection, try having students define values and characters traits that can be used as a basis for analysis of literature, historical characters, or their own reflection.
- Outlining. Provide students examples of outlines for their essay that relate to your assignment. Have students draft their own outline by identifying main points and supporting information.
- Drafting. Working from their outline, have students draft their first narrative.
- Peer or family review. Provide reviewers with a judge’s rubric to work from and request formal review comments for writers. Ask reviewers to affirm or question the clarity of the essay to identify a life-affirming Laws of Life.
- Editing. Allow students to edit their own writing with the assistance of peer/family review and seek clarity to link their introduction, supporting narrative, and concluding paragraph.
- Publishing. Provide students with an opportunity to “publish” their essay via an oral presentation, virtual or real bulletin boards, and class or school websites.
The teacher or school coordinator should implement the local plan to have the essays judged to determine which essays are forwarded to SEE for the Connecticut statewide evaluation. One essay for every 50 local participants may be forwarded to SEE with a completed Student Entry Form that is submitted online.
Remember to do what fits! There are numerous ways that the Laws of Life Essay Program can be woven into different content areas and this outline is only suggested from other successful Laws of Life essay programs.
More detailed and targeted lesson plans can be found here.
If you would like to register for the contest click here.
For more information about SEE’s 19th annual Laws of Life Essay Program click here.
Tips for Teachers - Writing Prompts
November 6, 2018
The School for Ethical Education’s Laws of Life Essay Program is a non-sectarian, academic activity that encourages students to identify and reflect upon ethical values or “laws of life,” such as: love, honesty, service, perseverance, courage, respect, and optimism. These values are recognized to be life-affirming, support positive citizenship, and transcend religion, culture, and national borders. SEE helps teachers integrate this program into a meaningful writing assignment with the opportunity for students to analyze laws of life through characters in literature, history, or their own life experiences.
SEE provides examples of how to incorporate a Laws of Life essay into existing curriculum through literature lessons and writing prompts. Writing prompts have numerous benefits but SEE has found that the greatest benefit of the LOL essay process is obtained when students are provided with the opportunity to complete a full writing process, which includes outlining, drafting, peer/family review, editing, and even publishing.
Suggested writing prompts:
Writing prompts can also be connected to existing academic objectives. For example, students in the past that have read The Diary of Ann Frank have written a Laws of Life essay about Miss Frank’s perseverance.
Another way to approach this contest is through history. For history classes, a great comprehension exercise for students is to have them evaluate great leaders by speculating about the leader’s Laws of Life and providing historical facts to support their claim.
Remember to do what fits! There are numerous ways that the Laws of Life Essay Program can be woven into different content areas with the benefit of students reflecting on important civic values.
For more ideas on writing prompts click here.
If you would like to register for the contest click here.
For more information about SEE’s 19th annual Laws of Life Essay Program click here.
November 6, 2018
The School for Ethical Education’s Laws of Life Essay Program is a non-sectarian, academic activity that encourages students to identify and reflect upon ethical values or “laws of life,” such as: love, honesty, service, perseverance, courage, respect, and optimism. These values are recognized to be life-affirming, support positive citizenship, and transcend religion, culture, and national borders. SEE helps teachers integrate this program into a meaningful writing assignment with the opportunity for students to analyze laws of life through characters in literature, history, or their own life experiences.
SEE provides examples of how to incorporate a Laws of Life essay into existing curriculum through literature lessons and writing prompts. Writing prompts have numerous benefits but SEE has found that the greatest benefit of the LOL essay process is obtained when students are provided with the opportunity to complete a full writing process, which includes outlining, drafting, peer/family review, editing, and even publishing.
Suggested writing prompts:
- Describe the character of a positive role model in literature or history and how this person’s character helped them be successful.
- Think of a family member, parent, or friend whom you admire. What Laws of Life does this person demonstrate? How has this person influenced your own Laws of Life?
- Describe a personal experience that has helped you develop your own Law(s) of Life.
- What Law(s) of Life would you like to develop that would help you become a better person?
Writing prompts can also be connected to existing academic objectives. For example, students in the past that have read The Diary of Ann Frank have written a Laws of Life essay about Miss Frank’s perseverance.
Another way to approach this contest is through history. For history classes, a great comprehension exercise for students is to have them evaluate great leaders by speculating about the leader’s Laws of Life and providing historical facts to support their claim.
Remember to do what fits! There are numerous ways that the Laws of Life Essay Program can be woven into different content areas with the benefit of students reflecting on important civic values.
For more ideas on writing prompts click here.
If you would like to register for the contest click here.
For more information about SEE’s 19th annual Laws of Life Essay Program click here.
|
What is the Laws of Life Essay Program?
October 11, 2018 The School for Ethical Education (SEE) is hosting its 19th annual Laws of Life Essay Program. The Laws of Life Essay Program is a character education writing contest that encourages students to reflect on, discuss, and write about laws of life (ethical values) that they find present in literature, history, or their personal lives. Between now and January 30, 2019, coordinators and teachers can register their class(es) to participate at: https://www.ethicsed.org/registration.html. Essay writing can be completed anytime from September through February. Coordinators and teachers will identify |
their best essays (1 per 50 student writers) for submission to The School for Ethical Education by March 4, 2019 for statewide judging. Essays will be read and scored by at least two judges (all essays are anonymous). The scores will then be averaged and ranked, and winners will be announced by SEE during the first week of April.
The top 10 essayists will be invited, along with two guests and their teacher, to attend SEE’s Character Celebration on May 1, 2019.
The Laws of Life Essay Program is a great way to start off the school year by identifying and discussing values that help support positive classroom environments.
If you choose to participate, here are important dates to remember:
Registration Period: September 1, 2018 – January 30, 2019
Essay Submission Period: January 30, 2019 – March 4, 2019
Essay Judging Period: March 5, 2019 – March 25, 2019
Winning Students Announcement: First week of April
Character Celebration RSVP Due: April 15, 2019
Character Celebration: Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 6:30 PM – 8:45 PM at Amarante’s Sea Cliff in New Haven, CT
The top 10 essayists will be invited, along with two guests and their teacher, to attend SEE’s Character Celebration on May 1, 2019.
The Laws of Life Essay Program is a great way to start off the school year by identifying and discussing values that help support positive classroom environments.
If you choose to participate, here are important dates to remember:
Registration Period: September 1, 2018 – January 30, 2019
Essay Submission Period: January 30, 2019 – March 4, 2019
Essay Judging Period: March 5, 2019 – March 25, 2019
Winning Students Announcement: First week of April
Character Celebration RSVP Due: April 15, 2019
Character Celebration: Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 6:30 PM – 8:45 PM at Amarante’s Sea Cliff in New Haven, CT
Benefits of Writing a Laws of Life Essay
September 18, 2018
The Laws of Life Essay Program is a Connecticut character-education essay contest hosted by
The School for Ethical Education. This contest encourages students to reflect, write about, and
discuss their own laws of life (ethical values) that help them, and others, to live more productive
and meaningful lives. This contest is open to all Connecticut schools and students in grades 5-12.
We have recognized many benefits for both students and teachers when a class participates in
the Laws of Life Essay Program. Student reflection on ethical values is a positive exercise in
anchoring pro-social behavior with intrinsic motivation. Laws of Life teachers have noted class
climate improve after writing and reflecting on the ethical values that are revealed in the writing
process. Using Laws of Life values as an analysis tool for characters in history or literature has also
shown to encourage greater student engagement in reading comprehension and their resulting
writing assignments.
We encourage teachers to consider how engaging students in a Laws of Life essay early in the
school year might help establish a positive class climate and expectation for thoughtful analysis
throughout the year.
For more information and a link to the free registration form, please visit:
https://www.ethicsed.org/essay-contest.html.
September 18, 2018
The Laws of Life Essay Program is a Connecticut character-education essay contest hosted by
The School for Ethical Education. This contest encourages students to reflect, write about, and
discuss their own laws of life (ethical values) that help them, and others, to live more productive
and meaningful lives. This contest is open to all Connecticut schools and students in grades 5-12.
We have recognized many benefits for both students and teachers when a class participates in
the Laws of Life Essay Program. Student reflection on ethical values is a positive exercise in
anchoring pro-social behavior with intrinsic motivation. Laws of Life teachers have noted class
climate improve after writing and reflecting on the ethical values that are revealed in the writing
process. Using Laws of Life values as an analysis tool for characters in history or literature has also
shown to encourage greater student engagement in reading comprehension and their resulting
writing assignments.
We encourage teachers to consider how engaging students in a Laws of Life essay early in the
school year might help establish a positive class climate and expectation for thoughtful analysis
throughout the year.
For more information and a link to the free registration form, please visit:
https://www.ethicsed.org/essay-contest.html.
Ethics in action creates character