Lesson plan of Reflection on Ethics

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understand the concept of ethics: Students should be able to define what ethics is and how it applies in the context of society and human relationships. To do this, they will explore the meaning of ethics, its origin and evolution, as well as its main characteristics.

2. Analyze the importance of ethics in everyday life: Students should be able to identify everyday situations that require an ethical stance and reflect on the consequences of acting or not acting ethically. This includes discussing ethics in the family, at school, at work, among friends, etc.

3. Develop critical thinking skills: In addition to understanding and analyzing ethics, students should learn to question and critically reflect on the ethical norms that govern society. This involves discussing the difference between ethics and morality, the relativity of ethics, among other topics.

Secondary objectives:

• Promote active student participation: The teacher should encourage students to actively participate in discussions, sharing their opinions and experiences, and asking questions that stimulate critical thinking.

• Stimulate empathy and respect: When discussing ethics, students should also develop the ability to put themselves in the place of others and respect opinions and differences, promoting a culture of peace and mutual respect in the classroom.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of previous concepts: The teacher should begin the class by reviewing previously studied philosophical concepts that are fundamental to the understanding of ethics. This may include concepts such as morality, freedom, responsibility, among others. In addition, it may be helpful to review some philosophical currents that have significant contributions to the study of ethics, such as utilitarianism, deontology, consequentialism, etc.

2. Problem situation 1: The dilemma of the bread thief: The teacher should present students with the famous situation of the bread thief, which is a widely discussed ethical dilemma. The situation consists of a man who is starving and steals a loaf of bread to feed himself. The teacher should ask the students if, in their opinion, the act of stealing is ethical or not, and why. This situation serves as an introduction to the reflection on ethics and morality.

3. Contextualization of the importance of ethics: The teacher should then contextualize the importance of ethics, explaining that it is what guides us to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, and that our daily actions and decisions are largely guided by ethics. The teacher can bring examples of everyday situations in which ethics plays a crucial role, such as honesty at work, empathy in personal relationships, social justice, among others.

4. Introduction to the topic in an engaging way: To arouse students' interest, the teacher can introduce the topic in an engaging way. For example, you can tell the story of great philosophers who contributed to the study of ethics, such as Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, among others. Another option is to present curiosities about ethics, such as the difference between ethics and morality, the variation of ethics throughout history and between different cultures, etc. In addition, the teacher can share recent news or real cases involving ethical issues, and challenge students to reflect on them.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Group debate activity (10 - 12 minutes): The teacher should divide the class into small groups of no more than 5 students. Each group will receive an ethical problem situation to analyze and discuss. Situations may include: (1) The dilemma of the bread thief (presented in the Introduction); (2) The train dilemma, in which students must decide whether it is ethical to switch the path of a train that is about to run over five people to a path where it will only run over one; (3) The transplant dilemma, in which students must decide whether it is ethical to kill a patient to use their organs to save five patients; (4) The abortion dilemma, in which students must decide whether it is ethical to abort a malformed fetus to avoid their suffering and the suffering of the family.

Each group will have a set time to discuss the situation and reach a decision. After the time is up, each group should present their decision and the arguments that support it. The teacher should mediate the debate, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to speak, encouraging arguments based on ethical principles and promoting respect for divergent opinions.

Objective: This activity aims to allow students to apply the concept of ethics in practice, developing their critical thinking and argumentation skills, and promoting discussion and respect for differences of opinion.

2. Case study activity (8 - 10 minutes): After the debate, the teacher should present the students with a real case study involving an ethical issue. The case study can be based on a recent news story, a movie, a book, etc. For example, the case could be about a doctor's decision to turn off the machines of a patient in a vegetative state, a company's decision to evict a community to build a shopping mall, etc.

The students, still in their groups, will have to analyze the case study, identify the main ethical dilemmas involved, and discuss possible solutions based on ethical principles. Then, each group should present their conclusions to the class.

Objectives: This activity aims to deepen students' understanding of the practical application of ethics, develop their analysis and synthesis skills, and promote collaboration and communication among students.

3. Role-playing activity (2 - 3 minutes): To end the Development of the lesson, the teacher can propose a role-playing activity. The students, still in their groups, will have to stage an everyday situation that involves an ethical issue.

For example, the situation could be a conflict between friends due to cheating in a game, a dilemma about whether or not to tell the truth to a friend even if you know it could hurt them, etc. After the dramatization, the other groups should discuss the situation and offer feedback on the characters' actions based on ethical principles.

Objectives: This activity aims to consolidate learning about ethics, develop empathy and respect, and promote reflection on the application of ethics in real situations.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group discussion (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should promote a group discussion, asking each group to share the conclusions or solutions they reached during the previous activities. Each group will have up to 3 minutes to present their ideas. During the presentations, the teacher should encourage other students to ask questions and express their opinions, thus promoting an environment of debate and reflection.

Objectives: This discussion aims to allow students to learn from each other, developing their active listening skills, respect for divergent opinions, and argumentation based on ethical principles.

2. Connection to theory (2 - 3 minutes): The teacher should then make the connection between the practical activities performed and the theory presented at the beginning of the class. For example, the teacher can highlight how the decisions made by students during the activities reflect different ethical currents (utilitarianism, deontology, consequentialism, etc.), and how ethics is applied in resolving dilemmas and conflicts in real life.

Objectives: This stage aims to reinforce theoretical learning through practical application, making students understand the relevance and applicability of ethics in their lives.

3. Final reflection (3 - 4 minutes): To end the class, the teacher should propose that students reflect individually on what they have learned. The teacher can ask questions such as: "What was the most important concept you learned today?", "What questions have not yet been answered?", "How can you apply what you learned today in your daily life?" .

After a minute of reflection, students will be invited to share their answers with the class, if they wish. The teacher should encourage students to express their opinions respectfully and to listen attentively to the opinions of others.

Objectives: This stage aims to promote metacognition, which is the ability to reflect on one's own thinking and learning. In addition, this final reflection can help the teacher assess what students have learned and what concepts still need to be reinforced in future lessons.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary of main points (2 - 3 minutes): The teacher should summarize the main points discussed during the class, reinforcing the concept of ethics, its importance in everyday life, and the different ethical dilemmas that may arise. The teacher should also highlight the main conclusions or solutions that were presented by students during the debate and case study activities.

2. Connection of theory to practice (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher should explain how the class connected theory to practice, citing examples of activities performed and how they illustrated theoretical concepts. For example, the teacher can recall the discussion about the dilemma of the bread thief and how it illustrated the difference between ethics and morality, or how the case study allowed students to apply their theoretical knowledge in solving a real ethical dilemma.

3. Suggestions for additional materials (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher should suggest additional study materials for students who wish to deepen their understanding of ethics. This may include books, articles, documentaries, podcasts, websites, among others. The teacher may, for example, suggest reading works by great philosophers who contributed to the study of ethics, such as "Ethics", by Aristotle, "Critique of Practical Reason", by Kant, "Utilitarianism", by John Stuart Mill, etc.

4. Importance of the subject for everyday life (1 minute): Finally, the teacher should emphasize the importance of studying ethics for everyday life. The teacher can explain that ethics is what guides us to make correct decisions and to act in a fair and moral way, not only in the personal sphere, but also in the professional and social spheres. In addition, the teacher should emphasize that ethical reflection and critical thinking are valuable skills that can help students become more aware, responsible, and ethical citizens.

Objective: This stage aims to consolidate students' learning, encourage them to continue studying the subject and to apply what they have learned in their lives, and to reinforce the relevance of the subject for the students' education.