VALUES EXERCISE

The purpose of the Values Exercise is to illustrate the fact that nearly all human beings
share the same basic values. These common values may vary depending on the age of the
participants in this exercise.
This Values Exercise is designed for youth in grades 5-12
(use the alternative Values Activity for students in grades 3-4).

1. Discuss the meaning of the word VALUE: one’s judgment of what is important in life; a
person’s standards of behavior; something that is important to a person or people.
2. Give each student a copy of “Youth Values Exercise” (on page 7 of this manual). Instruct
students to check off all of the values that are meaningful to them. This part is labeled
“Step 1” on the paper you have given them. There is no limit to how many values they
can check.
3. Step 2: have each student reread the values they have checked. They must choose 5 of the
values they checked as the ones that are the most important to them. They will write the
numbers of these 5 values on the lines provided under Step 2 on their Values paper.
Students should not rank these.
4. Step 3: Divide students into small groups with 4-5 people in each group. Students will
bring their Values paper to the group. Each group should choose a reporter. Groups must
now decide on 5 values that are the most important to all of the people in their group.
Each student should read the 5 values he/she chose, and the group should decide upon a
process to come to an agreement on the group’s 5 values. Prior instruction could be about
listening to everyone’s opinions and allowing all group members the opportunity to share.
Everyone can record the numbers of the 5 values on their Values paper under Step 3.
Give groups ample time for discussion, disagreement, and decision making.
5. Bring the whole group back together. Have each reporter read aloud the number of each
of the 5 values the group chose. The teacher will list these numbers on chart paper, in one
column. Have each group report their values’ numbers. The chart will have 4 columns for
4 groups, 5 columns for 5 groups, etc.
6. Ask students “Which number do you see most frequently on the chart?” The teacher will
circle all of these numbers (e.g. if number 3 is seen most frequently, then the teacher will
circle all of the number 3’s). Repeat for the top 3 values chosen by the whole group.
7. Ask students to read aloud what values were chosen most frequently. Write the values on
the chart (e.g. If “to have a loving family” was chosen by most of the groups, then write
To have a loving family on the bottom of the chart).
DEBRIEF:
● Why were the top three values the ones our class chose?
● What does this exercise tell you about people’s values? (People share common values, we
all basically want the same things in life).
● Understanding that people share common values can help us when we are in a conflict.
● This exercise has been done by many different groups of people, all around the world,
and every time, common values appear!
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