Our Virtue Lesson About Courage

A Unit Study to Help Young Catholics Learn About Being Courageous

The Lesson

This lesson celebrates the virtue of courage and is intended to help Catholic kids practice and live their faith in a real way. It is designed to be used daily, over the course of a month. With a weekly core lesson, daily reinforcement with scripture discussions, prayer, and the incentive progress sheets, children learn quickly how to recognize and begin practicing the virtue of courage. Additional worksheets and activities extend the learning fun.

This unit focuses on topics such as fortitude is the gift of the Holy Spirit, Guardian Angels, social justice, and ways to ease fear.

Unit Summary

Grade Level: K-6
Age: 6-10
Focus: Virtue Lesson Unit Study
Theme: Courage (Fortitude)

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Virtue Lessons

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Step 1. Download the Lesson Packet

This small packet contains the teacher info as well as the main lesson and activity sheets needed for students.

Download Our Virtue Lesson About Courage Unit Study

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Step 2. Download the Support Materials

With a goal of training young learners to develop habits to form and live virtuous lives, we focus on the virtue of courage also called fortitude. This unit study helps to meet this goal by incorporating a variety of fun and engaging components. Each is listed below along with additional support materials to accompany and extend each lesson component.

Aesop’s Fables Materials

Aesop’s Fables provide simple but effective use of short stories to teach morality.

This unit study incorporates the use of moral tales. These short fables by Aesop highlight the work of Milo Winter, and they are used in weeks two and three of this unit study. This resource has an over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Excellent discussions can occur with such simple stories. Sometimes the stories selected can fit into other virtues as well as the one presented. Feel free to use them repeatedly.

Although most morals are relatively clear-cut, there are a few stories that require thought as to their selection and inclusion in this unit study. Sometimes it is because they provide a positive example of the highlighted virtue, other times it is because they are a negative or contrary example of the virtue. Having older learners come up with a reason for why the fable was selected is a great exercise and can even be turned into a simple writing assignment. Writing paper featuring the thematic image for this particular virtue is provided. For younger students, trace copywork reiterating the moral is offered in both print and cursive styles for reinforcement.

Some of the materials below are already included in the unit study, while others are just fun additions.

Download the Aesop Materials Below.

Aesop's Fable: The Sheep and the Pig
Enjoy a printable version of this timeless fable from Aesop designed to help teach lessons in virtuous behavior and morality. This resource has over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Aesop's Fable: The Sheep and...

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Aesop

Aesop Copywork Set for the Sheep and the Pig
Focus on the moral truth from Aesop's Fable of the Sheep and the Pig. Find two copywork sheets in this set. There is one to trace in cursive and the other in manuscript. Generous writing area has been provided as well as an image to accompany the...

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Aesop handwriting Worksheet

Aesop’s Fables Montessori Cards Set 1
Set 1 of Aesop's Fables Montessori Cards Playing, reading and moral training don't usually go together, but they do in the case of our Aesop's Fables Montessori cards. Use these cards to help children explore, ponder, and remember all the great moral...

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Aesop Montessori Cards

Aesop's Fable: The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox
Enjoy a printable version of this timeless fable from Aesop designed to help teach a lesson a in virtuous behavior and morality. This resource has over-sized text and a color image, which make it appealing to young readers. Aesop's Fable: The Lion,...

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Aesop

Aesop Copywork Set for the Lion, the Ass, and the Fox
Focus on the moral truth from Aesop's Fable of the Lion, the Ass, and the Fox. Find two copywork sheets in this set. There is one to trace in cursive and the other in manuscript. Generous writing area has been provided as well as an image to accompany...

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Aesop handwriting Worksheet

Aesop’s Fables Montessori Cards Set 17
Set 17 of Aesop's Fables Montessori Cards Playing, reading and moral training don't usually go together, but they do in the case of our Aesop's Fables Montessori cards. Use these cards to help children explore, ponder, and remember all the great moral...

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Aesop Montessori Cards

Scripture Suggestions for the Virtue of Courage

“For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and said to them: Have a good heart, it is I, fear ye not.” – Mark 6:50

“Take courage therefore, and be very valiant: that thou mayst observe and do all the law, which Moses my servant hath commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayst understand all things which thou dost.” – Joshua 1:7

“I can do all these things in him who strengtheneth me.” – Philippians 4:13

“Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good.” – Romans 12:21

Additional Passages:

Deuteronomy 31:7
Joshua 1:9
Psalm 23:1-6
Isaiah 41:10
1 Maccabees 2:64
Mark 6:50
John 16:33
1 Corinthians 16:13
Philippians 2:12-14

The quotes and references provided above are taken from the Douay-Rheims version of the Holy Bible.

Ideas for Studying Scripture Using This Unit Study

Choose a favorite scripture passage about courage and bravery from your own collection or the selection above to discuss with students. You may wish to use a passage for copywork or handwriting practice. Writing Paper is provided featuring the thematic image for this particular virtue.

Alternately, students may be encouraged to study about the virtue of courage with a fun, hands-on activity F3 (Flip, Flap, Fold) Tab Booklet. Learners cut out tabbed pieces, arrange them in order, and staple to finish construction. Students can then write in the book. The scripture notation is written on the tabbed edge, and the body of the text is written on the piece. Children may copy a Bible verse presented by the teacher featuring this virtue, or they may give a narration of a favorite verse they may have studied previously.

This tabbed F3 piece can accommodate up to five different scripture passages. Versions are provided in black-and-white as well as color and feature the thematic image used throughout the unit study. Finished books can be glued into a notebook or blank F3 Folder.

Read our article with pictures on How to Assemble an F3 Bible Verse Piece.

F3 Tab Booklet - Bible Verses About Courage
Make Scripture Study About the Virtue of Courage a Hands-On Activity with Our Bible Verse F3 Piece. This little F3 (Flip, Flap, Fold) Piece encourages Bible study about courage. Learners cut out tabbed pieces, arrange them in order, and staple...

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Bible Courage F3 Graphic Organizer Virtues

Virtue of Courage Writing Paper
Writing Sheet Prompts Thoughts About Being Courageous. This writing sheet has just the right amount of cuteness to draw young writers to share their thoughts about courage and bravery. This printable includes a black-and-white and color version...

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Courage Notebooking Virtues Writing Paper

Reading Activities and The Book List

Select a book from the list below to read to or with your students to help them see some examples of this virtue in action. Each title incorporates or focuses on the virtue of courage in some way – either in the theme, plot or through a specific character. Some characters will provide a positive example of the virtue while other characters seem to lack the virtue at times.

Don’t forget that picture books are great for any age group and present ideas very clearly. Children can use the “Reading Log Bookmark” included in this unit to help them keep track of their reading.

Use the “Dr. Virtue’s Discussion Questions” cards included in the unit study to help learners make connections between the stories and the virtue being studied. Older learners may enjoy being led in a book discussion using the question cards as prompts. Alternately, cards may be dispensed to students to answer on their own as a writing assignment or proof of learning.

Some learners may enjoy doing a book report or review about a specific book. Use one of our fun templates below to guide young readers or new writers.

Look through the selection of reading suggestions below. Feel free to use other titles as well.

Picture Books That Can Teach About Courage

Doctor De Soto by William Steig
Brave Brush-tail Possum by Diane Redfield Massie
Franklin’s New Friend by Paulette Bourgeois
Little Toot by Hardie Gramatky
The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day by Stan and Jan Berenstain
The Courage of Sara Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
Joan of Arc by Shana Corey
Franklin in the Dark by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

Chapter Books That Can Teach About Courage

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Parables from Nature by Mrs. Alfred Gatty
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell

Other Books That Can Teach About Courage

The Book of Virtues by William J. Bennett

Download the Additional Reading Aids Below.

Virtue of Courage Reading Log Bookmark
Help Young Catholics to Learn About Courage as They Track Their Reading Progress. Young readers can easily keep track of the books they read with this fun bookmark that reinforces the virtue of courage. With each completed book or story, readers...

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Bookmark Charts Courage Reading St Joan of Arc Virtues

Blank Simple Book Review for Beginners
Simple Book Review Helps Children Explore Reading and Sharing Their Opinions with Others Do you have a learner who likes giving their opinions about anything and everything? You could easily use that to your advantage with this simple book review. Using...

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Reading

Recipe Book Report
Book Report Brings Smiles and Fun and Is a Fun Alternative to a Traditional Book Report Do you have a child who likes to cook? Are looking for something completely different to use to pick apart your child's favorite read? Look no further. This cool little...

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Reading Writing Paper

Blank Detailed Book Report
This Six-Page Resource Is Ready Fun for Beginning Readers and Writers Many times when we think of book reports, we think of something cut and dry; perhaps something full of research, or something, dare I say, boring. Yikes!! You won't find anything...

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Graphic Organizer Reading

Saint Study

Saint study is important. This is why we have incorporated it into this unit study. Every saint uniquely encounters Christ. From living simply to doing pious works, shepherding the Church to evangelizing to the nations, the saints followed a path to our Lord. We, too, can follow a path to Christ by studying their lives. When kids learn about the holy heroes of the Faith, they can feel encouraged to grow in a variety of virtues, including courage (fortitude). Help children to better understand the virtue of courage by learning about St. Joan of Arc, the patron saint of France and soldiers. The What Can St. Joan of Arc Teach Me About Courage Worksheet is included in the lesson packet to help guide students on a simple study of this saint.