Category 1:
Leadership Traits

A. Task:
Produce a website that teaches about the skills, traits, and characteristics which make an individual a great world leader.

Read rules and instructions.

B. Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to list important world leaders and describe their contributions.
Students will be able to describe the ways skilled use of diplomacy contributed to the success of a world leader or leaders.
Students will understand the qualities and individual responsibilities required of citizens in their country and other countries.

C. Discussion Questions:

These discussion questions are provided to introduce the topic of world leaders and leadership initiatives.

What do you think are positive qualities of a world leader?
Do you know who our current world leaders are?
What are some ways to find out who our current world leaders are?
What role does diplomacy play in the making of a successful world leader?
What is the difference between being a leader and being famous?
What motivates a person to want to become a leader?
Are there any risks associated with being a world leader?
Should world leaders be held to higher ethical standards than ordinary citizens? Why or why not?
Who are some important world leaders from the past?
Why were these past world leaders important?
What decisions did they make about their lives in order to become world leaders?

D. Suggested Starter Activities:

These activities will enable students to understand the vital importance of the role that leaders play in the quality of the lives of the people of the world. Identifying our world leaders and studying their lives will provide students with a greater understanding of the characteristics of leadership and the paths that these individuals followed to become prominent figures in world diplomacy. The commitment of students to community service and civic responsibility is enhanced when they learn about inspirational role models from the present and from the past.

Have students develop a survey to determine if the students in their school know who our current world leaders are. List the leaders and the countries they represent and any other significant facts they know about the world leaders they name.
Use the Internet news services, listen to the TV news and/or read the newspaper to learn about important world issues. How do these world issues affect individuals locally.
Read the biography of one or more world leaders. Make a list of the life events and significant accomplishments.
List any world leaders that came from your local city, state, or country. List or describe the contributions they made. Describe any changes that have taken place since they were local leaders.
Interview parents, grandparents or neighbors who have lived in the community for many years and invite them to be guest speakers to talk about world leaders from the past.
Compare and contrast world leaders using the collected information. Create a chart showing similarities and differences.
Create a "Hall of Fame" of school alumni who have made contributions to the local community, the nation and/or the world.
Write a letter to a world leader, explaining why you think they are, or are not, doing a good job.
Discuss the term "civic leadership." Have students, working individually or in cooperative groups, select an article which demonstrates a citizen doing something for the good of others, as in being "civic minded."
Identify specific careers that center around public service.
Identify "quiet leaders" who do important things for others with very little recognition.
Create and distribute copies of a "Leader" award certificate and have students fill out the recipient's name and tell why they have selected that person to receive the award.