1. Scenario: You are an eyewitness to a crime: A man has robbed a bank, but instead of keeping the money for himself, he donates it to a poor orphanage that can now afford to feed, clothe, and care for its children. You know who committed the crime. If you go to the authorities with the information, there’s a good chance the money will be returned to the bank, leaving a lot of kids in need. What do you do?

2. Unit Title: Social Justice
Focus Question: How can I make a difference?
Learning Intention:
To examine how you form your conscience.
Success Criteria: To complete a higher level thinking task relating to the topic.
Last Lesson
This Lesson
Conscience Formation
Next Lesson
Self-Examination

3. What is your conscience?
Conformity to what one considers to be correct, right, or morally good:  conscientiousness
Sensitive regard for fairness or justice 

4. What would you do?

5. Research the following keywords and write down their meaning:
Ethics:
is the study of morality
Morality:
is the study of right and wrong
Moral issue:
is a situation where you have to decide what is right or wrong
Conscience:
is the inner sense of what is right and wrong

6. Moral Dilemmas – where do you stand?
I agree with this statement
I disagree with this statement
I’m unsure

7. Stealing from Coles is okay, but mugging a person is not…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

8. Animals should have the same rights as humans…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

9. Abortion is murder and murder is illegal, therefore abortion should be illegal…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

10. Capital punishment (death penalty) is always wrong…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

11. Capital punishment is the adequate punishment for murder…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

12. It’s ok to have an affair if you are no longer in love with your marriage partner…
= Yes
= Unsure
= No

13. Moral Problems Today
Working in groups, describe the three most significant moral problems which young people most frequently have to deal with. Note:
Do not simply make a list such as mobile phone theft, tidying up your bedroom, bullying etc.
Be specific and make notes to possible positive and negative outcomes, depending on how young people might react in these situations.
Pick one situation and write it on the provided paper. Give enough information to make it clear why the issue is a moral problem. Look at different views and note down your opinions on it and different solutions for it.
Finally, exchange your work with another group and add any new information or opinions onto their work/ paper.

14. What other sources do you use to guide your conscience?
Make a diamond 9 of the most important guides in forming your conscience.
Parents
Jesus’ Example
Facts
Church Teaching
Friends
Bible
Relatives
Celebrities
Teachers
What other sources do you use to guide your conscience?

15. Rules
Sometimes we decide on whether something is right or wrong because of rules. Therefore, in pairs make up 5 rules for good living.
Radio 1 Poll
Radio 1 carried out a poll asking young people their most important moral rules:
Do not kill (87%)
Do not steal
Do not take drugs
Be loyal to your friends

16. Stealing is always wrong and can never be justified.
Do you agree to this statement?
Look at different sides of the arguments and include a Christian view. Don’t forget to write where they might get their views from.
Is there anything that you think is always wrong to do? Explain your answer.

17. Create your own moral dilemma
Create your own moral dilemma. Write three different responses to the dilemma using some of the 9 differences sources.

18. Choose your own task based on your confidence on the topic!
List all the keywords and possible social issues you learned about so far.
Illustrate in pictures/ sketches all the social justice issues you can think about.
Identify three different dilemmas you are faced with regularly and give possible solutions to those dilemmas.
Analyse the following social justice issue: fired-for-proselytizing-during-traffic-stops.html?_r=0. You should identify the motives of the different groups/ people involved and try to describe a better/ different outcome for both parties.
Use Word, Paint or any other programme to create a powerful poster about one social issue.
In regards to the news article in question 4, write two short paragraphs justifying what happened: One in the point of view of the police officer who got fired; the other one in the point of view of the police department.
Choose your own task based on your confidence on the topic!
Tip: Work at your own pace, this is not a race!

19. Should we follow Jiminy Cricket’s advice to let our conscience be our guide?