These are some of the ethical questions I wrote for a kids game produced by Hasbro. It is now out of print. When I use them in a classroom I change the game for the large group format.
I have a volunteer answer a question by secretly choosing a card marked Yes, No or It Depends.  The group tries to guess the volunteer's answer by voting with a show of hands.  I reveal the answer on the card and the volunteer explains why he or she chose that answer.  (The explanation is important because someone may disagree with the person's answer but still come to respect the reasoning.) Kids can write and edit their own questions.

1. A friendly dog is unhappy because he is tied up in the hot sun. If you untie the dog, it may get lost or caught by the dog catcher. No one is around. Do you set the dog free?

2. You are mayor. Most people in your city don't want to wear seat belts. However, there are a large number of injuries that can be prevented by seat belts. Do you make seat belts the law?

3. You pick up a dollar under a kid's chair at school. Do you ask the kid if he/she has lost money?

4. Some of your older friends are smoking cigarettes. They tell you to just try it once. Do you take a puff?

5. A friend wants you to explore an old house that is being demolished. The sign says No Trespassing. Do you join your friend to explore the house?

6. You see a big dog run down the street. The dog catcher comes and asks you where it went. Do you tell?

7. Your teacher adds your test wrongly. She gives you five extra marks by mistake. Do you tell her?

8. Some kids are visiting you. You notice that one of you very valuable trading cards is missing. Do you search the knapsacks?

9. You cut an old woman's grass. She gives you twice the amount you had agreed on. Do you ask her if she made a mistake?

10. Your know-it-all brother is all dressed up and going to graduation. He says,"So long shorty." Do you let him know that his fly is open?

11. A teacher tells you to apologize for tripping someone. You didn't do it but the teacher doesn't believe you. Do you apologize?

12. Your parents say you can't have a kitten. An old homeless cat comes to your door looking for food.  Would you adopt it instead?

13. A stranger with an arm in a sling as you to carry his groceries from his car to his house. Do you?

14. A teacher praises your homework. Do you mention that someone helped you?

15. Your mother packs a lunch that you don't want and can't trade. If you bring it home uneaten she will make a fuss. Do you throw it away?

16. You promise to give a friend a glass prism exactly like yours for her birthday. You find that the stores don't have any more. Do you give her your prism?

17. A friend asks you to keep her company while she babysits. You help her with the kids. Do you expect to share the babysitting money?

18. You adopt a lost puppy. A month later you see a "LOST" sign with the puppy's photo and the owner's phone number. Do you return the puppy?

19. You are a lawyer. Your client has been found not guilty of murder. He then tells you that he was guilty. Do you try to get him arrested again?

20. You are going to be punished for passing notes in class. Three other kids were not caught. Do you complain about them?

21. You blame a kid for stealing your lunch money and the kid is punished. Later, you realize that you'd left the money at home. Do you admit your mistake?

22. While visiting Hollywood you see your favourite movie star eating at a cafe. Do you disturb the star's meal to get an autograph?

23. You are on a terrific all day nature walk. Your friend has an allergy attack. Someone has to take your friend back. Do you volunteer?

24. An old person gets on your bus. All the seats are taken. Do you give up your seat?

25. A kid at school eats four hamburgers at lunch and gets stuck with the nickname, Burger Brain. After a week he asks you to call him by his real name again. No one else does. Do you?

26. You are a store keeper. You catch a kid stealing three packs of gum. He cries and promises never to steal again. Do you call someone like the police or the kid's parents or school?

27. You are old enough to drive. You need money to buy a car. Your grandfather left you his valuable war medals. Do you sell the medals to get the car?

28. You are a parent. Do you let your kids watch as much TV as they wish?

29. You are a parent. Your child beats up younger kids. Talking doesn't seem to help. Do you spank your child?

30. You are a parent. You tell your eight year old that if he is late again, he goes straight to his room for the night. He is ten minutes late. Do you send him to his room?

31. You are a parent. Your child is not allowed to eat ice cream even though he loves it because it gives him bad stomach aches. He goes to a party where everyone is eating ice cream. Do you allow him to eat it?

32. The school bully is in trouble for spray painting dirty words on walls. You can know that he did not do it. Do you say so?

33. You find a good watch in the school yard. Do you turn it in to the lost and found?

34. You offer a kid a dollar to get your glider down from a roof. When she brings it down you see that it is wrecked (not by her) Do you pay the dollar?

35. You see a petition that people should not be allowed to keep a gun in their homes. Do you sign it?

36. A kid wants to buy your jig saw puzzle at your garage sale. One piece is missing. Do you tell the kid?

37. Your sister left her diary open on her desk. Do you read it?

38. You see an older kid steal a bike. You could follow to see where the kid is taking it. Do you?

39. A kid has an old comic book. He doesn't know that it is worth $50. Do you offer to trade it for a regular comic book?

40. A friend has to write a test he missed. He asks for your copy of the test to get the answers. Do you give him your test?

41. You are at the front of a long line at a movie. Two friends ask you to let them in. Do you?

42. Whenever you get mad at your sister she lies to your parents and says that you hit her. You get punished unfairly. The next time you get mad at her, do you really hit her?

43. Your friend shows you how to get a free canned drink by kicking the drink machine in a certain way. Do you do it?

44. A friend gives you a radio because she thinks that it is broken. You find that it just needs new batteries. If you tell her she will want it back. Do you tell her?

45. You accidently knock over and break a lamp. Your mom thinks the cat did it. Do you tell her the truth?

46. You lose your mitts on a cold day. There is a pair of mitts like yours in the lost and found but they are not yours. Do you take them?

47. You accidently scratch a neighbour's car with your bike. Do you admit tell you did?

48. You are at a fair with your friend. He loses his money and can't go on any of the rides. Do you share yours?

49. A kid in class is failing because she is too shy to wear her glasses so she can't read very well. She tries to keep this a secret. Do you tell the teacher?

50. Your dog turns over a neighbour's garbage can. Do you clean up the mess?

SUGGESTIONS

CLARIFY THE ISSUES
 Few answers are completely wrong. Often there are conflicting issues. Consider Question 1 about the dog suffering in the sun. It balances the rights of the dog and the property and ownership rights of the owner. It may balance the short term suffering of the dog in the heat and its long term suffering if it is set free and becomes lost. All the possibilites have value and it is worth considering further alternatives such as tying the dog in shade, getting it water or calling the humane society.

CHECK THE PERSON'S PERCEPTIONS OF THE SITUATION
 Does one imagine the dog to be poorly disciplined, noisy or lonely?  The dog is unhappy but is it suffering?  Are the owners gone for an hour or the weekend?  Would the owner be angry, indifferent or thankful if the dog was freed?  Can someone else deal with the situation better?  We can't understand or judge an answer till we understand how the person perceived the situation.

FIND OUT THE REASONS BEHIND THE PERSON'S ANSWER
 It is useful to ask people to explain. It is surprising how reasonable an apparently "wrong" or "silly" answer may be
     Any semi serious answer can be valued so no one is shamed and excluded. Try to identify the person's code of behaviour even if the answer seems selfish or thoughtless such as "I won't untie the dog because it's none of my business."  The person may seem indifferent but may actually be respecting the owner's privacy, property rights or need to train the dog. That's not a bad thing.  However, the person can also be asked to weigh it against issues like the dog's possible suffering. This should not negate someone's answer, but rather develop the scope of consideration.
  One boy said he was not going to give an older person his seat on the bus because "he can't make me". The boy appeared rude and trying to impress his pals but actually he imagined that he was facing a bullying adult. He was not trying to be "bad" or "tough"; he was trying to do "the right thing". That should be respectfully acknowledged, though it may also be challenged.

INTERNAL CONFLICTS
 Some conflicting issues are social. Some kids identify with peers, others more with adults. Kids choose between their desire to be independent and assertive and their desire to be co-operative and respectful. These are all positive qualities.  However, they may not be thinking out the issues for themselves.

KEEP IT LIGHT
 I keep my reactions light to avoid embarrassing anyone or turning the game into a lecture. There is plenty of judgement without me taking a hard hand - in fact I try to get the group to suspend judgement in order to discover areas of mutual respect.
I ask people what they are perceiving and thinking because it's interesting for us to learn how people interpret questions differently and why they make particular choices; but it also helps to develop independent thinking.
 The next stage has students writing their own questions. This develops writing skills and makes for relevent discussions.

Go back to first page