Lesson Title: Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Course and Grade: Sophomore English, 10th

Generalization: This lesson is important for providing a structure (framework) through which to
understand moral development and moral issues in literature that we will be addressing. The subsequent
lesson will build on this, the one after that will address Gilligan’s alternative model, and both will be
compared and contrasted. As students grapple with moral issues it is helpful to have a common point of
reference, a common way of understanding the issues within a framework: this is that framework, and gives
them the common vocabulary they will need.
Learning Targets:
Facts: Kohlberg’s various identified levels of moral development, his claims about them
Skills: identify various levels of moral development that influence people’s decisions in moral dilemmas
Materials: Lesson plan, worksheets for Kohlberg, hand outs of moral dilemmas, chalkboard, chalk, papers,
pencils, pens, scissors, gluesticks, an overhead projector, overheads with blown-up (large) images of
pacifier, finger pointing, sheep, lemmings, handcuffs, Dr. King, justice scales, backscratcher, blank
overheads and overhead pens, copies of the pieces of paper with images of: Baby Herman, pacifier, Dill
and Tommy and Angelica Pickles, accusatory finger pointing, a ‘no’ TV sign, hands shaking, people
shaking hands, used-car salesmen, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, backscratchers, people on see-saws,
lemmings and sheep, soldiers, police hat and handcuffs, a policeman, handcuffs, a judge, Uncle Sam, the
Constitution, Founding Father, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Dr. King, Gandhi, Jesus, Buddha, Lady
Justice, scales, a globe, Superman logo, copies of Vocabulary Quiz #4 and its Answer Key (for TA’s),
copies of Vocabulary List #5, and on the board, the kinds of questions one asks at each level of Kohlberg.
Anticipatory Set: Commonly confused and misused words, Word of the Day. Vocabulary Quiz #4.
Introduce a moral dilemma. Have a few groups of students grapple with the dilemma and offer all the
possible ways one might go about resolving it.
“A person is very, very sick: in fact, terminally ill. This person’s family cannot afford the life-saving
medical treatment that is only available at a few of the most advanced research hospitals in the nation.
They do not have any insurance, and no health care coverage. They do all have jobs, but with the salaries
they receive, even if they save all their money, sell their car, their home, everything they own, there is still
no way for them to raise the money for this person to have the life-saving procedure done before this
person dies. One of the members of the family faces the following dilemma: to steal the money to pay for
the procedure, or not? This person has the opportunity and feels confident he or she could get away with it.
Do you steal, to save a life, or not? That is the question I want you to answer. What are all the different
ways one could approach trying to resolve this question? What could someone struggling with this
question do, or how might he or she think about it, what factors might be involved, what might she or he
think about while trying to resolve this? Let’s brainstorm some ideas, one at a time. Raise your hand and
let me know one way this person could approach this moral dilemma—important distinction here—these
answers you are giving me are not necessarily the things YOU would do in his or her place, or what you
would recommend doing. These are just things you think that some people might think about, or things
that someone might do, ways someone—not necessarily you—ways that someone might approach solving
this problem.” Class gives suggestions and I write them down on the chalkboard.
Context and Purpose: “Today we’ll be looking at Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, a theory that
we’ll contrast with a competing theory by his protégé, Carol Gilligan, next time. She thought his research
was limited by the fact that he only did his research with males, asking them what they thought, and totally
excluding girls and women from his research. Nevertheless, both of these theories of moral development
will be very useful to us as we read through To Kill a Mockingbird and other texts. The reason we are
learning these two moral development models is not because these are the only ways to look at how
humans develop morals; there are other models. These models, however, are two of the most commonly
and widely used ones. I am not trying to convince you that the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan are the
only or even the most correct ways of looking at human moral development; what I am trying to do is to
give you all a common frame of reference, and a common understanding, so we can have meaningful
discussions about the moral development of various characters in literature. We need to have a common
language, so that when we use certain terms related to characters’ moral dilemmas and their decisions, we
all have the same understanding of what those words mean and we know we’re all talking about the same
thing. Simply put, I want us all to be on the same page, and a common vocabulary is essential to making
that happen. What I’d like for you to know and be able to do by the end of the lesson that begins today
(and may end next time, depending on how quickly we move today) are the following things: tell me the
different levels or stages that Kohlberg identified in peoples’ moral development, what those levels mean
or in other words what they are based on, and explain the WAYS in which someone at each stage of that
moral development would go about resolving moral dilemmas, because the WAY they go about answering
the moral dilemma is more important in telling us what stage of moral development they are in than what
they ultimately decide to do. In other words, when trying to figure out someone’s level of moral
development, it’s not so important what someone would do as it is HOW that person comes to that
decision. I’d like for you to be able to identify icons or symbols that would be appropriate to represent
each stage of Kohlberg’s moral development and explain your reasoning—why it is appropriate for that
stage of moral development—and to tell me a one-line phrase or expression that would sum up the idea for
each stage of moral development and explain to me WHY that phrase is appropriate for summing up the
basic idea for that level of moral development. I’d also like for you to be able to tell me the general
principles or beliefs Kohlberg had about peoples’ moral development; that is, to basically tell me about his
theory and its general principles or its underlying beliefs or assumptions. Here is what we will do today in
order for you to show me this knowledge.” (Pass out all the worksheets on Kohlberg.) “First of all, as a
class, we will read through the general information about Kohlberg’s theory and the description of each of
the total of seven stages of moral development he identified, using this worksheet. Then we will go over
these different approaches on the board that you brainstormed and link these to Kohlberg’s different levels
of moral development. After we do that, I will show you a series of icons or images and ask you to choose
which ones best fit with each stage of moral development and ask you to explain why you think they are a
good fit. This would sort of be like choosing visual metaphors. They will also help you to remember each
stage by giving you a visual cue to associate with each stage. Then we’ll come up with one-line summaries
or catchphrases for each level of development, again to help you remember what each level is about. Your
homework will be to choose images from a series of images on a piece of paper and cut out an image that
you feel does a good job of representing a particular stage of moral development, and paste it on to the
blank squares next to each stage of moral development on your worksheet. Then, next time, we’ll move on
to figuring out what people would do for a particular moral dilemma for EACH level of moral development
according to Kohlberg, and also for Gilligan, whose theory we’ll look at next time.”
Instruction: Read the general information on Kohlberg. Then move on to the descriptions of all seven
stages. “So, as you can see on your worksheets, the first level is level or stage ZERO. Here there is NO
moral development at all. What feels good, is good; what feels bad, is bad. Pleasure good. Pain bad.
That’s it. Does anyone see any of your brainstormed responses to the moral dilemma I introduced at the
beginning of class up here on the board that would correspond to this level?” Move on to explain stages
one through six. Again, ask them to identify any responses on board that would correspond to the different
stages. “Now, I’ll show you some images or icons and I want you to tell me which ones you think best fit a
particular stage of moral development, and tell me which stage that is, and why the icon or image fits well
with or is appropriate for that stage of moral development.” (Show a series of images. Have students say
which ones fit which stage of development best, and explain why.) “Now we’re going to come up with
good catchphrases that summarize in a single line each stage.” Go back through stages zero to six and have
students come up with one-line catchphrases that summarize each stage.
“Your homework is to choose an image from one of your two pieces of paper with images on them to
represent each stage of moral development and cut it out and glue it on to the square next to the stage with
which you feel it best fits. Or you could make up an image of your own and sketch or draw that very
quickly—just doodle it—in the square at the left-hand side of your worksheet, next to each stage or level of
moral development. This is to help you remember each stage at a glance and to help you create a visual
association that will help you to remember the stages later. So, right now I want you look over the images,
look over the different levels, and then turn to the person nearest to you, and then I want you both to tell
each other which images you intend to use for the different levels and explain to each other why you chose
the images that you did, that is, why those images are symbolically appropriate for each level. I want you
to explain and to justify why each image you chose for each level does a good job of representing that
level, why it ‘fits’ that level. Explain your reasoning to each other.”
HW: Re-read through the worksheets and complete their Kohlberg worksheets (catchphrases and images)
if they have not already done so in class.
 More Moral Dilemmas

You’re at a party where a six foot, six inch, three-hundred-pound, broad-shouldered and well-muscled guy
is obviously extremely drunk. He is about to leave the party and drive himself and his girlfriend home. No
one else makes a move to stop him. What do you do?

A hot-tempered friend of yours is armed and in a murderous rage. He has a loaded gun and is threatening
to kill a guy, who you don’t know, over some matter that you don’t know anything about. He insists that
this man must be shot; either you shoot the guy, or he’s going to do it, and if he does it, you know that he
will shoot the man in the head and kill him. What do you do?

Do you steal food when you and your family are starving, or not, or do you steal money to buy food, or
not?

You are on a jury in a capital-crime case: the defendant, if found guilty, will die. You are the only one on
the jury who believes he’s innocent. If the head juror declares a hung jury (meaning you can’t reach
consensus) then a new trial will happen and the defendant will likely be found guilty. Every other juror
wants to find him guilty and go home: none of you can leave until you’ve reached a verdict. What do you
do?

You and your spouse (in the future) have conjoined (Siamese) twins. The doctors tell you if you don’t
separate them they will both die within a year. If you do separate them one will die and the other might
live. What do you tell the doctors to do: separate them and give at least one a chance to live, or refuse to
choose and let them both die within a year?

You know a particular individual who is suspected of murder. You believe he is innocent. He is running
from the law. You know if he is arrested, he could very likely end up dead as a result of police brutality, or
a lynch mob, or be given the death penalty, despite his innocence, all of which are fairly common in the
area of the country you are in. If you aid and abet him by helping him to escape you are also committing a
crime, and you could go to prison for many, many years, or possibly also end up dead. He comes to you
for help, help in escaping to Canada and from there to a country from which it will be difficult to extradite
him. Do you help him obtain his freedom, and break the law doing so, or not?
BECAUSE
I SAY SO!