879.Resource, Gordon, The Bravest Man in the World: Mentor Text for Public Spirit Gr. 3-5

Public Spirit is about taking action. It means taking an active interest in the well-being of one’s various communities, including home, school, community, country, and the world. It includes respect for others, courage, ethical responsibility, civic responsibility, social justice, and leadership.

While facing ethical dilemmas is not listed as a component of Public Spirit, this type of challenging decision-making is at the heart of taking action for the well-being of others.  And literature, especially books like The Bravest Man In The World, presents our students with the opportunity to think about what’s right, what are the consequences of action and inaction, what they might do in the same or a similar situation, and to practice making hard choices at a safe distance. The story was inspired by an actual event, the sinking of the Titanic. William Hartley and his band played to calm the passengers and crew as the boat sank.

Heart of Georgia RESA teachers may request a free copy of the book to use with their classes by listening to the short VoiceThread about the book, reading a brief handout that includes the ELA standards and suggested strategies for using the mentor text, and completing a request form.