Assembly Discussion Topics by Age Group

Young Children (Ages 5-8)

Understanding Emotions and Empathy

• What does it feel like to be kind?
• How can we tell when someone is sad?
• Why do we share with others?
• What makes someone a good friend?
• How can we help someone who is hurt?

Basic Ethics

• Why telling the truth matters
• Taking care of living things (plants, animals)
• Sharing and taking turns
• Being kind to new kids at school
• Helping family members

Nature and Wonder

• How plants grow and why we care for them
• Why animals live in families/groups
• Understanding weather and seasons
• Taking care of our environment
• Looking at stars and wondering about space

Older Children (Ages 9-12)

Personal Responsibility

• Making choices and understanding consequences
• Taking care of our belongings and shared spaces
• Standing up for others
• Following through on commitments
• Managing emotions constructively

Community Awareness

• How can we help in our neighborhood?
• Understanding different family structures
• Recognizing and respecting differences
• Contributing to group projects
• Being a good team member

Critical Thinking Basics

• How do we know what’s true?
• Why do we ask questions?
• Understanding cause and effect
• Learning from mistakes
• Finding reliable information

Teenagers (Ages 13-17)

Ethics and Society

• Understanding systemic inequality
• Environmental responsibility
• Digital ethics and online behavior
• Consumer choices and their impact
• Standing up against discrimination

Personal Development

• Building healthy relationships
• Managing peer pressure
• Setting and achieving goals
• Understanding mental health
• Developing personal values

Critical Analysis

• Media literacy
• Scientific method basics
• Understanding bias
• Evaluating evidence
• Logical fallacies

Adults

Core Ethical Teachings (from Jesus’s wisdom)

• Showing mercy and practicing compassion
• Living with humility
• Pursuing peace and reconciliation
• Supporting marginalized communities
• Personal integrity in modern life
• The Good Samaritan principle in today’s world
• Understanding and practicing forgiveness
• Balancing justice with mercy

Personal Growth

• Emotional intelligence development
• Mindfulness and self-awareness
• Dealing with life transitions
• Work-life balance
• Healthy relationship patterns
• Processing grief and loss
• Finding purpose beyond material success
• Building resilience

Social Justice and Action

• Economic inequality
• Environmental stewardship
• Community organizing principles
• Supporting vulnerable populations
• Understanding systemic change
• Ethical consumption and production
• Local community development
• Global citizenship responsibilities

Science and Understanding

• Current scientific discoveries
• Understanding climate science
• Brain science and behavior
• Evolution and human nature
• Physics and cosmic wonder
• Biology and interconnection
• Technology ethics
• Medical advances and ethics

Modern Life Challenges

• Digital age parenting
• Technology and human connection
• Social media impact
• Privacy in the digital age
• Workplace ethics
• Consumer responsibility
• Healthcare decisions
• End of life choices

Relationships and Community

• Building authentic connections
• Conflict resolution skills
• Cross-cultural understanding
• Intergenerational relationships
• Community leadership
• Supporting youth development
• Elder care and aging
• Family dynamics

Deistic Principles

• Natural law and ethics
• Reason and observation
• Universal patterns
• Human potential
• Cosmic perspective
• Evidence-based thinking
• Nature’s wisdom
• Universal truths across cultures

Special Topics for Mixed Age Groups

Community Service Projects

• Local environmental cleanup
• Food security initiatives
• Elder support programs
• Youth mentoring
• Neighborhood improvement
• Skill-sharing workshops
• Emergency response preparation
• Cultural celebration events

Family Discussions

• Values and decision making
• Technology use guidelines
• Money and resources
• Environmental responsibility
• Family traditions and evolution
• Conflict resolution
• Supporting each other
• Celebrating milestones

Implementation Notes

• Each topic should be adapted to the group’s specific needs and context
• Use real-world examples relevant to participants’ lives
• Encourage active participation and personal reflection
• Include both discussion and practical application
• Follow up on topics over time to build understanding
• Connect topics to observable natural phenomena when possible
• Use appropriate scientific research to support discussions
• Incorporate local community issues and needs
• Balance intellectual understanding with emotional intelligence
• Include opportunities for service and action
• Support critical thinking and questioning
• Maintain focus on practical application of wisdom