Definition:

Integrity means being honest, and responsible and respectful all the time, whether or not people can see what you’re doing. 

In short:

Do the right thing, even when no one's looking. 

Summary:
Ruben wants a bike like Sergio’s more than anything, but his family can’t afford it. Then something happens that could make his dream come true. At the store Ruben finds money and puts it in his backpack even though he could have returned it to the woman who dropped it. Back home, Ruben looks at the bill, and realizes that it’s not $1 but $100, enough to buy a bike like Sergio’s. Ruben struggles with mixed feelings - he’s excited about buying a bike but his conscience is making him feel guilty. It gets worse - later on he can’t find the money he had put in his backpack. Eventually Ruben finds it and returns the money to the real owner. Why did he have a change of heart? When he thought he had lost the money, he sympathized with the woman who lost $100, and it wasn’t really his to keep anyway. Ruben bravely tells the truth to his family and apologizes. Lesson learned, Ruben!  

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students are more compelled to return lost items and to be honest with their parents when they’ve done something wrong. 

Guiding Questions: 

1.  Why can’t Ruben’s parents buy him a bike? 
2. Why didn’t Ruben return the money right away? 
3.  Do you think Ruben made a good or bad decision when he pocketed the money? Why? 
4. How did Ruben feel when he was looking everywhere for the money and couldn’t find it? 
5. Why did Ruben decide to return the money? 
6. How did the lady in the blue coat feel after Ruben returned the money? Did Ruben feel better when he did that?  
7.  If you found something valuable do you think you’d be tempted to keep it? Why or why not? 
8. Do you think stealing and keeping something that someone lost are the same thing? Why or why not? 
9. Did you ever lose something that someone found and returned to you? What happened? How did you feel?