Values Auction Lesson Plan Values Auction
10th Grade Group Lesson (Tier 2)
35 Minutes
Why This Lesson?
Clarifying personal values and understanding trade-offs builds ethical reasoning and responsible decision-making skills aligned with CASEL standards, preparing students for real-world choices.
Lesson Preparation
• Review the Bidding on Values Slides to familiarize yourself with rules.
• Print copies of Warm-Up , Auction Handout , Prioritization Worksheet , and Reflection Round .
• Prepare play money or point tokens for each group.
• Arrange desks into small groups of 3–4 students each.
Materials Needed
Bidding on Values Slides
Value Brainstorm Warm-Up
Values Auction Game Activity
Debrief Bids Discussion Guide
Value Prioritization Worksheet
Reflection Round Exit Ticket
Objective: Students will engage in a mock auction to bid on and prioritize core values, practice ethical trade-offs, and reflect on their responsible decision-making processes.
Instructional Sequence
5 MIN
Warm-Up
Value Identification
Distribute the Value Brainstorm Warm-Up Prompt .
Ask students to individually list 5–7 values they consider important (e.g., honesty, security, creativity).
Invite a few volunteers to share one value and why it matters to them.
5 MIN
Intro
Auction Rules & Strategy
Project the Bidding on Values Slide Deck .
Explain the purpose of the auction: to explore trade-offs by bidding finite resources on values.
Review bidding rules, starting budgets (100 points), and auction sequence.
Clarify that the highest bidder wins each value but spends their points budget.
15 MIN
Activity
Values Auction Activity
Hand out the Values Auction Game Handout and play money to each group.
Conduct 6–8 rounds of value auctions; announce one value per round and invite bids.
After each round, record the winning bid and remaining budgets on the handout.
Encourage strategic discussion among group members on which values to prioritize.
5 MIN
Debrief
Debrief and Prioritization
Distribute the Value Prioritization Worksheet .
In small groups, students review their winning values and remaining budgets.
Use the Debrief Bids Discussion Guide to prompt reflection on priorities, trade-offs, and real-life parallels.
5 MIN
Closing
Reflection Round
Provide the Reflection Round Exit Ticket .
Students write a brief exit reflection on their most critical value and future decision-making.
Collect reflections as students leave.
Bidding on Values Slides Bidding on Values
Exploring trade-offs and priorities through a mock auction.
Auction House
Teacher Notes: Welcome students and set the stage for today’s activity. Explain that we will be using points to bid on core values and explore trade-offs.
Session Objectives
• Engage in a mock auction to bid on core values.
• Practice ethical reasoning and strategic trade-offs.
• Reflect on how choices reveal personal and group priorities.
Auction Rules
Each group starts with 100 points .
We will auction 6–8 values , one per round.
Groups place secret bids each round.
Highest bidder wins the value and pays their bid .
No negative budgets—manage your points wisely .
Auction Process
1
Announce the value up for bid.
2
Groups discuss and decide their secret bid.
3
On cue, all groups reveal bids simultaneously.
4
Highest bidder wins; record points spent.
Sample Round
Value: Honesty
Group A
Bids 20
WINNER!
Group B
Bids 15
Group C
Bids 18
Result: Group A spends 20 points (80 left). Others keep their full budget.
Possible Values
Honesty
Fairness
Responsibility
Respect
Creativity
Compassion
Security
Innovation
Friendship
Trust
Ready to Bid?
Round 1 is about to begin.
START AUCTION
Value Brainstorm Warm-Up Prompt Value Brainstorm
Pre-Auction Warm-Up
Catalogue No.
VAL-2026-001
Lot Participant
Session Date
Defining What Matters
Before the auction begins, you must identify your personal "high-value" items. Think about what matters most to you personally and in your community. List at least 5–7 core values (e.g., honesty, security, creativity, fairness, respect).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Prepare to Defend Your Lot
Choose one value from your list. Be prepared to share it with the group and explain why it is indispensable to you.
Values Auction Game Handout Values Auction Ledger
Official Activity
Bidding Group: __________________________
Starting Budget: 100 Points
AUCTION PROTOCOL:
Bids are secret until revealed by the Teacher.
Winning groups subtract their bid from their remaining budget.
You cannot bid more points than you have.
Winning bid must be higher than all other offers.
Lot Value Description Your Bid Winning Bid Winner Remaining Budget 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
Post-Auction Strategy Notes
1. Our Bidding Strategy
2. Surprises or Trade-Offs Encountered
Debrief Bids Discussion Guide Debrief Bids
Post-Auction Discussion Guide
Instructions: Use this guide to lead a small group or class-wide discussion. These questions help students connect the mock auction to real-life ethical reasoning and trade-offs.
1
Value Prioritization
"Which values did your group win? List them in the order you acquired them."
Encourage groups to check their ledger and reflect on their early vs. late acquisitions.
"Why did you choose to spend points on these values? How do they reflect what matters most to your group?"
Look for connections between individual brainstormed values and collective group decisions.
2
Trade-Offs and Surprises
"Which values did you struggle to bid on? Why? Were there any rounds where you changed your mind at the last minute?"
Discuss the concept of "opportunity cost"—spending points on one thing means losing out on another.
3
Real-World Connections
"Describe a real-life scenario (like budgeting money or time management) that mirrors these trade-offs."
Help students bridge the gap between a game and adult responsibilities.
Teacher Prompt Bank
"Which value generated the most debate in your group? Why was it so controversial?"
"How do our individual values align or conflict when making group decisions?"
"Can you share a personal example of a time when you faced a similar trade-off?"
Value Prioritization Worksheet Value Prioritization Sheet
Post-Auction Analysis
Worksheet 10-A
Lot Participant
Bidding Group
1. Your Winning Values
List the values your group successfully won, in the order you acquired them.
Analysis of Top Priorities
VALUE #1:
Why was this prioritized?
VALUE #2:
Why was this prioritized?
2. Trade-Offs and Surprises
Which value did your group most want but fail to win? Why do you think that happened?
What surprised you most about the bidding process (how others behaved or how you felt)?
3. Real-Life Connections
Describe a real-life decision (e.g., budgeting money, managing time, choosing activities) where you had to prioritize values similarly to this auction:
4. Reflection: Looking Ahead
How will understanding your group’s value priorities and trade-offs influence your future choices?
Reflection Round Exit Ticket Reflection Round
Official Exit Ticket
Lot Participant
"Take a moment to reflect on your experience in today’s Values Auction. Your responses help bridge the gap between this activity and your future choices."
1
Which value was most critical to you today and why?
2
How will understanding trade-offs and priorities influence your future decisions?
3
What is one insight you’ll carry forward from today’s activity?
Values Clarification & Responsible Decision-Making
