Pono Life Skills

Pono Life Skills Lessons in five categories: Self, Place, Community, Belonging, K-3
Please note that many lessons relate to more than one category.

  • A culture & place-based character education curriculum

  • Designed to deepen connections to self, place, community, and belonging

  • Developed especially for Hawaiʻi’s students, grades K-12

  • Created by educators from UH Mānoa, ALU LIKE, Inc., and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education

(Personal Connection Pathway)
“We envision generations whose actions reflect personal identity that is kūpono. They would promote personal growth, development and self-worth to support a greater sense of belonging, compassion and service toward one’s self, family and community.”

(Sense of Place Pathway)
“We envision generations who accept kuleana for our honua. They would demonstrate a strong sense of place, including a commitment to preserve the delicate balance of life and protect it for generations to come.”

(Worldview Pathway)
“We envision generations who flourish and inspire local and global communities through a culturally Hawaiian perspective that honors all things— past, present and future. They would provide a solid grounding in the Hawaiian worldview that promotes contributions to local and global communities.”

This section of the Pono Life Skills curriculum focuses on activities and lessons that honor the uniqueness of each child / adult and explores ways to find commonalities that ground us to live in peace, harmony and appreciation of each other and with the natural world around us.

Resources that can be used with PPIO cards as well as stand alone lessons

The quotes above are from Nā Honua Mauli Ola Hawaiian Cultural Pathways for Responsive Learning Environments. This information helped guide development of the Pono Life Skills Curriculum. Find further information HERE