Kohlberg

I would start by first considering the definition of middle childhood and asking myself what types of "moral dilemmas" children at his age are likely to face. One of the benefits of Kohlberg;s stages is that it is especially appropriate for understanding gifted children. These children progress more rapidly through the stages but are likely not to fit in with their peers. Perhaps a scenario related to the gifted child who is outcast from his peers (or her) for not conforming to a "bad behavior" more typical of the age group?
You could focus on the idea of theft, for example, tying it in to the Heinz scenario. In the Heinz scenario, the theft of the drug was predicated by a higher order need - to obtain the drug for a dying wife - coupled with a potentially morally arguable reaction to the fact that the pharmacy was acting immorally by overpricing the drug in the first place. There is a great ethical dilemma there, but it is not one that is likely faced by children. A child may be faced with a similar situation, however, when given the desire for a piece of candy or other similar temptation and the lack of funds to purchase the item in question. How the child responds to that situation can be then tied to the stages of moral development. A gifted child might react differently than a non gifted child, perhaps, and rate at a different stage from his or her peers.
This site deals with the theory as it applies to gifted children. Perhaps you will find some additional ideas here:
here are similarities between the two in that each postulates stages of moral development, though they indicate a different number of stages for this process. Piaget indeed offers developmental stages for cognitive development extending throughout life. Both Piaget and Kohlberg are seen as concentrating on only one aspect of the issue, Piaget on moral development in males, and Kohlberg on justice and rights as shown in moral thinking. According to Piaget and Kohlberg’s theories, Steve is at... [continues]

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