Lesson Plan
Apology Power-Up!
The student will learn and practice the steps to genuinely apologize for their actions, including identifying the action, expressing regret, and suggesting a way to make amends.
This lesson is important for developing essential social-emotional skills, fostering empathy, and building positive relationships with peers and adults. It teaches children how to take responsibility for their actions.
Audience
Pre-K Student
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion and role-playing with a focus on clear steps for apologizing.
Materials
Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Review the Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the talking points for each slide.
- Prepare a quiet, comfortable space for a one-on-one session with the student.
Step 1
Introduction & Hook
2 minutes
- Begin by greeting the student warmly.
- Say: "Sometimes we accidentally do things that might make our friends or family feel sad or upset. When that happens, it's really important to know how to make things better. Today, we're going to learn about a special way to do that: saying sorry!"
Step 2
What Does Sorry Mean?
4 minutes
- Use the Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck to guide a discussion.
- Ask: "What does it mean to say 'I'm sorry'? Why do we say it?"
- Explain: "Saying 'I'm sorry' means you feel bad about something you did that might have hurt someone's feelings or body. It helps us be good friends and kind people."
- Introduce the three steps for a good apology: 1) What I did, 2) How I feel, 3) How I can fix it.
Step 3
Practice Time: Role-Play
7 minutes
- Use simple scenarios for role-playing (e.g., accidentally knocking over a block tower, taking a toy without asking).
- Say: "Let's pretend! I'll be your friend, and you can practice saying sorry to me. Remember our three steps!"
- Guide the student through the steps, prompting them if needed: "What did you do? How do you feel about it? What can you do to make it better?"
- Provide positive reinforcement and gentle corrections.
- Swap roles and let the student be the one receiving the apology if time allows, to help them understand the other person's perspective.
Step 4
Cool Down & Review
2 minutes
- Review the three steps of an apology using the Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck.
- Summarize: "You did a great job today learning how to say 'I'm sorry' in a kind and thoughtful way. Remember, it makes everyone feel better when we take responsibility for our actions and try to make things right!"
- Praise the student for their effort and participation.
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Slide Deck
Apology Power-Up!
Learning to Make Things Right!
Welcome the student and explain that sometimes we do things that make others feel sad, and learning how to say sorry helps make things better.
Oops! What Happened?
Sometimes, we might do something that makes a friend or family member feel sad or mad.
Like when you accidentally...
- Knock over a tower
- Take a toy without asking
- Say something unkind
Ask the student about times they might have accidentally made someone sad or upset. Use simple examples like knocking over blocks.
Why Say Sorry?
Saying "I'm sorry" is like giving a hug to someone's feelings. It helps:
- Show you care
- Make friends feel better
- Help you feel better too!
Explain that saying sorry is a kind and helpful way to show you care and want to fix things. Emphasize that it helps everyone feel better.
Step 1: What I Did
The first step is to say exactly what you did.
"I'm sorry for ______."
Example: "I'm sorry for knocking over your blocks."
Introduce the first step: identifying what you did. Use simple language and visuals.
Step 2: How I Feel
Next, say how you feel about what happened.
"I'm sorry for ______. I feel ______."
Example: "I'm sorry for knocking over your blocks. I feel sad that I made you upset."
Introduce the second step: expressing how you feel about your action. Connect it to empathy.
Step 3: How I Can Fix It
Finally, think about what you can do to help!
"I'm sorry for ______. I feel ______. Can I ______?"
Example: "I'm sorry for knocking over your blocks. I feel sad that I made you upset. Can I help you build them again?"
Introduce the third step: suggesting a way to make it better. Focus on simple, actionable solutions.
Your Apology Power-Up!
Remember the three steps:
- What I did
- How I feel
- How I can fix it
Practicing helps you become an apology superstar!
Review all three steps together. This slide summarizes the 'Apology Power-Up' formula.
You've Got This!
You now have the power to make things right and help everyone feel good! Great job practicing!
Encourage the student to use their new 'Apology Power-Up' when needed.
Script
Apology Power-Up! Script
Introduction & Hook (2 minutes)
(Warmly greet the student. Ensure you are in a quiet, comfortable space.)
Teacher: "Hi [Student's Name]! I'm so glad you're here today. We're going to learn something really important that helps us be kind and thoughtful friends."
Teacher: "Sometimes, even when we don't mean to, we might do something that makes our friends or family feel a little sad or upset. When that happens, it's really, really important to know how to make things better. Today, we're going to learn about a special way to do that: saying sorry!"
What Does Sorry Mean? (4 minutes)
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 2: Oops! What Happened?)
Teacher: "Look at this slide. Can you tell me about a time you might have accidentally knocked over blocks, or maybe taken a toy without asking? How do you think that made your friend feel?"
Teacher: "Exactly! It's okay to make mistakes, everyone does. But what's important is what we do after. When we make someone feel sad, saying 'I'm sorry' is how we show them we care and want to fix it."
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 3: Why Say Sorry?)
Teacher: "Saying 'I'm sorry' is like giving a hug to someone's feelings. It helps them feel better, and it helps you feel better too! It shows you're a good friend. Today, we're going to learn three special steps to make a really good apology!"
Practice Time: Role-Play (7 minutes)
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 4: Step 1: What I Did)
Teacher: "Our first step is to say exactly what you did. It's important to be clear. For example, 'I'm sorry for knocking over your blocks.' Can you try saying that with me?"
(Guide the student to repeat the phrase. Use a simple, relatable scenario like accidentally bumping into someone.)
Teacher: "Now let's try a pretend situation! I'll be your friend, and you can practice saying sorry to me. Let's say... you accidentally bumped into me while we were playing. What would be the first part of your apology? What did you do?"
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 5: Step 2: How I Feel)
Teacher: "Great! Now, the second step is to say how you feel about what happened. Do you feel sad? Do you feel bad? For example, 'I'm sorry for bumping into you. I feel bad that I made you stumble.' How do you feel about bumping into me?"
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 6: Step 3: How I Can Fix It)
Teacher: "You're doing wonderfully! The last step is to think about what you can do to help make things better. Can you give me a hug? Can you help me pick up something? For example, 'I'm sorry for bumping into you. I feel bad that I made you stumble. Can I give you a hug?' What can you do to make it better?"
(Reinforce the student's efforts. If time allows, quickly switch roles for another practice round.)
Teacher: "Wow, you did such a great job with that apology! You used all three steps!"
Cool Down & Review (2 minutes)
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 7: Your Apology Power-Up!)
Teacher: "Let's remember our three Apology Power-Up steps:
- What I did
- How I feel
- How I can fix it
"You did a fantastic job today learning how to say 'I'm sorry' in a kind and thoughtful way. Remember, it makes everyone feel better when we take responsibility for our actions and try to make things right!"
(Display Apology Power-Up! Slide Deck - Slide 8: You've Got This!)
Teacher: "You've got this, [Student's Name]! Keep practicing and being a super kind friend!"
Activity
Apology Card Activity
Objective: To reinforce the three steps of an apology through a visual and interactive card activity.
Materials:
- Printed cards with simple scenarios (you can write these on index cards or draw simple pictures):
- Scenario 1: You accidentally bump into a friend and they drop their toy.
- Scenario 2: You take a crayon from your friend without asking, and they get sad.
- Scenario 3: You make a loud noise during quiet time and scare your friend.
- Scenario 4: You accidentally spill water near your friend's drawing.
- Scenario 5: You say