Bathroom Breaks: When and Why

Pamela Vance

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Recognizing the Signs

Students will learn to identify physical and behavioral signs indicating they need a bathroom break and understand how to ask appropriately.

This lesson helps young students develop self-awareness and time management skills, ensuring they feel comfortable speaking up when they need a bathroom break.

Audience

1st Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Utilize guided discussion, role-playing and interactive cues.

Materials

Recognizing the Signs, Timing is Everything, and When to Ask?

Prep

Preparation and Material Review

3 minutes

Review the Recognizing the Signs lesson plan to understand the key concepts.
Familiarize yourself with the Timing is Everything slide deck for visual prompts.
Read through the When to Ask? script to prepare role-play scenarios.
Ensure all digital materials are accessible before the lesson.

Step 1

Introduction & Signs Discussion

5 minutes

Greet the student and introduce the topic of feeling the need for a bathroom break.
Discuss common physical signs (e.g., tummy rumbling, feeling uncomfortable) and how they feel.
Use visual clues from the Recognizing the Signs lesson plan.

Step 2

Role-Playing Activity

7 minutes

Use scenarios from the When to Ask? script to practice asking for a bathroom break politely.
Encourage the student to identify and verbalize their feelings when they need to use the bathroom.
Provide immediate positive feedback and gentle corrections if needed.

Step 3

Wrap-Up & Review

3 minutes

Recap the signs discussed and steps for asking politely.
Revisit key points from the Timing is Everything slides.
Answer any questions and reinforce that it's always okay to ask when needed.

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Slide Deck

Timing is Everything

Understanding when to ask for a bathroom break is important. Look at the clues your body gives you.

Introduce the concept of timing and using visual clues to know when it's time to ask for a bathroom break. Emphasize that it's okay to speak up when certain physical signals are felt. Use encouraging language and simple terms.

Recognizing the Signs

• Tummy rumbling
• Feeling uncomfortable
• Needing to move or stretch

These are clues that you might need a bathroom break.

Discuss common physical signs with the student. Ask if they've ever felt a similar way. Use simple language to describe signals such as a rumbling tummy, feeling uncomfortable, or needing to stretch. Highlight that these signs are a cue to ask for a break.

When to Ask?

Practice saying: 'Excuse me, may I please go to the bathroom?'

Let's practice together!

Demonstrate through role-play. Provide the script and encourage the student to practice asking politely. Remind the student that asking is always acceptable and necessary when feeling these signs.

Review & Questions

Remember:
• Recognize the signals
• Ask politely
• It's okay to ask when needed

Any questions?

Review all the key points. Reinforce that listening to our body and asking when we need to is a sign of taking care of ourselves. Provide positive feedback and ask if the student has any questions.

Script

When to Ask? Script for Role-Playing

Below is a step-by-step teacher script for guiding the role-playing activity. Follow the script word-for-word to help the student practice asking for a bathroom break in a polite and confident way:

Teacher: "Hi there! Today we're going to practice something really important - knowing when to ask for a bathroom break. Sometimes our body gives us little signals, like a tummy feeling funny or feeling a bit uncomfortable, that tell us it's time for a break."

Teacher: "Let’s imagine a situation together. Pretend you are sitting in class and suddenly you feel a little tug in your tummy. What do you think that means?"

(Pause for the student's response. Encourage them to say something like, "I need to go to the bathroom," or simply, "I feel funny.")

Teacher: "Great! Now let's practice saying it. I’m going to help you. Repeat after me slowly: 'Excuse me, may I please go to the bathroom?'"

(Allow the student time to repeat the phrase. If needed, gently guide them with a calm and smiling tone.)

Teacher: "Wonderful! Now, let's make it a little more fun. Imagine you are in a classroom and you start to feel that little tug in your tummy. I will be your teacher, and you will ask me for a bathroom break. Ready?"

(Proceed with role-play. Speak as if you are in the classroom setting.)

Teacher (Role-playing as the Classroom Teacher): "Oh, I see you look like you might need a break. Would you like to ask for a bathroom break?"

(Encourage the student to respond with the full phrase: "Excuse me, may I please go to the bathroom?")

Teacher: "Excellent job! Remember, it's always okay to ask politely when your body gives you a signal."

Teacher: "Now, let's try it one more time together. When you feel that little signal, say the whole sentence out loud. Ready?"

(Repeat the phrase with the student, offering praise and positive reinforcement.)

Teacher: "I'm very proud of you for practicing how to express your needs. Always remember: your body talks, and it's important to listen politely. Does anyone have any questions about what we practiced today?"

(End the activity by addressing any questions and giving additional positive feedback.)

This completes the role-playing script. Use this script as a guide to ensure the student understands the process of asking for a bathroom break appropriately and confidently.