Lab Instructor Script: Choices & Consequences Lab

Warm-Up: Lab Goggles Metaphor (5 minutes)

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 1)

"Good morning/afternoon, aspiring scientists! Welcome to the Choices & Consequences Lab. Before we dive into our experiment, let's talk about some essential lab equipment. Does anyone know what these are?" (Gesture towards imaginary lab goggles or show an image.)

"That's right, lab goggles! What are they for? Why do scientists wear them?"

"Exactly! They're for protection and to help us see things clearly, to prevent anything from getting into our eyes that might obscure our vision or cause harm. Today, we're going to put on our mental lab goggles to examine our choices more carefully, just like scientists examine experiments. We want to see the situation clearly before we act."

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 2)

"Our objective today is to apply a 4-step decision-making model to evaluate the short- and long-term consequences of a provided dilemma. This means we're going to learn a tool that will help us make smarter choices in our lives."

Introducing the 4-Step Decision-Making Model (10 minutes)

"Every day, you make countless choices, big and small. Some are easy, like what to eat for lunch. Others are harder, like how to respond to a friend, or what to do about a challenging homework assignment. We're going to learn a simple, powerful model to help us with those tougher choices."

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 3)

"The first step is STOP. When you face a choice, especially a tricky one, what's the first thing you should do? Often, our immediate reaction might not be the best one. So, before you do anything, just stop. Pause. Take a breath. Don't react immediately. Give yourself a moment to step back from the situation."

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 4)

"Once you've stopped, the next step is THINK. This is where your mental lab goggles really come into play. You need to consider all your options. What are the different things you could do? And for each option, what might happen? What are the short-term consequences – the things that will happen right away? And what are the long-term consequences – what might happen later on, tomorrow, next week, or even next year? Also, think about who else might be affected by your choice."

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 5)

"After you've done your thinking and weighed the pros and cons, it's time to DECIDE. This is when you choose the option that you believe is the best. The 'best' choice is often the one that aligns with your values, feels right, and has the most positive predicted outcomes for yourself and others."

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 6)

"Finally, the last step, and a very important one, is REFLECT. Once you've made a choice and seen the outcome, take time to think about it. What happened as a result of your choice? What did you learn from the experience? Would you do anything differently next time? Reflection helps us grow and make even better choices in the future."

"Now, to help us apply this model, I'm going to hand out a Decision Flowchart Worksheet. This worksheet will guide you through each of these four steps as we work through some scenarios."

Group Lab: Applying the Model to Scenarios (10 minutes)

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 7)

"Alright, lab teams! It's time to put our decision-making model into practice. I'm going to divide you into small groups, and each group will receive a dilemma scenario card. Your task is to work together, using your Decision Flowchart Worksheet, to apply the STOP, THINK, DECIDE, REFLECT model to your scenario."

"Focus especially on the 'THINK' step: make sure you discuss both the short-term consequences and the long-term consequences for each possible choice. Work together, listen to each other's ideas, and be ready to share your findings with the class."

(Divide students into groups, distribute scenario cards. Circulate, listen, and offer guidance as needed. Prompt groups to consider all angles.)

Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 8)

"Excellent work, everyone! Let's bring our attention back together. Each lab team will now briefly share their discoveries. Please tell us about your scenario and then share one key short-term consequence and one key long-term consequence that you identified."

(Facilitate quick shares from each group.)

(Display Experimenting with Choices Slide Deck - Slide 9)

"Wonderful insights! Now, for our final reflection, I want you to think personally. Think about a recent choice you made, big or small. How could the 4-step model – STOP, THINK, DECIDE, REFLECT – have helped you in that situation? Or, if you already use a similar process, how did it help you? Take a moment to jot down your thoughts, or just reflect quietly."

(Pause for reflection. Optionally, ask for volunteers to share, or collect Decision Flowchart Worksheet for informal assessment.)

"Thank you for participating in our Choices & Consequences Lab! Remember, these mental lab goggles are always available to help you make thoughtful and responsible choices."

Decision Flowchart: Your Choices Lab

Name: ____________________________

Dilemma Scenario: (Your teacher will provide this)

Step 1: STOP 🛑

• What is the situation? Describe the choice you need to make.

• Why is it important to pause before reacting?

Step 2: THINK 🤔

• What are the different options you have to choose from? (List at least 2)

  Option 1: __________________________________________________________________

  Option 2: __________________________________________________________________

  Option 3 (if applicable): ____________________________________________________

• For each option, what are the short-term consequences (what happens right away)?

  Option 1 Short-Term:
  
  
  
  Option 2 Short-Term:
  
  
  

• For each option, what are the long-term consequences (what happens later)?

  Option 1 Long-Term:
  
  
  
  Option 2 Long-Term:
  
  
  

• Who else might be affected by your choice?

Step 3: DECIDE ✅

• Based on your thinking, which option do you choose? Why?

Step 4: REFLECT 🧠

• What do you predict will be the most significant outcome of your chosen decision?

• What did you learn from using this decision-making model?