Lesson Plan
Classroom Champions: Respect Rules!
Students will be able to identify and demonstrate respectful classroom behaviors, including appropriate talking, raising hands, and showing respect for the teacher.
Learning how to behave respectfully in the classroom helps everyone learn better, makes our classroom a happy place, and shows that we care about each other and our teacher.
Audience
3rd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, role-playing, and clear expectations setting.
Materials
Smartboard or Projector, Classroom Champions Slide Deck, Warm Up: Our Best Classroom, Classroom Rules Script, Respectful Actions Worksheet, and Markers or Pencils
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Classroom Champions Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the Warm Up: Our Best Classroom (one per student).
- Print copies of the Respectful Actions Worksheet (one per student).
- Ensure the projector/smartboard is ready for the slide deck presentation.
- Review the Classroom Rules Script to prepare for guiding the discussion and activities.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Our Best Classroom
5 minutes
- Distribute the Warm Up: Our Best Classroom to each student.
- Ask students to draw or write one thing that makes a classroom a great place to learn.
- Have a few students share their ideas with the class. Connect their ideas to good behavior without explicitly stating it yet.
Step 2
Introduction: Why Rules Matter
5 minutes
- Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck (Slide 1 and 2).
- Use the Classroom Rules Script to introduce the concept of classroom champions and why rules are important for a positive learning environment.
- Ask guiding questions: 'What happens when everyone talks at once?' or 'Why is it important to listen to our teacher?'
Step 3
Respectful Talking and Raising Hands
10 minutes
- Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck (Slide 3 and 4).
- Use the Classroom Rules Script to discuss appropriate talking times and the importance of raising hands.
- Activity: Model both appropriate and inappropriate talking/hand-raising. Ask students to give a thumbs up for good choices and a thumbs down for poor choices. Have students practice raising their hands quietly and waiting to be called on.
Step 4
Respecting the Teacher and Others
5 minutes
- Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck (Slide 5 and 6).
- Use the Classroom Rules Script to explain what respecting the teacher looks like (listening, following directions, using kind words). Extend this to respecting classmates.
- Discussion: 'How does it feel when someone doesn't listen to you?' or 'What does it look like to be a respectful listener?'
Step 5
Practice and Wrap-Up
5 minutes
- Distribute the Respectful Actions Worksheet.
- Have students complete the worksheet individually or in pairs, identifying appropriate actions.
- Collect worksheets or review answers as a class, reinforcing the key behaviors.
- Conclude by reiterating that everyone can be a classroom champion by practicing these behaviors every day.
Slide Deck
Classroom Champions: Respect Rules!
Ready to be a classroom hero?
Greet students and introduce the exciting title: Classroom Champions: Respect Rules! Explain that today they will learn how to be champions in their classroom.
Rules help us learn, stay safe, and show respect!
Ask students to think about why rules are important. Guide them to understand that rules help everyone learn and feel safe. Connect it to sports or games – without rules, it's chaos! Encourage students to watch a short video about why rules are important, or you can describe some scenarios where rules are helpful.
Talking Smart: When & How?
- When to Talk: During group work, when called on
- How to Talk: Quietly, kindly, on topic
- When NOT to Talk: When the teacher is talking, during quiet work
Introduce the idea of 'talking smart.' Discuss when it's okay to talk (group work, sharing after being called on) and when it's not (when the teacher is talking, during quiet work).
The Power of a Raised Hand
- It helps everyone get a turn to speak.
- It shows you're ready to share.
- It keeps our discussions organized.
Focus on raising hands. Emphasize that it's how we share our ideas fairly and respectfully. Practice quiet hand-raising and waiting. Briefly mention active listening while others are speaking.
- Listening when your teacher is talking
- Following directions the first time
- Using kind and polite words
- Being a good helper
Discuss what respect for the teacher looks like. Give concrete examples like listening, following directions, and using kind words. Extend it to respecting classmates' ideas and space. The video here will demonstrate these respectful actions in a classroom setting.
You Are a Classroom Champion!
Let's all work together to make our classroom the best place to learn!
- Talk smart
- Raise your hand
- Respect everyone
Summarize the key behaviors and reiterate that everyone has the power to make the classroom a great place. Encourage them to be 'Classroom Champions' every day. This leads into the worksheet.
Script
Classroom Champions: Respect Rules! Script
Warm-Up: Our Best Classroom (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day by thinking about what makes our classroom a truly great place to learn. I've given you a paper with the title 'Our Best Classroom'. On it, I'd like you to either draw a picture or write one thing that makes our classroom a wonderful place for everyone to learn and grow. Take about 3 minutes for this."
(Allow students time to draw/write. Circulate and observe.)
Teacher: "Alright, who would like to share one idea from their paper? What makes our classroom great?" (Call on a few students. Listen for keywords like 'quiet,' 'helpful,' 'friendly,' 'listening.')
Teacher: "Those are wonderful ideas! Many of you mentioned things that help us learn and get along. Today, we're going to talk about how we can all be 'Classroom Champions' by practicing some important rules that make our classroom even better!"
Introduction: Why Rules Matter (5 minutes)
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 1: 'Classroom Champions: Respect Rules!')
Teacher: "Look at our first slide! Our lesson today is called 'Classroom Champions: Respect Rules!' Every day, we come together in this classroom to learn, share, and grow. To make sure everyone has the best chance to do that, we need to be champions of respect. What do you think 'respect' means?"
(Allow a few responses.)
Teacher: "Exactly! Respect means showing care and consideration for others. Just like in sports or games, where rules help everyone play fairly, our classroom needs rules to help us all learn fairly and happily. Without rules, things can get a little messy, right?"
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 2: 'Why Do We Need Rules?')
Teacher: "Our rules help us in three main ways: to help everyone learn, to keep our classroom safe and happy, and to show respect for others. Think about it: What happens when everyone tries to talk at once?"
(Allow responses like 'no one hears,' 'it's loud.')
Teacher: "That's right! It's hard to hear, and it's hard to learn. And why do you think it's important to listen when our teacher or classmates are talking?"
(Allow responses like 'so we know what to do,' 'it's polite.')
Respectful Talking and Raising Hands (10 minutes)
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 3: 'Talking Smart: When & How?')
Teacher: "One big part of being a classroom champion is 'talking smart.' This means knowing when to talk and how to talk. We talk smart when we're working in groups, or when the teacher calls on us to share an idea. And how should we talk? Quietly, kindly, and always on topic. When should we not talk? When someone else is already talking, especially the teacher, or when we're doing quiet work."
Teacher: "Let's try an activity! I'm going to model some different ways of talking or getting attention. If it's a 'smart talk' or a respectful way, give me a thumbs up. If it's not, give me a thumbs down!"
(Model: Shouting out an answer, quietly raising hand, interrupting a friend, waiting for a pause before speaking.)
Teacher: "Great job! You know the difference. Now, let's talk about the 'power of a raised hand'."
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 4: 'The Power of a Raised Hand')
Teacher: "A raised hand is like a superpower in our classroom! It helps everyone get a turn to speak, shows you're ready to share, and keeps our discussions organized. Let's all practice quietly raising our hands. Remember, a quiet hand means you're ready, but you're also being patient and waiting for your turn. Let's all raise our hands quietly now. Good!"
(Observe students and praise quiet hands.)
Respecting the Teacher and Others (5 minutes)
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 5: 'Respecting Our Teacher')
Teacher: "Being a classroom champion also means respecting our teacher and everyone else in the room. What does it look like to respect your teacher?"
(Call on a few students. Guide them to mention listening, following directions, using kind words.)
Teacher: "Excellent! When you listen when I'm talking, follow directions the first time, and use kind words, you are showing great respect. This also applies to our classmates! How does it feel when someone doesn't listen to you, or interrupts you?"
(Allow responses.)
Teacher: "It doesn't feel good, does it? So, being respectful means treating everyone in our classroom the way we want to be treated. It makes our classroom a much happier place."
Practice and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
(Display Classroom Champions Slide Deck - Slide 6: 'You Are a Classroom Champion!')
Teacher: "Alright, Classroom Champions! You've learned so much today about how to make our classroom the best it can be. To help us remember these important ideas, I'm going to give you a worksheet called Respectful Actions Worksheet. On this sheet, I want you to look at the pictures and decide if the action is respectful or not. If it is, draw a star! If it's not, draw an X. Then, for the respectful actions, think about why they are good choices."
(Distribute the worksheet. Circulate to assist students.)
Teacher: "As you finish up, remember our three big takeaways from today: Talk smart, raise your hand, and respect everyone. By doing these things, you are all true Classroom Champions! Keep practicing these behaviors every day, and let's make our classroom the best place to learn!"
Warm Up
Our Best Classroom
What makes our classroom a great place to learn and grow? Draw a picture or write one idea in the space below!
I think our classroom is great when...
Worksheet
Respectful Actions Worksheet
Look at each picture and read the description. Decide if the action is respectful or not.
- If it IS respectful, draw a STAR (⭐️) in the box.
- If it is NOT respectful, draw an X (❌) in the box.
Then, for the respectful actions, write why it is a good choice.
1. Talking Over Others
Description: Sarah starts talking before her classmate is finished explaining their idea.
Box:
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable):
2. Raising a Quiet Hand
Description: David wants to answer a question, so he raises his hand quietly and waits for the teacher to call on him.
Box:
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable):
3. Listening to the Teacher
Description: During lesson time, Maria looks at the teacher and listens carefully to the instructions.
Box:
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable):
4. Yelling Out Answers
Description: Alex knows the answer and shouts it out without waiting for his turn or raising his hand.
Box:
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable):
5. Helping a Friend
Description: When a classmate drops their pencils, Emily helps them pick them up without being asked.
Box:
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable):
Answer Key
Respectful Actions Answer Key
Here are the answers and explanations for the Respectful Actions Worksheet.
1. Talking Over Others
Description: Sarah starts talking before her classmate is finished explaining their idea.
Box: ❌
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable): This is not a good choice because it is disrespectful to interrupt others. Everyone deserves to be heard, and interrupting can make it hard for others to share their thoughts or for the teacher to get important information across.
2. Raising a Quiet Hand
Description: David wants to answer a question, so he raises his hand quietly and waits for the teacher to call on him.
Box: ⭐️
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable): This is a good choice because it shows respect for the teacher and classmates. It helps keep the classroom organized and ensures that everyone has a fair chance to participate. It also shows patience and good listening skills.
3. Listening to the Teacher
Description: Maria looks at the teacher and listens carefully to the instructions.
Box: ⭐️
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable): This is a good choice because it shows respect for the teacher and helps Maria understand what she needs to do. Active listening is crucial for learning and following directions, which makes the classroom run smoothly.
4. Yelling Out Answers
Description: Alex knows the answer and shouts it out without waiting for his turn or raising his hand.
Box: ❌
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable): This is not a good choice because shouting out disrupts the class and can prevent other students from thinking of the answer themselves. It is disrespectful to the teacher and to classmates who are waiting their turn.
5. Helping a Friend
Description: When a classmate drops their pencils, Emily helps them pick them up without being asked.
Box: ⭐️
Why is this a good choice? (If applicable): This is a good choice because it shows kindness, empathy, and respect for classmates. Helping others creates a positive and supportive classroom community where everyone feels valued and cared for.