Decision Dilemmas: Choosing Our Best Path - Teacher Script

Introduction

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: making choices, or as we call them, decisions! Every day, we make lots of decisions, big and small."

(PreK-5)
"Can anyone tell me a choice they made this morning? Maybe what color shirt to wear, or what to eat for breakfast?" (Pause for responses). "Great! Those are all decisions. We're going to learn how to make really good decisions!"

(6-12)
"Think about a decision you've made recently. Was it a big one, or a small one? Was it easy to make, or did it feel tricky?" (Allow a few students to share briefly). "Today, we're going to explore how we can approach decision-making in a thoughtful and structured way, especially when the choices aren't so simple."

(All)
"We'll be using our Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck to help us along the way."

Exploring Choices and Consequences

(PreK-5 - refer to Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck - Slide 3: Every Choice Has a Consequence)
"Let's look at our slide. Every choice we make has something that happens after it. We call these 'consequences'. Some consequences are good, and some might not be so good. If you choose to share your toys, what's a good consequence? Maybe your friend is happy! If you choose not to share, what might happen? Maybe your friend feels sad. We want to think about what will happen before we make our choice."

"Now, let's try some choices together with our Decision Dilemmas Activity."

(6-12 - refer to Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck - Slide 3: Every Choice Has a Consequence)
"As we saw on the slide, every decision comes with consequences, both positive and negative. It's important to consider these potential outcomes before we act. Let's think about a time a decision had an unexpected consequence. How did that feel? What did you learn?"

"We'll delve deeper into this with a scenario in our Decision Dilemmas Activity."

Decision-Making Frameworks

(PreK-5 - refer to Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck - Slide 4: Sometimes Choices Are Tricky!)
"Sometimes it's hard to pick! Like on our slide: Should I play inside or outside? Both sound fun! When it's tricky, we can think, think, think about our choices. We're going to do a fun activity to practice thinking about our choices before we make them."

"We'll also use our Decision Dilemmas Worksheet (PreK-5) to help us remember our good choices."

(6-12 - refer to Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck - Slide 5: Decision-Making Framework (6-12))
"For more complex decisions, having a framework can be incredibly helpful. It gives us a roadmap. Let's look at the steps on our slide. First, we Identify the Decision. What exactly needs to be decided? Then, Gather Information. What facts do we need? Who can we talk to? Next, Identify Alternatives - what are all the possible paths we could take? After that, we Weigh Evidence/Consequences for each alternative – what are the pros and cons, the short-term and long-term impacts? Once we've done that, we can Choose the Best Alternative, Take Action, and finally, Review Our Decision to see what worked and what we could do differently next time."

"We'll practice applying this framework with some scenarios in our Decision Dilemmas Activity and further reflection on the Decision Dilemmas Worksheet (6-12)."

Scenario Analysis and Discussion

(6-12 - refer to Decision Dilemmas Slide Deck - Slide 6: Thinking About Values & Ethics (6-12))
"Beyond just the outcomes, our decisions are often guided by our personal values and ethical considerations. What do we mean by values? Things like fairness, honesty, and respect. How do these guide our choices? Let's consider how these come into play in our scenarios. We'll use the Decision Dilemmas Discussion Guide to structure our conversations."

"Now, in your small groups, you'll tackle a more complex dilemma from the Decision Dilemmas Activity. Remember to apply the framework we just discussed and think about those ethical considerations. After you've had time to discuss, each group will present their proposed solution and their reasoning. I'll be using the Decision Dilemmas Discussion Guide to help us all share our thoughts."

Reflection and Application

(PreK-5)
"So, what did we learn today about making choices? Who can tell me a good choice they might make later today? Remember, every time you stop and think before you choose, you're becoming a super decision-maker! Keep practicing your good choices!"

(6-12)
"To wrap up, I'd like you to work on the Decision Dilemmas Worksheet (6-12) individually. This will give you a chance to reflect on how you can apply these decision-making strategies to your own lives. What are some key takeaways from today's lesson that you can use when faced with a tricky decision? Remember, decision-making is a skill that improves with practice, and thinking through your choices can lead to more positive outcomes."

(All)
"Thank you for participating today, everyone! Keep making those thoughtful choices!"

Decision Dilemmas: Activity

For Younger Students (PreK-5)

Instructions: Listen to the scenario and choose the best option. Be ready to explain why!

1. The Playground Problem: You want to play on the swings, but your friend is already on the only empty one. What do you do?

   • A. Push your friend off the swing.
   • B. Go play on the slide instead.
   • C. Ask your friend if you can have a turn next or swing together.
     
     
     
     

2. Snack Time Choice: You have a yummy cookie and an apple for snack. You really want both! What do you choose to eat first?

   • A. Eat the cookie first.
   • B. Eat the apple first.
   • C. Eat half of each.
     
     
     
     

3. Drawing Dilemma: You are drawing a picture, and your crayon breaks. What do you do?

   • A. Get mad and throw the crayon away.
   • B. Ask a teacher for help or a new crayon.
   • C. Try to draw with the broken crayon, even if it's hard.
     
     
     
     

For Older Students (6-12)

Instructions: Read the following dilemmas. In your groups, use the decision-making framework to analyze the situation, consider ethical implications, and propose the best course of action. Be prepared to share your reasoning with the class.

Dilemma 1: The Group Project Grade

You are working on a group project, and one member, who is also a close friend, hasn't contributed much. The deadline is tomorrow, and the project is still incomplete. You know if you don't pick up their slack, your group's grade will suffer, but you're also frustrated with your friend's lack of effort.

• What is the decision to be made?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What information do you need to gather?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What are your alternatives?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What are the potential consequences (pros and cons) of each alternative?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Considering ethical implications (fairness, responsibility), what is the best course of action?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Dilemma 2: The Online Rumor

You see a hurtful rumor about a classmate being spread on social media by someone you know. You feel uncomfortable but are worried about getting involved. You also know the classmate is sensitive and would be very upset if they saw it.

• What is the decision to be made?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What information do you need to gather?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What are your alternatives?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• What are the potential consequences (pros and cons) of each alternative?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Considering ethical implications (kindness, responsibility, digital citizenship), what is the best course of action?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Decision Dilemmas: Worksheet (PreK-5)

Instructions: Look at the pictures. Circle the best choice and draw what happens next.

1. What to Play?

(Picture 1: Child looking at blocks. Picture 2: Child looking at a toy car.)

Which one will you play with first?

Circle your choice:

Draw what happens after you choose:

2. Sharing Snacks

(Picture 1: Two friends, one with a cookie, the other with none. Picture 2: Two friends, both with half a cookie.)

Your friend doesn't have a snack. What is a kind choice?

Circle your choice:

Draw what happens after you choose:

3. Rainy Day Fun

(Picture 1: Child looking sad, raining outside. Picture 2: Child smiling, playing inside with a puzzle.)

It's raining! You can't play outside. What is a good choice for fun inside?

Circle your choice:

Draw what happens after you choose:

Decision Dilemmas: Worksheet (6-12)

Instructions: Reflect on a recent decision you had to make, or imagine a future decision. Use the decision-making framework to analyze it.

Your Decision Scenario

Describe a decision you recently made, or one you anticipate making in the future (e.g., choosing a high school, selecting an extracurricular activity, managing a conflict).

Applying the Decision-Making Framework

1. Identify the Decision: What specific choice do you need to make or did you make?
   
   
   

2. Gather Information: What information did you gather, or would you need to gather, to make this decision?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Identify Alternatives: What were your different options or potential courses of action?
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Weigh Evidence/Consequences: For each alternative, list at least two pros and two cons. Consider both short-term and long-term impacts.

   • Alternative 1:
     
     • Pros:
       
       
     • Cons:
       
       
   • Alternative 2:
     
     • Pros:
       
       
     • Cons:
       
       
   • (Add more alternatives if needed)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

5. Consider Values & Ethics: What personal values (e.g., honesty, fairness, kindness, responsibility) or ethical considerations played a role, or should play a role, in this decision?
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. Choose/Review the Best Alternative: What decision did you make, or what decision would you make? Explain why this was the best choice, considering all factors.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. Reflection: What did you learn from this decision-making process? How might you approach similar decisions differently in the future?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Decision Dilemmas: Discussion Guide

For Younger Students (PreK-5) - Simple Class Discussion Prompts

• "What was your favorite part about thinking about our choices today?"
• "Can you tell me one good choice you learned about?"
• "How does making a good choice make you and others feel?"

For Older Students (6-12) - Guided Group and Class Discussion Prompts

Instructions: Use these prompts to facilitate discussion during the "Scenario Analysis and Discussion" section. Encourage students to refer back to the decision-making framework and ethical considerations.

During Group Work (for the teacher to circulate and prompt groups):

• "Which step of the decision-making framework are you currently focusing on?"
• "What are some of the short-term consequences you've identified for this option? How about long-term?"
• "How do your personal values, like fairness or honesty, come into play here?"
• "Are there any ethical dilemmas in this scenario? How are you addressing them?"
• "Have you considered all possible alternatives? Is there an option you haven't explored yet?"
• "How might different people be affected by each choice?"

During Whole Class Discussion (after group presentations):

• "What was the most challenging part of analyzing your dilemma?"
• "Did any group come up with a solution that surprised you? Why?"
• "How did using the decision-making framework help your group?"
• "In what ways did ethical considerations influence your group's final decision?"
• "What's one key takeaway from today's discussion that you can apply to decisions in your own life?"
• "Are there situations where this framework might be more difficult to apply? Why?"
• "How can we encourage others to make more thoughtful decisions?"