Lesson Plan
Positive Pathways Lesson Plan
Students will learn and practice proactive strategies for maintaining positive behavior by understanding classroom expectations, checking in on their behavior, co-creating a class contract, and reflecting on their progress.
Establishing clear expectations and interactive routines fosters self-regulation, a supportive classroom culture, and empowers students to stay on track throughout the school day.
Audience
3rd Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion and hands-on activities
Prep
Material Review and Setup
10 minutes
- Review the Behavior Expectations Journey slide deck and familiarize yourself with each expectation.
- Print or prepare digital copies of the Classroom Contract Creation Worksheet and the Reflection Exit Ticket.
- Post or display the Check-In Traffic Light visual in a visible location.
- Arrange seating to facilitate small-group discussion and whole-class sharing.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Check-In Traffic Light
5 minutes
- Gather students in a circle near the displayed Check-In Traffic Light.
- Ask each student to silently reflect on how they’ve been doing so far in terms of following class expectations.
- Invite students to share by placing a clothespin or sticky note on green (on track), yellow (needs reminder), or red (off track).
- Briefly discuss common feelings and normalize checking in regularly.
Step 2
Introduction: Behavior Expectations Journey
10 minutes
- Project the Behavior Expectations Journey slide deck.
- Guide students through each expectation (e.g., active listening, respectful words, safe hands).
- Use think-pair-share: students think of examples, discuss with a partner, then share with the class.
- Emphasize how these expectations help everyone learn and feel safe.
Step 3
Activity: Classroom Contract Creation
20 minutes
- Divide students into small groups of 3–4.
- Distribute the Classroom Contract Creation Worksheet to each group.
- Instruct groups to list 3–5 key expectations they think should be part of the class contract.
- Circulate and support groups, prompting them to use specific, positive language ("We will…").
- Reconvene whole class; have each group share one expectation.
- Collaboratively finalize a class contract on chart paper; have students sign it.
Step 4
Cool-Down: Reflection Exit Ticket
10 minutes
- Hand out the Reflection Exit Ticket to each student.
- Prompt students to write or draw:
- One expectation they feel confident about following.
- One strategy they will use if they notice themselves moving to yellow or red on the traffic light.
- Collect exit tickets to inform future support and celebrate progress.
Slide Deck
Behavior Expectations Journey
Welcome to our journey!
We will travel through five stops that show how we can be our best selves in class. Are you ready?
Welcome students! Today we’ll explore our Behavior Expectations Journey. Introduce the idea of a roadmap that guides us toward positive behavior in class.
Stop 1: Active Listening
• Eyes on the speaker
• Quiet mouth
• Thinking about what you hear
Why? Helps everyone learn and feel heard.
Explain what Active Listening means, why it matters, and demonstrate good vs. poor listening. Invite volunteers to act out each version.
Stop 2: Respectful Words
• Use polite words (please, thank you)
• Speak softly and kindly
• Think before you speak
Why? Builds trust and friendship.
Discuss “Respectful Words.” Model using kind language vs. unkind language. Ask students to think-pair-share an example of a respectful sentence.
Stop 3: Safe Hands and Feet
• Keep hands and feet to yourself
• Move carefully around others
• Use materials safely
Why? Prevents accidents and keeps friends safe.
Introduce “Safe Hands and Feet.” Use visuals of safe vs. unsafe actions. Reinforce that safety helps everyone feel secure.
Stop 4: Kindness & Empathy
• Notice when someone needs help
• Share and take turns
• Show you care with words and actions
Why? Makes our classroom a caring community.
Explain “Kindness and Empathy.” Role-play scenarios: helping a friend who is sad, sharing supplies. Ask students for other ideas.
Stop 5: Teamwork & Cooperation
• Listen to others’ ideas
• Help each other
• Solve problems together
Why? We accomplish more when we work as a team.
Highlight “Teamwork & Cooperation.” Describe working together on a project. Have students suggest classroom tasks that require teamwork.
Reflection & Next Steps
Think-Pair-Share:
- Which expectation is your favorite?
- How will you practice it today?
Next: We’ll create our Classroom Contract together!
Wrap up the journey. Invite students to share which stop they found most important. Prepare transition into the Classroom Contract activity.
Warm Up
Check-In Traffic Light Warm-Up
Objective: Help students self-monitor their behavior and prepare mentally for class by reflecting on how well they’re following classroom expectations.
Materials: A large poster or digital display of the traffic light chart, clothespins or sticky notes for each student
Setup: Post or project the chart below where everyone can see it.
| 🟢 Green | 🟡 Yellow | 🔴 Red |
|---|---|---|
| On Track I’m following expectations and ready to learn. | Needs Reminder I’m mostly on track but could use a quick prompt. | Off Track I’m struggling to follow expectations and need support. |
Instructions (5 minutes):
- Gather students around the chart.
- Ask each student to silently reflect: "How am I doing with our class expectations right now?"
- Invite students, one at a time, to place their clothespin or sticky note on the color that best matches how they feel.
- Once all students have checked in, briefly notice patterns (e.g., “I see many greens—great job!” or “A few yellows—let’s think about strategies to stay on track.”).
- Normalize that feelings can change, and invite students to revisit the chart throughout the day as needed.
Activity
Classroom Contract Creation Worksheet
Group Name: _______________________
Group Members: ____________________ , ____________________ , ____________________
Instructions: In your group, think about what makes our classroom a great place to learn and grow. Follow the steps below to draft expectations in positive, "We will…" statements.
Step 1: Brainstorm 3–5 ideas for class expectations. Write each idea below.
- _________________________________
- _________________________________
- _________________________________
- _________________________________
- _________________________________
Step 2: For each idea, answer “Why is this important?”
- Idea 1: _____________________ Why? ________________________________
- Idea 2: _____________________ Why? ________________________________
- Idea 3: _____________________ Why? ________________________________
- Idea 4: _____________________ Why? ________________________________
- Idea 5: _____________________ Why? ________________________________
Step 3: Turn your top 3 ideas into final contract statements using “We will…”
- We will ________________________________________________
- We will ________________________________________________
- We will ________________________________________________
Step 4: Choose one statement your group is most proud of to share with the class. Be ready to explain why it’s important and how it will help everyone.
Cool Down
Reflection Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
Date: _______________________
- One expectation I feel most confident about following is:
- One strategy I will use if I notice myself moving to yellow or red on the traffic light is:
- One goal I have for tomorrow to help me stay on track is: