Lesson Plan
My Choices, My Power! Lesson Plan
Students will learn to identify different types of choices they make daily and understand how these choices lead to various outcomes, recognizing their personal power in shaping their experiences.
Understanding personal agency and the impact of choices is crucial for developing self-awareness, responsibility, and confidence. This lesson lays the foundation for students to become proactive decision-makers in their lives.
Audience
5th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussions and reflective activities.
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the My Choices, My Power! Lesson Plan and all linked materials: My Choices, My Power! Slide Deck, My Choices, My Power! Warm Up, Choices and Consequences Discussion Guide, My Choices, My Power! Journal, and My Choices, My Power! Cool Down.
- Ensure projector/smartboard is ready for the My Choices, My Power! Slide Deck.
- Print copies of the My Choices, My Power! Journal if physical copies are preferred. Alternatively, prepare digital access.
Step 1
Warm Up: What's Your Choice?
5 minutes
- Begin with the My Choices, My Power! Warm Up activity.
2. Ask students to quickly write down one choice they made this morning and one choice they will make after school.
3. Briefly discuss a few examples, highlighting that choices are a constant part of our day.
Step 2
Introducing My Choices, My Power!
5 minutes
- Display Slide 1: My Choices, My Power! of the slide deck.
2. Explain that today's lesson is about understanding the power they have through the choices they make.
3. Transition to Slide 2: Every Choice Matters and lead a brief discussion on how even small choices can have an impact.
Step 3
Choices and Consequences Discussion
10 minutes
- Use the Choices and Consequences Discussion Guide to facilitate a class discussion.
2. Present scenarios (from Slide 3: Scenario 1 and Slide 4: Scenario 2) and ask students to consider different choices and their potential consequences.
3. Encourage active participation and respectful listening.
Step 4
Journal Reflection: My Power, My Future
7 minutes
- Distribute or direct students to the My Choices, My Power! Journal.
2. Guide students to reflect on a personal choice they want to make in the near future and its potential outcomes. (Use Slide 5: Reflect and Write)
3. Emphasize that their reflections are personal, but offer the option to share if comfortable.
Step 5
Cool Down: One Big Idea
3 minutes
- Conclude the lesson with the My Choices, My Power! Cool Down.
2. Ask students to share one key takeaway or one new understanding about choices and power.
3. Reiterate the main message: their choices have power, and they can use that power positively.
Slide Deck
My Choices, My Power!
Understanding the impact of our decisions!
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of choices and power. Set a positive and empowering tone for the lesson.
Every Choice Matters
What choices did you make today?
How do our choices affect our day?
Explain that choices are a part of everyday life, big and small. Emphasize that every choice, no matter how minor it seems, can lead to different outcomes.
Scenario 1: The Group Project
Your teacher assigns a group project. You're paired with someone who you don't usually work with. You notice they are struggling with their part. What do you choose to do?
Present the first scenario for class discussion. Encourage students to think about different choices the character could make and the potential positive or negative consequences of each. Use the Choices and Consequences Discussion Guide to prompt discussion.
Scenario 2: Playground Problem
You see a classmate being excluded from a game on the playground. You want to play, but you also feel bad for them. What do you choose to do?
Present the second scenario for class discussion, following the same approach as Scenario 1. This helps reinforce the concept of choices and consequences.
Reflect and Write
Think about a choice you will make soon.
How might your choice impact yourself?
How might your choice impact others?
Introduce the journal activity. Explain that this is a time for personal reflection. Encourage students to think about a future choice and its potential impacts. Use the My Choices, My Power! Journal.
Warm Up
What's Your Choice?
Instructions:
Think about your morning so far or what you plan to do after school. Everyone makes choices all the time!
1. Write down one choice you made this morning.
2. Write down one choice you plan to make after school today.
3. Be ready to share one of your choices with the class!
Discussion
Choices and Consequences Discussion Guide
Objective: To help students explore how different choices lead to different outcomes, and to understand their role in these outcomes.
Introduction to Discussion (Teacher says:)
"Today, we're going to think about some real-life situations. There's no single 'right' answer, but we'll explore the different choices people can make and what might happen because of those choices. Remember to listen respectfully to everyone's ideas."
Scenario 1: The Group Project
(Display Slide 3: Scenario 1)
Teacher prompts:
- "What is happening in this scenario?"
- "What are some choices the student could make? (e.g., ignore their partner, offer help, tell the teacher)"
- "If the student chooses to ignore their partner, what might be the consequences for the project? For their partner? For themselves?"
- "If the student chooses to offer help, what might happen?"
- "What if they tell the teacher right away?"
- "Which choice do you think shows the most responsibility? Why?"
- "How does making a choice in this situation demonstrate their power?"
Scenario 2: Playground Problem
(Display Slide 4: Scenario 2)
Teacher prompts:
- "What is the main problem in this situation?"
- "What are some choices the student could make? (e.g., join the game and ignore the excluded student, invite the excluded student to play, find another game)"
- "If the student joins the game without inviting the other, how might that make the excluded student feel?"
- "What if they choose to invite the excluded student? What positive impact could that have?"
- "Are there any challenges to inviting someone new? How can we overcome them?"
- "How does a choice like this connect to being a good friend or a good member of our school community?"
- "How does this choice show their power to make a difference?"
Wrap-up Discussion (Teacher says:)
"Great job thinking through these tough choices! What did you notice about how different choices can lead to different outcomes? How does it feel to know that your choices have so much power?"
Journal
My Choices, My Power! Journal
Instructions: Think about a choice you will make in the next few days or weeks. It could be a big choice or a small one. Use the questions below to help you think about your power and the impact of your choice.
My Future Choice
- What is one choice you plan to make soon?
- What are some different ways this choice could turn out? Describe at least two possible outcomes.
- How might your choice impact you?
- How might your choice impact others (your family, friends, classmates, etc.)?
- What do you hope the outcome of your choice will be, and why?
Cool Down
One Big Idea
Instructions: Think about everything we discussed today about choices and power.
What is one important thing you learned or one new idea you have about the choices you make and the power you have?
Be ready to share your big idea with the class!