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Replacement Behaviors

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Lesson Plan

New Choices Lesson Plan

Students will be able to identify challenging behaviors and practice positive replacement behaviors to meet their needs in a constructive way.

Teaching students replacement behaviors helps them develop essential social-emotional skills, fostering a more positive and respectful learning environment. It empowers them with tools to manage their emotions and reactions effectively.

Audience

3rd Grade Class

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and engaging role-play activities.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Better Choices Toolkit, Replacement Behavior Charades, and Practicing Positive Talk

Prep

Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Are Replacement Behaviors?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What happens when we feel big emotions like anger or frustration? Sometimes our bodies do things we don't mean to do, like shouting or pushing. What if there were better ways to handle those feelings?"
  • Introduce the idea of 'Replacement Behaviors' using the Better Choices Toolkit (Slide 1-2). Explain that these are new, positive choices we can make instead of challenging behaviors.
  • Discuss with students that everyone sometimes struggles with their behavior, and learning new choices is a strength.

Step 2

Explore Challenging vs. Replacement Behaviors

10 minutes

  • Display Slide 3 from the Better Choices Toolkit.
  • Lead a brief discussion using the examples on the slide. Ask students to identify what the challenging behavior is and brainstorm a positive replacement behavior.
  • Encourage students to share their own ideas for replacement behaviors for common classroom challenges (e.g., instead of blurting out, raising a hand; instead of fidgeting, using a stress ball or taking a deep breath). Record appropriate suggestions on the whiteboard.

Step 3

Replacement Behavior Charades Activity

15 minutes

  • Introduce the Replacement Behavior Charades activity.
  • Explain the rules: Students will act out a challenging behavior and then a positive replacement behavior without speaking. Classmates guess both.
  • Divide students into small groups or pairs, or conduct as a whole-class activity where individual students volunteer.
  • Distribute the slips of paper with challenging behaviors prepared during prep.
  • Circulate and provide positive reinforcement and guidance as students participate.

Step 4

Practicing Positive Talk

5 minutes

  • Transition to the importance of positive self-talk with the Practicing Positive Talk script. Explain how our words can help us make good choices.
  • Lead students through a few examples of positive self-talk that can help them choose replacement behaviors (e.g., "I can take a deep breath," "I can ask for help").

Step 5

Wrap-up and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Review the main points: We all have challenging behaviors, but we can learn to choose replacement behaviors.
  • Ask students to share one new choice they will try to make this week.
  • Emphasize that practicing these new choices makes them stronger and helps everyone in the classroom.
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Slide Deck

Making Better Choices!

What do you do when you feel frustrated? 😠
What about angry? 😡
Or super silly? 🤪

Sometimes our feelings make us do things we don't mean to!
Today, we'll learn how to make BETTER CHOICES!

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Explain that everyone sometimes makes choices they wish they hadn't, and today we'll learn how to make 'better choices' when big feelings happen.

What are Replacement Behaviors?

It's a NEW CHOICE for what to do instead of a challenging behavior!

Challenging Behavior: Something we do that causes problems or doesn't help.

Replacement Behavior: A positive action that helps us solve problems or calm down.

Introduce the concept of 'replacement behaviors'. Explain that these are new, positive actions we can choose instead of challenging ones. Use simple language and relatable examples.

Let's Practice Our Choices!

Scenario 1: You want to talk, but someone else is talking.

  • Challenging Behavior: Blurting out
  • Replacement Behavior: ?

Scenario 2: You are feeling fidgety and can't sit still.

  • Challenging Behavior: Wiggling, tapping, distracting others
  • Replacement Behavior: ?

Scenario 3: You get frustrated with a difficult task.

  • Challenging Behavior: Giving up, saying "I can't do it!"
  • Replacement Behavior: ?

Present various scenarios. For each, ask students to identify the 'challenging behavior' and then brainstorm 'replacement behaviors'. Encourage group discussion and different ideas.

Time to Act It Out!

We're going to play Replacement Behavior Charades!

  1. You'll get a challenging behavior.
  2. First, act out the challenging behavior.
  3. Then, act out a replacement behavior.
  4. Your classmates will guess both!

Get ready to show off your acting skills and your smart choices!

This slide sets up the next activity, Replacement Behavior Charades. Explain that they will act out challenging behaviors and then their better choices.

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Activity

Replacement Behavior Charades

Objective: To creatively identify and demonstrate challenging and replacement behaviors through acting.

Instructions:

  1. Your teacher will give you a slip of paper with a challenging behavior written on it.
  2. When it's your turn, act out the challenging behavior for the class without speaking.
  3. After the class guesses the challenging behavior, act out a positive replacement behavior that someone could do instead.
  4. The class will then guess the replacement behavior!

Examples of Challenging Behaviors (on slips of paper):

  • Interrupting someone who is talking
  • Shouting out an answer without raising your hand
  • Fidgeting constantly and distracting others
  • Slumping down or putting your head on the desk when frustrated
  • Complaining loudly when asked to do something
  • Pushing or crowding others in line
  • Making a sad face and giving up on a task
  • Tapping your pencil loudly
  • Rolling your eyes

Have fun showing off your awesome choices!

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Script

Practicing Positive Talk

Teacher: "Alright class, you did an amazing job with our charades! You showed me that you know a lot about making good choices with your actions. But guess what? Our words are just as powerful, especially the words we say to ourselves inside our heads!"

Teacher: "This is called positive self-talk. It's like having a little cheerleader in your brain, always telling you helpful things. When we feel those big emotions, sometimes our brain might say, 'This is too hard!' or 'I'm going to get mad!' But we can change those thoughts!"

Teacher: "Let's try some. If you're feeling frustrated with a math problem, instead of thinking, 'I can't do this,' what's a positive thing you could tell yourself?"







Teacher: "Great ideas! Maybe something like, 'I can try again,' or 'It's okay to ask for help.' What if you're feeling really excited and want to blurt out the answer? What could you tell yourself?"







Teacher: "Fantastic! You could say, 'I'll raise my hand quietly,' or 'I can wait my turn.' See how that works? Your words can help you make those awesome replacement behaviors happen! Remember, practicing positive talk helps you choose kindness, patience, and good choices for yourself and others."

lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

New Choices Lesson Plan

Students will be able to identify challenging behaviors and practice positive replacement behaviors to meet their needs in a constructive way.

Teaching students replacement behaviors helps them develop essential social-emotional skills, fostering a more positive and respectful learning environment. It empowers them with tools to manage their emotions and reactions effectively.

Audience

3rd Grade Class

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and engaging role-play activities.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Better Choices Toolkit, Replacement Behavior Charades, and Practicing Positive Talk

Prep

Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Are Replacement Behaviors?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What happens when we feel big emotions like anger or frustration? Sometimes our bodies do things we don't mean to do, like shouting or pushing. What if there were better ways to handle those feelings?"
  • Introduce the idea of 'Replacement Behaviors' using the Better Choices Toolkit (Slide 1-2). Explain that these are new, positive choices we can make instead of challenging behaviors.
  • Discuss with students that everyone sometimes struggles with their behavior, and learning new choices is a strength.

Step 2

Explore Challenging vs. Replacement Behaviors

10 minutes

  • Display Slide 3 from the Better Choices Toolkit.
  • Lead a brief discussion using the examples on the slide. Ask students to identify what the challenging behavior is and brainstorm a positive replacement behavior.
  • Encourage students to share their own ideas for replacement behaviors for common classroom challenges (e.g., instead of blurting out, raising a hand; instead of fidgeting, using a stress ball or taking a deep breath). Record appropriate suggestions on the whiteboard.

Step 3

Replacement Behavior Charades Activity

15 minutes

  • Introduce the Replacement Behavior Charades activity.
  • Explain the rules: Students will act out a challenging behavior and then a positive replacement behavior without speaking. Classmates guess both.
  • Divide students into small groups or pairs, or conduct as a whole-class activity where individual students volunteer.
  • Distribute the slips of paper with challenging behaviors prepared during prep.
  • Circulate and provide positive reinforcement and guidance as students participate.

Step 4

Practicing Positive Talk

5 minutes

  • Transition to the importance of
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