Warm-Up: Respectful Start
Directions: Think about how you show respect to others. In the space below, draw a picture or write one way you show respect at school or at home.
Lesson Plan
Respect: It's Your Call!
Students will be able to define respect, identify examples of respectful and defiant behavior, and understand the positive impact of choosing respect.
Teaching respect early helps students build positive relationships, understand boundaries, and develop self-control. This lesson specifically addresses defiance by equipping students with strategies to respond respectfully to requests and rules, fostering a more harmonious classroom and school environment.
Audience
K-5th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and scenario-based activity.
Materials
Respect: It's Your Call! Slide Deck, Respect: It's Your Call! Script, Respectful Choices Activity, Warm-Up: Respectful Start Warm Up, and Cool-Down: Respect Reflection Cool Down
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Respect: It's Your Call! Lesson Plan, Slide Deck, and Script to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
- Print copies of the Respectful Choices Activity worksheet (one per student) if using physical copies, or prepare for digital distribution.
- Ensure projector/smartboard is set up for the Slide Deck.
- Gather any optional classroom supplies such as markers or pencils for the activity.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Respectful Start
5 minutes
Begin the lesson with the Warm-Up: Respectful Start activity. Ask students to share one way they show respect at school or home.
Teacher Note: Use the corresponding slide from the Slide Deck and guide discussion using the Script.
Step 2
What is Respect?
5 minutes
Introduce the concept of respect using the Respect: It's Your Call! Slide Deck. Define respect as treating others how you want to be treated, listening, and following rules. Discuss how disrespect can feel.
Teacher Note: Follow the Script for key talking points and questions.
Step 3
Choices and Consequences (Defiance Focus)
10 minutes
Present scenarios from the Respect: It's Your Call! Slide Deck that illustrate choices between respectful and defiant behavior. Guide students to identify the respectful choice and discuss the positive outcomes, as well as the negative outcomes of defiance. Emphasize that choosing respect means listening, following instructions, and calmly communicating feelings.
Teacher Note: This section is crucial for addressing defiance directly. Refer to the Script for specific examples and prompts.
Step 4
Respectful Choices Activity
8 minutes
Distribute the Respectful Choices Activity. Students will work individually or in small groups to identify respectful responses in various situations. Circulate and provide support.
Teacher Note: The Respect: It's Your Call! Slide Deck can display the activity instructions.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Respect Reflection
2 minutes
Conclude with the Cool-Down: Respect Reflection. Ask students to write or share one new idea they have about showing respect or how they can make a respectful choice this week.
Teacher Note: Use the final slide from the Respect: It's Your Call! Slide Deck to prompt reflection.
Slide Deck
Respect: It's Your Call!
How do you show respect?
Welcome students. Explain that today's lesson is about respect and making good choices. Ask students to share a quick example of how they show respect.
What is Respect?
Treating others how you want to be treated.
Listening and following rules.
Being kind with your words and actions.
Define respect for students. Emphasize that it's about how we treat others and ourselves. Use simple language and ask for examples. Connect it to classroom rules.
Choices and Consequences
Scenario 1: Your teacher asks you to put away your toys.
Choice A: Say "No!" and keep playing.
Choice B: Say "Okay," and put them away.
Scenario 2: A friend wants to borrow your crayon, but you want to use it.
Choice A: Yell "Mine!" and pull it away.
Choice B: Say, "I'm using it now, but you can have it next!"
Present scenarios focusing on defiance vs. respect. For each scenario, ask students what the defiant choice would be and what the respectful choice would be. Discuss the outcomes. Reinforce that 'It's Your Call!' to choose respect.
Respectful Choices Activity
Let's practice making respectful choices!
Work on your Respectful Choices Activity worksheet.
Introduce the activity. Explain that students will think about different situations and decide on the respectful choice. Encourage them to think about 'why' it's respectful.
Your Respectful Choice!
What is one new idea you have about showing respect?
How can you make a respectful choice this week?
Wrap up the lesson by asking students to reflect on one thing they learned or one way they can make a respectful choice in the coming week. Reinforce the idea that respect is a powerful choice.
Script
Respect: It's Your Call! Script
Warm-Up: Respectful Start (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: Respect. It's all about how we treat each other and how we act. To start, I want each of you to think of one way you show respect at school or at home. You can show respect to your friends, your family, your teachers, or even your toys!"
Pause for student responses. Encourage a few different examples.
Teacher: "Great examples! It sounds like many of you already know a lot about respect. Today, we're going to dive even deeper and learn why choosing respect is so powerful."
What is Respect? (5 minutes)
Teacher: (Display Slide 2: What is Respect?) "So, what exactly is respect? It means treating others the way you want to be treated. It means listening when someone else is talking, following rules, and using kind words and actions. When we show respect, we make everyone feel safe, valued, and happy."
Teacher: "Can anyone tell me how it feels when someone is disrespectful to you? How does it feel if someone ignores you, or doesn't share, or breaks a rule?"
Allow students to share feelings like sadness, anger, frustration.
Teacher: "Exactly! It doesn't feel good. That's why choosing respect is so important. It helps us build a happy and fair classroom."
Choices and Consequences (Defiance Focus) (10 minutes)
Teacher: (Display Slide 3: Choices and Consequences) "Today, we're going to look at some situations where we have a choice. We can choose to be respectful, or we can choose to be... well, let's call it defiant. Defiant means saying 'no' when a grown-up asks you to do something important, or refusing to follow a rule even when you know what the rule is. It's like choosing to go against what's expected."
Teacher: "Let's look at our first scenario: Scenario 1: Your teacher asks you to put away your toys.
- Choice A: Say 'No!' and keep playing.
- Choice B: Say 'Okay,' and put them away.
Teacher: "What would be the defiant choice here? (Pause for answers: Choice A). And what might happen if you choose Choice A? (Pause for answers: teacher gets upset, toys don't get put away, playtime might end)."
Teacher: "What would be the respectful choice? (Pause for answers: Choice B). And what might happen if you choose Choice B? (Pause for answers: teacher is happy, you get to finish playing later, you followed the rule)."
Teacher: "Choosing to be respectful means you are listening and understanding. It means you are in control of your actions, even when you might not want to do something right away."
Teacher: "Let's try another one: Scenario 2: A friend wants to borrow your crayon, but you want to use it.
- Choice A: Yell 'Mine!' and pull it away.
- Choice B: Say, 'I'm using it now, but you can have it next!'
Teacher: "Which choice is defiant, and which is respectful? What happens in each situation?"
Discuss student responses, emphasizing the positive outcome of respectful communication even when you want to keep something.
Teacher: "Sometimes, when a grown-up asks you to do something, you might feel frustrated or angry. It's okay to feel those feelings! But choosing to be defiant by shouting or ignoring them doesn't help. A respectful choice would be to say, 'I hear you, but I feel frustrated because...' and then calmly ask if you can have a moment, or if you can understand why. Choosing respect means you are in charge of your actions, even if you can't be in charge of what you feel at that exact moment."
Respectful Choices Activity (8 minutes)
Teacher: (Display Slide 4: Respectful Choices Activity) "Now it's your turn to be the 'respectful choice' experts! I'm going to hand out a worksheet called Respectful Choices Activity. On this sheet, you'll see a few different situations. Your job is to think about what the respectful choice would be in each one. You can draw a picture or write a few words. Remember everything we just talked about!"
Distribute worksheets. Circulate and assist students as they work.
Cool-Down: Respect Reflection (2 minutes)
Teacher: (Display Slide 5: Your Respectful Choice!) "Alright, everyone, bring your attention back up here. You did a fantastic job with the activity! To wrap up, I want you to think about this question: What is one new idea you have about showing respect, or one way you can make a respectful choice this week?"
Allow a few students to share their reflections.
Teacher: "Excellent! Remember, choosing respect is your call! Every day, you have the power to make respectful choices that make our classroom, our school, and our homes happier places. Keep practicing those respectful choices!"
Activity
Respectful Choices Activity
Name: __________________________
Date: __________________________
Directions: Read each situation. Think about the respectful choice and the defiant choice. Then, draw a picture or write what a respectful choice would look like in that situation.
Situation 1:
Your teacher asks you to clean up your art supplies.
What is the respectful choice?
Situation 2:
Your classmate accidentally bumps into your tower of blocks and it falls over.
What is the respectful choice?
Situation 3:
Your parent asks you to stop playing a game and come to dinner.
What is the respectful choice?
Situation 4:
You don't agree with your friend about what game to play at recess.
What is the respectful choice?
Warm Up
Cool Down
Cool-Down: Respect Reflection
Directions: Write or draw your answer to one of the questions below:
- What is one new idea you have about showing respect?
- How can you make a respectful choice this week?