Ruby the Rabbit Learns Responsibility

Ruby the Rabbit was excited to help her family in the garden. One morning, Mama Rabbit asked Ruby to water the carrot plants. Ruby carefully filled her little watering can and gave each plant a gentle drink. She felt proud and watched the carrots sparkle in the sun.

Later that day, Ruby raced off to play with her friends, forgetting that she still had to put away her watering can. When she returned, she found the can tipped over and water spilling onto the path. The garden soil was soggy, and some tiny sprouts were washed away.

Ruby’s ears drooped. She realized that being responsible means doing her jobs all the way through—even when a fun break is calling. She cleaned up the mess, dried off the can, and carried it back to the shed. Mama Rabbit smiled and said, “Well done, Ruby! You took care of your mistake.” Ruby felt happy knowing she could fix her error by taking responsibility.

The next day, Ruby set a rule for herself: finish every task before playing. She drew a simple chart with two columns—“Garden Jobs” and “Fun Time.” Every time she finished a job, she put a checkmark on her chart. Soon, Ruby’s garden sparkled, and she had more time for games without worrying about unfinished chores.

Discussion Questions

1. How did Ruby show responsibility when she first watered the plants?
2. What mistake did Ruby make after she finished watering?
3. How did Ruby fix her mistake and show responsibility again?
4. What rule did Ruby make for herself to help her stay responsible?
5. Can you think of one thing you are responsible for at home or in class? How will you remember to finish it?

Scenario Cards for Responsibility Rangers

Use these scenario cards for the Guided Scenario Sorting activity. Students will work in small groups to decide whether each scenario shows a “Responsible” action or a “Not Responsible” action. Place each card in the correct pile and earn a token for each correct sort!

Cards (Teacher Key)

1. Lily saw a book fall off the shelf. She picked it up and put it back.
   Answer: Responsible

2. Tom finished his snack, but left the wrapper under the desk.
   Answer: Not Responsible

3. Sara remembered to feed the class fish before leaving school.
   Answer: Responsible

4. Mark forgot to return his library book, so someone else couldn’t read it.
   Answer: Not Responsible

5. Emily sharpened all the pencils and returned the sharpener.
   Answer: Responsible

6. Alex spilled paint but left the mess for someone else to clean.
   Answer: Not Responsible

7. Chloe lined up quietly when the bell rang.
   Answer: Responsible

8. Jake ran in the hallway and bumped into a friend.
   Answer: Not Responsible

9. Olivia did her homework carefully and handed it in on time.
   Answer: Responsible

10. Ryan didn’t wash his hands after playing outside.
    Answer: Not Responsible

Print, cut apart, and shuffle these cards so each group has a mix to sort.
Students place each card under the “Responsible” or “Not Responsible” heading on the Responsibility Chart Poster.
Award a Responsibility Token for every card sorted correctly!

Responsibility Tokens

Use these tokens to reward responsible actions during our lesson. Each token features a green star to remind students they’re shining as Responsibility Rangers!

Token Design

🟢⭐️ Responsibility Ranger Token ⭐️🟢

(Print multiple tokens on cardstock and cut along the dotted lines.)

How to Use

1. Guided Scenario Sorting

• When a group correctly sorts a scenario card, award each student in that group one token.
• Students place their token on the Responsibility Chart Poster under the “Responsible” column.

2. Reflection & Commitment

• After each student shares a personal responsibility goal, give them one token for their commitment.
• Encourage students to earn another token when they follow through on their promise.

3. Tracking Progress

• Leave tokens on the chart throughout the week to show our class’s collective responsibility growth.
• At the end of the week, count tokens and celebrate our achievements!

Printing & Preparation

1. Print tokens on sturdy paper or cardstock.
2. Cut along the edges to create individual tokens.
3. Keep tokens in a basket or container for easy distribution.

Let’s watch our tokens—and our responsibility—grow!

Responsibility Chart Poster

Use this poster to track our class’s responsible choices. Place each Responsibility Token under the correct column when a group sorts a scenario card correctly.

(Each ⚪ is a circle where students can place or stick their Responsibility Tokens.)

How to Use

1. During Guided Scenario Sorting, award one token per correct sort.
2. Students place their token in the next open circle under the appropriate column.
3. Watch as our class’s responsibility grows with every token!

Print this poster at a large size (e.g., poster paper) so token circles are easy to reach and place.