lenny

Speak Up!

user image

Lesson Plan

Be Your Own Advocate

Students will define self-advocacy, identify personal strengths and needs, learn and apply simple sentence starters, and practice using them in role-play scenarios to ask for support.

Self-advocacy empowers students to express their needs, build confidence, and foster independence—critical skills for academic success and personal growth, especially for students with ASD who benefit from clear supports.

Audience

7th Grade General Education Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual supports, and guided role-play.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Self-Advocacy

5 minutes

  • Write “What is Self-Advocacy?” on the whiteboard.
  • Ask students to share examples of times they asked for help or spoke up for themselves.
  • Define self-advocacy: speaking up for yourself, asking for help, and explaining your needs.
  • Emphasize why self-advocacy matters for everyone, especially those who need extra support.

Step 2

Identify Personal Strengths and Needs

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Strengths and Needs Chart.
  • Model filling out one strength and one need on the board.
  • Ask students to list two personal strengths and one area where they might need support.
  • Provide visual sentence stems or one-on-one prompts for students who need extra guidance.

Step 3

Learn Self-Advocacy Sentences

5 minutes

  • Display the Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters Handout.
  • Read aloud examples (e.g., “I need help with…,” “Can I have more time to…?”).
  • Highlight key phrases and ask students to repeat them.
  • Have each student choose two starters and practice aloud.

Step 4

Role-Play Scenarios

10 minutes

  • Pair students, mixing abilities to support peer modeling.
  • Give each pair one card from the Advocacy Role-Play Scenario Cards.
  • Students take turns role-playing: one uses their chart and sentence starters to ask for support; the other responds.
  • Circulate to prompt, model, and scaffold as needed.
  • Use a timer: 5 minutes per role, then switch roles.

Step 5

Reflection and Next Steps

3 minutes

  • Gather students back as a group.
  • Invite volunteers to share how they felt using a sentence starter.
  • Reinforce the value of self-advocacy in upcoming classes.
  • Remind students they can refer to the Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters Handout whenever they need it.
lenny

Lesson Plan

Self-Advocacy Lesson Plan

By the end of this 30-minute lesson, 5th grade students transitioning to middle school will define self-advocacy, identify personal strengths and needs, choose two sentence starters, and practice asking for support—building confidence for their upcoming middle school experience.

As rising middle schoolers, students need self-advocacy skills to navigate new settings, communicate needs, and seek help—fostering independence and readiness.

Audience

5th Grade General Education Students Transitioning to Middle School

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, guided modeling, and paired role-play.

Materials

Strengths and Needs Chart, Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters Handout, Advocacy Role-Play Scenario Cards, Whiteboard and Markers, Timer (optional), and Paper Slips for Exit Tickets

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome & Context

5 minutes

  • Write “What Is Self-Advocacy?” on the whiteboard.
  • Explain that in August 2025 they’ll start middle school and knowing how to ask for help will make that transition smoother.
  • Invite volunteers to share a time they asked for help or spoke up.
  • Define self-advocacy: speaking up for yourself, asking for help, and explaining your needs—key skills for middle school success.

Step 2

Identify Strengths & Needs

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Strengths and Needs Chart.
  • Model filling in one strength and one need (e.g., “I learn best when I can read quietly” / “I need help understanding new schedules”).
  • Ask students to write two personal strengths and one area where they might need support in middle school.
  • Provide visual sentence stems or one-on-one prompts for students needing extra guidance.
  • Allow drawing or extra time for those with communication challenges.

Step 3

Learn & Practice Starters

5 minutes

  • Display the Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters Handout.
  • Read aloud examples, emphasizing how these can help in middle school (e.g., asking a teacher for directions).
  • Have the class repeat each starter chorally, then individually.
  • Ask each student to choose two starters and practice aloud, with wait time as needed.

Step 4

Role-Play Scenarios

10 minutes

  • Pair students, mixing abilities to encourage peer modeling.
  • Give each pair one card from the Advocacy Role-Play Scenario Cards.
  • Student A practices using their chart and a sentence starter to ask for help (e.g., “Can I have more time to find my locker?”), Student B responds as teacher/peer.
  • Circulate to prompt, model, and scaffold—offer extra wait time or visual cues.
  • Use a timer: 3 minutes per role, then switch.
  • Encourage students to picture this scenario happening in a middle school hallway or classroom.

Step 5

Reflection & Next Steps

3 minutes

  • Gather the class and invite volunteers to share how it felt using a sentence starter and how they might use it in middle school.
  • Hand out paper slips and ask: “Write one self-advocacy sentence you will use this week in preparation for middle school.”
  • Collect slips as exit tickets to gauge understanding and plan any follow-up support.
  • Remind students they can refer to the Sentence Starters whenever they need to speak up.
lenny

Slide Deck

Speak Up! Self-Advocacy for Rising Middle Schoolers

A 30-minute lesson to help you ask for help, explain your needs, and build confidence for middle school.

Welcome students and introduce the focus on middle school readiness. Explain that today’s lesson will help them learn how to speak up for themselves in new settings.

What Is Self-Advocacy?

[Image: Student raising hand]

Self-advocacy means:
• Speaking up for yourself
• Asking for help when you need it
• Explaining your strengths and challenges

These skills will make middle school easier.

Ask: “What does it mean to speak up for yourself? How could that help you in middle school?”

Strengths & Needs Chart (Middle School Example)

StrengthsNeeds
• I stay organized with a planner• I need help finding my locker
• I focus best with clear instructions• I need reminders for class transitions

Use this chart to list two strengths and one need for middle school.

Model filling in one strength and one need related to middle school (e.g., “I work best when I have a visual schedule” / “I need help finding my locker”). Invite a volunteer to add another example.

Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters

• “I need help with ___.”
• “Can I have more time to ___?”
• “Could you please ___?”
• “I work best when ___.”
• “May I use ___ to help me?”

Practice filling these in for middle school situations.

Read each starter aloud, then show how to fill in blanks for a middle school scenario (e.g., “Can I have a map of the hallways?”). Have students choose two to practice.

Role-Play Instructions

  1. Pair up with a classmate.
  2. Choose one Advocacy Role-Play Scenario Card.
  3. Student A uses the chart and a sentence starter to ask for support (e.g., “Can I have more time to find my locker?”).
  4. Student B responds as the teacher or peer.
  5. Switch roles after 3 minutes.
  6. Picture yourself in a busy middle school hallway or classroom.

Explain each step clearly and remind students to imagine real middle school moments like finding a locker or asking for directions.

lenny

Worksheet

Strengths and Needs Chart

As you prepare to start middle school in August 2025, think about two things you do really well (strengths) that will help you in your new school, and one area where you might need extra support. Fill in the chart below with your ideas.

Strengths for Middle SchoolNeeds for Middle School
1. __________________________________________1. ______________________________________










2. __________________________________________





lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters

Below are some sentence starters you can use to ask for help or explain what you need in middle school. Choose two and practice filling them in with something you might say in your new school.

• “I need help with ___.”
• “Can I have more time to ___?”
• “Could you please ___?”
• “I work best when ___.”
• “May I use ___ to help me?”

Practice for Middle School

Choose two starters from above and finish the sentences below as if you were in middle school:

  1. “I need help with ___.” (e.g., “I need help finding my locker.”)




  2. “Can I have more time to ___?” (e.g., “Can I have more time to find my next class?”)




Use It This Week

Write one self-advocacy sentence you will use this week in middle school:







lenny
lenny

Activity

Role-Play Scenario Cards

Use these cards in the “Role-Play Scenarios” activity. Each pair selects one card. Student A practices self-advocacy; Student B responds as a teacher, peer, or staff member.

Card 1: Locker Confusion
You just arrived at middle school and can’t figure out how to open your locker. Use a sentence starter to ask for help from a teacher or older student.

Card 2: Cafeteria Choice
It’s lunchtime in the busy cafeteria, and the line moves quickly. You need extra time to decide what to choose. Ask the lunch monitor if you can have an extra minute.

Card 3: Class Transition
The bell rang, and you’re late to your next class because you got lost. Use a sentence starter to ask a staff member for directions.

Card 4: Group Project Roles
In your first middle school group project, you feel unsure about what to do. Ask your group leader or teacher for a clear role.

After reading your scenario, Student A uses their Strengths and Needs Chart and a sentence starter from the Self-Advocacy Sentence Starters Handout to speak up. Student B responds, then switch roles after 3 minutes.

lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Self-Advocacy Exit Ticket

You’ve practiced speaking up today to get ready for middle school. Use this quick exit ticket to plan how you’ll use self-advocacy in your new school.

  1. Which sentence starter will you use first in middle school?
    "______________________________________________________________"



  2. Where and when will you use this sentence in your first week of middle school? (e.g., at locker time, in the cafeteria)
    "______________________________________________________________"



  3. How do you think using that sentence will help you feel or succeed?
    "______________________________________________________________"



  4. What reminder will you set for yourself to remember to speak up when you need support?
    "______________________________________________________________"



lenny
lenny