Claim Check Slides Grade 6 Community Advisory
Respect & Boundaries
Restorative Decision Making
Claim Check:
Belongings, Boundaries & Trust
Why other people's items matter, what happens when trust breaks, and how we make things right.
Focus: Empathy & Personal Accountability Session 1 of 1
Reality Check
The "Just Borrowing" Trap
What People Say
• "I was just holding it for a minute."
• "They have lots of pens, they won't care."
• "I found it on the desk, so it was open."
• "It was just a harmless prank!"
Excuse: Thinking about yourself only
The Honest Reality
• Taking without asking is taking—period.
• You don't get to decide what someone values.
• Unattended doesn't mean free to take.
• If both people aren't laughing, it's not a joke.
Truth: Permission is required every single time
Golden Rule of Property: If you didn't buy it, earn it, or get clear permission—leave it alone.
Perspective Taking
The Hidden Ripple Effects
What really happens when someone's property disappears?
1. Anxiety & Stress
The owner worries they are in trouble with parents or teachers, searches frantically, and misses class focus.
Emotional Impact
2. Broken Safety
Classmates stop trusting each other. Desks and lockers no longer feel secure. Everyone guards their items.
Community Damage
3. Unknown Value
That jacket might be a gift from a grandparent. That pencil pouch was earned with saved allowance.
Sentimental Cost
"You never know the real story or cost behind what someone carries."
What Would You Do?
Real Scenarios: Call It Out
Scenario A Hallway Floor
You find high-end wireless earbuds lying next to a locker. Nobody is looking. Your friend whispers, "Finders keepers, pocket them!"
Right Move:
Turn them in to the office or teacher immediately. Lost items have an anxious owner.
Scenario B Art Class Desk
A classmate leaves their specialty marker kit on the table while using the restroom. You grab three markers to finish your poster.
Right Move:
Wait until they return and ask politely. If they say no, accept it without attitude.
Integrity Test: Doing what's right even when nobody is watching.
Action Tool
The S.T.O.P. Impulse Protocol
When you feel tempted to take or touch something that isn't yours:
S
Step Back
Physically pull your hands back. Do not touch or hide the object.
Physical check
T
Think First
Is this mine? Did the owner say yes to me directly right now?
Honesty check
O
Owner's View
How will they feel when they look down and see it gone?
Empathy check
P
Proceed Right
Ask for permission, borrow from the teacher, or walk away.
Choice made
Remember: No answer = NO. Hesitation = NO. Only a clear "Yes" = Yes.
Making It Right
If You Made a Mistake: How to Rebuild
Everyone makes poor choices. Character is defined by what you do next.
1
Own It Without Excuses
Don't blame friends or say "it was a dare." Say: "I took it, and that was wrong."
Honesty First
2
Return & Restore
Return the item immediately in its original condition. If damaged or lost, replace it.
Action & Restitution
3
Rebuild Over Time
Trust takes time to repair. Consistently show respect for everyone's space and belongings.
Long-term Growth
Takeaway for Today: "Your reputation is built on how safe other people feel around you."
Boundaries and Belongings Worksheet Restorative Reflection • Grade 6
Boundaries & Belongings
Module: Claim Check
Name:
Date:
Period/Advisory:
1
Borrowing vs. Taking: Evaluate the Scenario
Read each scenario. Mark whether it is Respectful Borrowing or Taking Without Permission , and state what should have happened.
A. Marcus forgets his calculator during math. His desk partner is in the nurse's office. Marcus slips his partner's calculator out of their pencil pouch, thinking, "I'll put it right back before the bell."
Respectful Borrowing Taking Without Permission
What Marcus should have done instead:
B. Layla sees a stylish jacket left on the gym bleachers on Monday. On Thursday, it is still there. She picks it up and puts it into her locker to keep for herself, saying, "They abandoned it."
Respectful Borrowing Taking Without Permission
What Layla should have done instead:
C. Jordan hides Sam's sketchbook during science class as a joke to see Sam panic when looking for it. Jordan plans to give it back at lunch.
Harmless Prank Boundary Violation / Taking
Why "it's just a joke" does not make this okay:
2
Understanding Impulses & Pressures
People rarely take things thinking "I want to be mean." Often it's an impulse, peer pressure, or not wanting to admit they don't have something.
When a student feels tempted to take or keep something that isn't theirs, what is usually going on underneath? How can someone handle that urge in a healthy way?
Page 1 of 2 Turn over for Perspective Mapping & Restorative Contract →
Part II • Empathy & Restoration
Rebuilding Respect & Making Amends
Student Name:
3
The Ripple Map: Who Gets Hurt?
When an item is taken or hidden without permission, the harm doesn't stop at the object. Describe the impact on all three parties:
The Owner
How do they feel emotionally? What problems does losing this item cause?
The Classroom
How does suspicion affect the class? What happens to trust between peers?
The Person Taking It
What happens to their reputation, stress level, and self-respect?
4
The 4-Step Restorative Repair Plan
If someone has taken or damaged someone else's property, here is how to take real responsibility:
Step 1: Honest Ownership No blaming or excuses
Write a direct, honest sentence admitting the action without making excuses:
Step 2: Restitution & Replacement Restoring what was lost or broken
How will you safely return the item, or replace/repair it if damaged or missing?
Step 3: Sincere Apology Acknowledging their feelings
Write an apology that acknowledges the worry, inconvenience, or hurt caused to the owner:
Step 4: Future Boundary Commitment Rebuilding trust over time
What rule will you follow going forward when you need or see an item that isn't yours?
My Commitment: I respect the property, privacy, and space of my classmates. I will ask clearly and accept a "no" with grace.
Signature:
Page 2 of 2 Claim Check • Middle School Restorative Education
Restorative Resolution Facilitator Guide Teacher & Counselor Resource • Grade 6
Claim Check Facilitator Guide
Advisory & Restorative Intervention
Target Grade: Grade 6 (Ages 11–12)
Duration: 40–50 min or 1:1
Setting: Advisory / Restorative
Focus: Boundaries & Empathy
1
Why 6th Graders Take Things: Developmental Reality
In 6th grade, property violations are rarely malicious criminal intent. Understanding the root driver helps educators respond restoratively rather than purely punitively:
Impulse & Brain Growth
The prefrontal cortex is actively rewiring. Impulse inhibition lags behind desire. Students see an object and pocket it before evaluating consequences.
Status, Envy & Shame
Trendy items (markers, fidgets, tech, snacks) symbolize peer inclusion. Some students feel shame asking or can't afford what peers have.
The "Prank" Shield
Taking or hiding items is often framed as humor or attention-seeking. Students test social boundaries without anticipating the victim's emotional panic.
2
45-Minute Advisory Pacing Framework
Time
Phase
Facilitator Action & Prompts
10 min
Hook & Slides 1–2
Present Slides 1–2. Ask: "Raise a hand if you've ever had an item vanish from your desk or locker. How did that ruin your day?" Dissect common rationalizations.
15 min
Ripple Analysis & S.T.O.P.
Walk through Slides 3–5. Introduce the STOP protocol. Clarify the definition of consent: "Only an explicit yes is a yes. Silence or absent owners mean NO."
15 min
Worksheet Reflection
Distribute Boundaries & Belongings Worksheet . Students complete Page 1 scenarios and Page 2 ripple maps individually or in pairs. Circulate and guide.
5 min
Class Commitment
Highlight Slide 6. Review the commitment statement. Collect worksheets or have students store in advisory binders as community norms.
3
Key Guided Questions for Discussion
On Boundaries:
"Why does someone leaving an item on a desk not give anyone permission to use it?"
On Pranks:
"What is the difference between playful teasing and crossing into boundary violations and disrespect?"
Page 1 of 2 Turn over for 1:1 Restorative Conference Script & Deflection Guide →
Part II • Intervention & Restitution
Restorative Dialogue & Deflection Strategies
Individualized Support
4
How to Counter Common Student Deflections
Student: "I was only borrowing it! I was gonna give it back!" Deflection: False Borrowing
Educator Response: "Borrowing requires an explicit agreement beforehand. When you take something without someone knowing, they experience the stress of losing it. That makes it taking, not borrowing."
Student: "It was just a joke! Everyone was laughing!" Deflection: Humor Shield
Educator Response: "A joke is only funny if both people can laugh about it right then. For the owner, watching their belongings disappear feels embarrassing and powerless, not fun."
Student: "They leave their stuff everywhere anyway!" Deflection: Blaming the Victim
Educator Response: "Someone being disorganized does not cancel their ownership. We don't take advantage of someone else's mistake. Respect means protecting their belongings, not taking them."
5
Restorative Conference: 5-Question Script
Use these questions during an individual intervention with a student involved in taking property:
Q1: "What happened?" (Focus on factual chronology without judgment; let them speak first.)
Q2: "What were you thinking at that exact moment?" (Identify the root impulse: thrill, envy, joke, peer pressure.)
Q3: "Who has been affected by what you did, and in what way?" (Direct empathy toward the owner, classmates, and family.)
Q4: "What needs to happen to make things right?" (Guide toward direct return, replacement, written apology, or restorative act.)
Q5: "What is your plan the next time you feel that impulse?" (Practice the STOP method and identify a trusted adult to consult.)
6
Restitution & Follow-up Checklist
Restitution Options:
• Immediate direct return with verbal ownership
• Facilitated mediated exchange with educator
• Equivalent replacement item if damaged or lost
Follow-up Checkpoints:
• Day 2: Check-in with owner to verify comfort
• Day 5: 3-minute check-in with student on boundary habits
• Parent notification focused on growth and repair
Page 2 of 2 Claim Check • Restorative Resolution Facilitator Guide
