Respect Unit Facilitation Guide Respect in Action
Complete 5-Session Unit Plan
Why This Matters
Understanding and practicing respect is crucial for creating a positive learning environment and fostering healthy relationships among students. It helps build empathy and social-emotional skills.
Unit Details
Time: 5 sessions, 30 min eachAudience: 1st & 2nd GradeApproach: Discussion, examples, and interactive activities
Learning Objective
"Students will be able to define respect and identify respectful behaviors towards themselves and others."
Preparation Checklist
Review the Respect in Action Slide Deck for each session.
Print "What is Respect?" Discussion Prompts (Session 1).
Gather paper and crayons/markers for "Respectful Hands" (Session 1).
Prepare "The Golden Rule" reading handout (Session 2).
Set up materials for "Respectful Scenario Game" (Session 3).
Print "Respectful Actions" activity sheets (Session 4).
Prepare "Community Helper" reading and "Show Respect" worksheet (Session 5).
Session 1: What is Respect? (30 min)
Introduction (5 mins)
Use Slides 1-3. Ask: "What does it mean to treat someone nicely?" and "What does it feel like when someone treats you nicely?"
Discussion (10 mins)
Use Discussion Prompts. Guide students to understand that respect means treating others, ourselves, and things with care and kindness.
Activity (15 mins)
Respectful Hands Activity. Students draw/write ways to show respect with their hands. Share examples.
Session 2: Respecting Others (30 min)
Review (5 mins)
Use Slide 4. Ask: "Can anyone share one way they showed respect since our last lesson?"
Reading (10 mins)
The Golden Rule (Slide 5). Discuss the meaning and how it applies to respecting others.
Activity (15 mins)
Respectful Listening Game. Practice active listening and taking turns speaking.
Session 3: Property & Environment (30 min)
Warm-up (5 mins)
Use Slide 6. Quick share: one way students show respect at school.
Discussion (10 mins)
Slides 7-8. Discuss respecting materials, school property, and nature. Ask: "Why is it important to take care of our classroom?"
Game (15 mins)
Respectful Scenario Game. Identify respectful ways to interact with property and the environment.
Session 4: Respecting Differences (30 min)
Recap (5 mins)
Slide 9. Review why respect is important for everyone.
Discussion (10 mins)
Slides 10-11. Discuss how everyone is unique. Prompt: "What makes you special?" and "How can we show respect for someone different?"
Activity (15 mins)
Respectful Actions Activity. Identify and illustrate ways to show respect for differences.
Session 5: Authority & Community (30 min)
Start (5 mins)
Slide 12. Question: "Who helps us stay safe and learn at school?"
Reading & Discussion (10 mins)
Slide 13 & Community Helper Reading. Discuss respecting teachers, parents, and community helpers.
Activity & Role Play (15 mins)
Show Respect Activity worksheet & Role Play Respect Discussion. Act out scenarios demonstrating respect for authority.
Respect in Action Slides Respect in Action!
What does it mean to be respectful?
Session 1
What is Respect?
Ourselves
Taking care of our bodies and feelings.
Others
Using kind words and actions.
Things
Taking care of toys, books, and classroom.
"Treating with care and kindness!"
Show Your Respect!
Kind Words
"Please" & "Thank you"
"Excuse me"
"I'm sorry"
Kind Actions
Sharing & Helping
Listening Carefully
Being Gentle
Session 2 Review
Remembering Respect
"Respect means treating ourselves, others, and things with care and kindness!"
Can you share one way you showed respect recently?
The Golden Rule
Treat others the way you want to be treated!
If you want people to be kind , be kind to them!
If you want people to listen , listen to them!
Session 3 Introduction
Respecting Our World
We've learned about respecting ourselves and others.
Respecting Our Things
Why take care of our school?
Everyone can use things when they are neat.
Things last longer when we use them carefully.
Our classroom looks nice when we keep it tidy.
Respecting Our Environment
Don't litter in the playground.
Pick up trash if you see it.
Be gentle with plants and animals.
Keep our school building clean.
Session 4 Introduction
Respect: A Big Idea!
Respect helps us get along with everyone and take care of everything.
But what about when people are different from us?
Unique Me, Unique You!
We look different
We like different things
We are good at different things
These differences make our world interesting!
Celebrating Differences
Be kind, even if someone is different.
Listen to new ideas.
Learn about other cultures.
Include everyone in games.
What is Respect Discussion Prompts What is Respect?
Teacher Discussion Guide
Learning Objective
Students will define respect and identify respectful behaviors toward themselves, others, and their environment.
1
What Does it Mean to be Kind?
What does it look like when someone is being kind to you?
How does it feel when someone uses kind words?
Can you give an example of a kind action you saw recently?
2
What is Respect?
When someone treats you with respect, what are they doing?
How is respect similar to kindness? How is it different?
Why do you think it's important to treat everyone with respect?
3
Respecting Ourselves and Our Things
What does it mean to respect yourself? (e.g., taking care of your body, being proud of who you are)
How can we show respect for our classroom, our toys, and our books?
What happens if we don't respect our things?
Facilitation Tip
Encourage students to share specific "I saw..." or "I felt..." statements. If they struggle with definitions, refer back to the slide deck illustrations showing sharing, listening, and being gentle.
Respectful Hands Activity Sheet Respectful Hands
I can show respect with my actions!
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions:
Trace your hand in the space below.
Inside or around your hand, draw or write ways you use your hands to show **respect**.
Think about: Helping others, cleaning up, sharing, and being gentle.
Trace your hand and add your respectful ideas!
Helping
Cleaning
Sharing
Gentleness
The Golden Rule Reading Passage The Golden Rule
Treat Others How You Want To Be Treated
Have you ever heard the saying, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"? This is called The Golden Rule ! It's a very old and very wise idea about how to treat people.
It means thinking about how you would like to be treated, and then treating other people that exact same way. If you want someone to be kind to you, then you should be kind to them. If you want someone to share their toys with you, then you should share your toys with them.
Imagine you are playing with a friend. You want your friend to listen when you talk, right? So, The Golden Rule tells us to listen carefully when our friend talks.
The Golden Rule helps us to be respectful to everyone we meet. It helps us make good choices and be good friends. When we follow The Golden Rule, we help make our classroom, our school, and even our whole world a kinder and more respectful place!
Think About It
How can you use The Golden Rule today?
Discuss
Why does this rule make things "golden"?
Respectful Listening Game Guide Respectful Listening Game
I listen with my heart and ears!
Teacher Objective
Students will practice active and respectful listening skills by repeating and adding to a shared story.
How to Play:
1
Teacher Starts: Say a simple sentence like, "I like to eat apples" or "My favorite color is blue."
2
Student Repeats & Adds: The first student repeats what you said AND adds their own sentence. (e.g., "I like to eat apples and I have a pet cat.")
3
Keep it Going: The next student repeats ALL previous sentences before adding their own. This continues around the circle!
4
The Respectful Rule: If someone forgets, they say: "Can you please repeat that?" This is a respectful way to ask for help!
Post-Game Discussion:
Was it easy or hard to listen carefully?
What did you do with your body to help you listen?
Why is it important to listen when someone is talking to you?
Respectful Scenario Game Discussion Resource Scenario Game
Respecting Property and Our World
How to Play:
1. Read
Teacher reads a scenario aloud to the class.
2. Discuss
Students talk in pairs about the respectful thing to do.
3. Share
Groups share their ideas and explain why it's respectful.
1
The Messy Table
You finish an art project, and there are crayon shavings and glue on your table.
What's the respectful choice?
2
The Shared Toy
You are playing with blocks, and another student wants to use some too.
How can you show respect?
3
Books in the Library
You find a book you don't want anymore on the floor. What do you do?
What's the respectful way?
4
Playground Litter
You see a piece of trash near the slide. It's not yours. What do you do?
How do you show respect?
"Taking care of our things helps everyone have a happy place to learn!"
Respectful Actions Activity Sheet Celebrating Differences
Unique Me, Unique You!
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions:
Everyone is unique and special! Today, you will show how to respect those differences.
Box 1: Draw someone who is different from you (different hobbies, language, looks, etc.).Box 2: Draw yourself showing **respect** to that person.Lines: Write one sentence about how they are different and one about how you are respectful.
Someone Different
How is this person different?
Showing Respect
How are you showing respect?
Respect Ideas
Be Kind
Listen
Learn More
Include Everyone
Community Helper Reading Passage Our Amazing Helpers
Respecting Our Community
Our world is full of wonderful people who help us every single day. These are our community helpers ! They work hard to keep us safe, healthy, and help us learn new things.
At School
Teachers help you learn. Principals keep the school safe. Custodians keep it clean and tidy!
At Home
Parents and guardians make sure you have food, a place to sleep, and teach you about life.
Outside of school and home, there are even more helpers! Firefighters keep people safe from fires. Police officers help make sure rules are followed. Doctors and nurses help us when we are sick or hurt.
When we are respectful to them, we show that we appreciate their hard work. A simple "thank you" or listening carefully can go a long way!
Teacher
Doctor
Firefighter
Mail Carrier
"Who is a community helper you want to thank today?"
Show Respect Activity Worksheet Who Helps Me?
Showing Respect to Our Helpers
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
Instructions:
Think of an adult who helps you (a teacher, parent, doctor, etc.).
Draw a picture of them in the box.
Complete the sentences below to show how you can respect them.
Draw Your Helper Here
This helper is:
They help by:
One way I can show respect is:
Role Play Respect Discussion Guide Role Play Respect
Acting Out Respectful Choices
Teacher Objective
Students will practice respectful interactions with authority figures through acting and class discussion.
Student Role
Work with a partner. Act out the "Disrespectful" way first (just for fun/learning!), then show the RESPECTFUL way.
Discussion Focus
How did the helper feel? What did the respectful choice sound like? What did it look like?
1
Talking to the Teacher
The teacher is giving directions, but you really want to talk to your friend about a game.
2
Meeting a Firefighter
A firefighter visits the class. You have 10 questions and want to ask them all at once!
3
Helping a Parent
Your parent asks you to pick up your shoes. You are right in the middle of a drawing.
4
At the Doctor's Office
The nurse asks you a question about how you feel, but you are feeling shy.
Big Finale Discussion
Why is it important to show respect to adults?
How does it make YOU feel to be respectful?
