“Choice, Choices and More Choices!” Lesson 3.11 Created By: Pam Gunter

Preparation Materials Needed: Paper, pencil and crayons. Classroom Setup: Sit at desk or table.

Challenge for the Week – Follow Up Who remembers what the challenge for the week was last week? Did you exercise good communication skills to communicate with family, friends, teachers, and others? Did you find it interesting to watch their reaction when you listened attentively, made eye contact, used appropriate language and manners?

The Activity Explain to the students that we make thousands and thousands of choices each day. We make some consciously and many without even realizing we are doing them. Ask the students what some of the conscious choices they’ve made so far today. They could say things like: Who to play with, what clothes to wear, what they had for breakfast, etc. Ask the students what some of the subconscious choices they’ve made so far today. They could say things like: What order to brush their teeth in, top or bottom teeth, which foot to put on the floor first, which arm they put in first in the shirt, etc.)

The Activity - Continued We make many choices each day. Each choice we make affects us personally, and many decisions affect those around us. What are some choices that we made today that affected others? Answers could include: Sleeping in so the family was rushed; Helped sister make breakfast; Picked up a piece of trash in the hallway; Got in a fight on the playground; Arrived late to class, etc. How do our choices make us feel? How do they make others feel?

The Activity - Continued When we make good and right choices, we build good character in ourselves and others. When we make poor choices, there are always consequences. Many times the consequences are immediate, sometimes the consequences don’t come for hours, days, weeks, and sometimes years. It is important when we make wrong choices to correct what we have done wrong. If we have bullied someone, stole from someone, cheated on a test, etc. eventually there will be consequences. What are some of the consequences we experience from wrong choices? Give some examples, if needed. Stealing – friends will lose trust in you and if you are caught you will need to return what you stole or pay it back. Sometimes have to go to prison. Lying – no one will believe what you say so they won’t want to be your friend. Cheating – your teacher won’t trust you and you won’t learn as much. Bullying – you won’t have friends and you could be charged with a crime.

The Activity - Continued If time permits, have the students write a short poem on making good choices. Have them color a picture to go with their poem. Post the poems in the classroom for a short time to encourage and remind students to make good choices for success.

The Object of the Lesson Points instructor needs to bring out: Remind students that no one is perfect so everyone makes poor choices occasionally, but always work on making good choices. If we make a wrong choice, correct it as soon as possible to avoid severe consequences. Be honest, respectful and courageous in all of your choices. When good choices are made, we feel good about ourselves!

Challenge for the Week Encourage the students to work on making good choices. Explain that if they make a poor choice, correct it! Be honest with others, be courageous to make good choices, and be respectful of others and themselves.