Lesson Name

Agreements of Respect for Our Classroom

Grade Band

Middle School (6-8)

High School (9-12)

CASEL Core Competencies

• Relationship skills

• Responsible decision-making

• Self-awareness

• Self-management

• Social awareness

Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards

• Speaking and listening

• Writing

NCSS Social Studies Themes

• Culture

• Individuals, groups, and institutions

• Civic ideals and practices

• Individual development and identity

• Global connections

Students will:

• Learn about different ways to demonstrate respectful behavior.

• Connect behaviors of respect to norms that can help support a community.

• – Create shared expectations (norms) for demonstrating respect in the classroom.

• Norm: An accepted standard or a way of behaving or doing things that most people agree with.

• Respect: Recognizing the value of another person and treating them accordingly.

Explain that the class is going to establish a set of norms for behavior using the word “respect” as a guide. Ask one student to take notes that can then be turned into a document representing class norms for respect and shared with the entire class.

Ask students to brainstorm words beginning with the letter “R” that communicate how they want to interact with one another in the class. Continue the process with the letters “E,” “S,” and so on through the entire word, recording responses next to each letter. Conclude brainstorming and recording with an opportunity for students to ask questions about any of the words.

Choose one word from each letter. Ask students to think of one or more specific ways that these words can be actualized in the classroom. (For example, the word “shares” representing the letter “S” can be actualized as: “When someone shares a response to a question, listen to what they are saying.”)

Ask: How do you think our community will benefit by meeting
community expectations that demonstrate respect?

Ask: What can we do to hold each other accountable for
maintaining these behavior norms?

Ask the student taking notes to read the list of ways to demonstrate respect. Explain that this list will be shared with the class to help the community remember and actualize each of these behaviors that demonstrate respect.

Respectful Role-Play:

• Divide students into small groups.

• Provide each group with a scenario that involves a potential conflict or disrespectful behavior.

• Ask groups to create a short role-play demonstrating how to handle the situation respectfully, using the class-created norms as a guide.

• Have groups perform their role-plays for the class.