1. Steps to Respect – Learning
Social Values Using The Bible -- with Charlotte's Web, and Other Great Literature!
Bonnie Walker

2. Unit Overview The Research
Children learn best when they feel safe and secure, respected and cared for. Cooperative learning is one of the best ways to develop core virtues such as respect, responsibility, altruism, integrity, conflict management, and friendship. It is a vehicle that the educator can employ to foster a classroom environment where social skills are practiced and nurtured daily, thus ensuring a safe and positive learning environment for all students.
The Research

3. Unit Overview
The goal of the Steps to Respect Literature Unit will meet both social-emotional elements as well as language arts and reading objectives. Successfully applied, the literature unit will give students an opportunity to apply the skills they have learned through the Steps to Respect Skill Unit, thus creating a safe, secure, and positive learning environment with the inclusion of all students as an integral element.
The Goal

4. Unit Overview The Implementation
The unit will begin the first day of school and continue through the first quarter. It will help students to begin fostering citizenship and social skills in order to function productively in our room and outside of our room. For the first few days, lessons will focus around the central theme of creating a community.
The unit will act as a catalyst for the entire school year. The unit will introduce many social skills, but only through explicit and implicit instruction, constant review, and relentless practice will the social skills learned be developed. Strategies will be reinforced and built upon throughout the year to ensure that children always feel successful and appreciative of their own uniqueness and that of others.
The Implementation

5. Objectives Social Skills Students will learn:
Courtesy and cooperation and recognize the concept of mutual interdependence with others resulting in polite treatment and respect for them.
Compassion, kindness and generosity by showing concern for the suffering or distress of their classmates and respond to their feelings and needs.
Emotional skills, such as understanding how to deal with anger, handle rejection, and manage emotions.
Friendship skills that include how to make friends, join group activities, manage conflicts, and communicate effectively and confidently.
To recognize, refuse, and report bullying when it happens to them or someone else.
How to use the learned positive values as a guide for their behavior.
Social Skills

6. L.A. & Reading Objectives
Students will learn:
An appreciation for poetry
Reading comprehension strategies
Writing and grammar skills
Reading & L.A.

7. PA Standards Civics & Citizenship
5.1.3.C. Define the principles and ideals shaping government.
Justice
Diversity of people and ideas
Common good
Rule of law
Citizenship
5.2.3.A Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Personal rights
Personal responsibilities
Civic responsibilities
5.2.3.B Identify personal rights and responsibilities.
5.2.3.C Identify sources of conflict and disagreement
and different ways conflicts can be resolved.
Civics & Citizenship

8. Old Testament Unit Motto
“He has shown you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 (NIV)

9. New Testament Unit Motto
“So in everything do to others
what you would have them do to you.
For this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

10. Lesson 1: I Am Special God cherishes us just the way we are – Celebrating students' strengths, uniqueness, and achievements.
Anticipatory Set
Introduction to Poetry in the Classroom
Shel Silverstein "Whatif"
Echo Poem Reading
I Speak, I Say, I Talk
Who Am I Guessing Game
A bulletin board activity for getting to know each other better
Anticipation Guide
Teacher Input & Modeling
Guided Reading "You Are Special"
You Are Special by Max Lucado
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997)
Continued …

11. Lesson 1: I Am Special (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
You Can Rely on Eli Acronym
Brainstorming the qualities and strengths of Eli.
Student Independent Practice
Compile Class Book
Creating "You Can Rely on Me" acronym highlighting cultural background, a personal strength, quality, hobby, and/or etc.
Across the Content
Narrative Writing
Beginning of the Year Autobiography
Differentiated Modification: Auto-Bio Poem
Homework
Who's Who in Fourth Grade
8 ½ x 11 divided sleeves compiled with pictures of students depicting their favorite items, people,. and etc.
Pages are put into a photo album and displayed throughout the year.
Free powerpoint template:

12. Lesson 2: Fabulous Folks & Marvelous Me
Lesson 2: Fabulous Folks & Marvelous Me! Celebrating students' strengths and uniqueness. Recognizing the special qualities in other people. Understanding the diversity of emotions felt by all.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
Color My Mood by Mary Sullivan / Choral Reading
Teacher Input & Modeling
Introducing Vocabulary that Describes Emotion
Vocabulary written on a giant colored pencil shapes. Students discover synonyms for different emotions. Additional emotions will be added throughout the unit.
What Makes Me Happy by C. Anholt and L. Anholt
I Feel Orange Today by Patricia Godwin, if time permits.
What Makes Me Happy by Catherine and Laurence Anholt (NY: Harper Collins, 2003)
Continued …

13. Lesson 2: Fabulous Folks & Marvelous Me (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
Recognizing and Celebrating Individuality
Reiteration and discussion with students that their feelings are unique to them, and that not feeling what everyone else feels is okay.
Reading poem, Incredible Me! By Kathi Appelt and reviewing previous stories/poems to discover our unique talents and those of our friends.
Student Independent Practice
Special People, Special Qualities
Students determine and write down four special qualities for a friend, the teacher, his or her parent, and a relative.
Homework
Ace Reporter
Students interview an adult to discover his/her special qualities as well as discover things about their special person that they find difficult, useful, and etc.
Free powerpoint template:

14. Lesson 3: Friends & Neighbors Developing empathy for others
Lesson 3: Friends & Neighbors Developing empathy for others. Understanding why God wants us to have friends and be a good neighbor to others.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
Could We Be Friends? by Bobbi Katz / Paired Repeated Reading
Pre-Test: How I Feel About My Friendship Skills
A series of five questions meant to help students and me know their feelings and opinions about their own friendship skills.
Charlotte's Web / Accessing prior knowledge
Students complete a series of sentence stems (or draw friendship scenes) from the book addressing the emotions and feelings of the characters from Charlotte's Web.
Students look through the book and find examples of people or animals being good friends to others.
Students review the Scripture passage and find the examples of friendship and neighborly actions.
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
(Harper Trophy , 2004)
Continued …

15. Lesson 3: Friends & Neighbors (Continued)
Teacher Input and Modeling
Read Aloud / The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Empathy building activity. Students contrast characters and infer their feelings, particularly those feelings that relate to friendships.
Student Guided Practice
Literature Circles
Students choose from a number of fairy tales to read and share in their groups.
IE. Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, etc.
Students infer the characters' feelings and emotions then share with the class how the characters felt by using body language and facial expressions.
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
(NY: North South Books, 1992)
Continued …

16. Lesson 3: Friends & Neighbors (Continued)
Student Independent Practice
Collage of Feelings
In groups, students create an "I Know What You're Feeling" collage using pictures from magazines, flyers, and old calendars. Students find as many examples of different emotions and label the appropriate feeling on the bottom of the collage.
Students also add to our "Feelings Word List".
L.A. Component: Students discover/point out synonyms, antonyms, vivid verbs, nouns and etc.
Across the Content
Writing Poetry: Building writing skills and a sense of community within the classroom
Students write an acrostic poem about friendship.
Polished poems are attached to a fish pattern and decorated with sequins.
Finished poems are posted on a bulletin board entitled "Fishing for Friendship".
Free powerpoint template:

17. Lesson 4: The Character of a Friend Determining the characteristics of a friend. Allowing children to explore and practice relationship skills.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
I Am Poem by Bonnie Walker / Creating individual I Am Poems
Introduce Vocabulary / Charlotte's Web
Templeton's Crossword Puzzle. Students are introduced to character traits found in a friend.
Teacher Input and Modeling
Introducing Adjectives
The definition of adjectives is examined. As a whole group, students practice identifying adjectives with the book, Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives by Ruth Heller.
Use Hairy, Scary, Ordinary and R. Heller, if time permits.
See for a lesson plan.
Many Luscious Lollipops by Ruth Heller
(Harper Trophy , 2004)
Continued …

18. Lesson 4: The Character of a Friend (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
"To Be" Sentence Patterns / Charlotte's Web
Brainstorming together to identify the character traits of Charlotte.
Students refer back to Templeton's Crossword Puzzle and the Adjectives and Character Traits handout we worked on previously.
Student Independent Practice
Literature Circles / Shared Reading
Using 'social skill' orientated picture books, students fill out their own Identifying Character Traits Worksheets. Suggested books, Spud: Tails from the Pantry, Tacky the Penguin, The Grouchy Ladybug, and Crickwing.
Students use thesauruses and Sample Character Traits Chart.
Students explore the connections between the characters and the actions that the character(s) take or do not take.
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
(Harper Trophy , 2004)

19. Lesson 5: Friendship & Respect Understanding respectful behavior
Lesson 5: Friendship & Respect Understanding respectful behavior. Treating people the way you want to be treated. Being courteous, polite, kind, and giving.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
I'm Not Scared by Karen Baicker / Students answer journal prompts that encourage them to identify disrespectful behavior and how they feel about it.
Teacher Input and Modeling
Defining Respect
Using a "Y" chart, students answer what respect looks like, what it sounds like, and what it feels like.
Students record their examples of respectful behavior that people do everyday (IE. being helpful, smiling, etc).
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
(Harper Trophy , 2004)
Continued …

20. Lesson 5: Friendship & Respect (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
Susan's First Bus Ride Steps to Respect Story
Identifying respectful behaviors
Shhh! I'm Your Secret Pal
Doing good deeds
Ticket-Out-The-Door Reflections
Students fill out the tickets in order to leave for recess or lunch.
Student Independent Practice
Group Activity / Practicing respectful behavior
Role playing situations.
Across the Content Area
Writing / Changed Stories
Using Charlotte's Web, students rewrite a section of the story decreasing Charlotte's use of respectful behaviors and discover how the story events would be changed.
Free powerpoint template:

21. Lesson 6: Making & Keeping Friends Developing basic interaction skills and entry/approach strategies. Allowing children to explore and practice relationship skills.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
With A Friend by Vivian Gouled / Students discover how we respect friends and take care of them.
How Do I Feel About Making Friends?
Students share friendly behaviors that they have seen or done in the past few days.
Students practice approaching a person as if he or she were a new friend.
Teacher Input and Modeling
Reaching Out and Joining In
Students brainstorm and organize thoughts on a graphic organizer on strategies for meeting new people.
Students practice using friendly body language and other positive strategies.
Making Friends by Sarah Levete
(Cooper Beech Books , 1998)
Continued …

22. Lesson 6: Making & Keeping Friends (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
Making Conversation Role Play
In paired groups, students practice making conversation skills. Partners change throughout the role play by a ring of my bell.
Exclusive and Inclusive Behaviors
Reviewing empathy and how that helps to create a healthy classroom environment.
Students use a graphic organizer brainstorming ways to join a group.
Ticket-Out-The-Door Reflections
Students fill out the tickets in order to leave for recess or lunch.
Student Independent Practice
Book Talks
Students practice conversation skills in small-group talks.
Across the Content Area
Personal Narrative: Making Friends
Create an anthology
Complete Lesson
Free powerpoint template:

23. Lesson 7: What is Bullying
Lesson 7: What is Bullying? Defining and identifying bullying and bullying behaviors.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
Why Am I A Bully? (North West Primary Winner, Bethany Shaw (Age 11) / Students discover how we respect friends and take care of them, especially in cases of bullying.
Guided Reading / Hooway for Wodney Wat
Students fill out a Problem/Solution graphic organizer as an after-read strategy noting bullying behaviors.
Teacher Input and Modeling
Defining and Categorizing Bully Behavior
Students brainstorm together using the Four Main Types of Bullying Chart and come up with a definition of bullying.
Students give examples from the book of behaviors that fall into the four types of bullying.
Hooway For Wodney Wat by Helen Lester
(Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books, 1999)
Continued …

24. Lesson 7: What is Bullying? (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
Bullying Detectives
Students read four situations and decide whether each situation is an example of bullying.
They use the Steps to Respect posters to help them decide.
Student Independent Practice
Video of Bullying / Taking Notes
Students use the Informational Note-taking system used in our class to record events and bullying actions shown in the video.
Discussion follows the video viewing while students use their notes to answer questions about power, feelings, fairness, and etc.
Homework
Identifying Bullying on TV
Students watch their favorite TV shows and record examples of bullying behavior on the Four Main Types of Bullying Chart.
Free powerpoint template:

25. Lesson 8: Bullying & Conflict Resolution Gaining skills and confidence needed to face social challenges. Gaining skills to peacefully settle arguments with peers.
Anticipatory Set
Poem for the Lesson
Two Little Kittens / Echo Reading
Introducing the Concept of Conflict
Brainstorming and recording findings in blank coat of arms graphic organizers.
Teacher Input and Modeling
Guided Reading on the Overhead / I Want It!
Students make visualizations, predictions and justifications during and after the guided reading.
I Want It! by Elizabeth Crary
(Parenting Press; 2nd edition, July 1996)
Continued …

26. Lesson 8: Bullying & Conflict (Continued)
Student Guided Practice
Coat of Arms Graphic Organizer
Students continue to use Coat of Arms graphic organizers to identify conflict, learn its definition, and discover how characters solved their conflict problems.
Flow Chart
Students use an interactive flow chart to highlight cause and effect as well as identify climax and resolution.
T-Chart Compare and Contrast
Students discover and discuss the distinctions between bullying and conflict. Previous lessons and children's literature are used to aid in the discussions.
Student Independent Practice
Literature Circles
Students put into practice their newly honed social skills.
Students create their own flow charts with favorite bullying/conflict books brought in.
Free powerpoint template:

27. Teaching Social Skills – The Framework for the Rest of the Year
The ground work has been laid. To help children continue to grow socially and emotionally throughout the year I will teach the social skills with a systematic approach, just like I teach academic skills.
Introduce the Fruit of the Spirit for the Month.
Discuss the need for the social skill.
Teach the skill.
Practice the skill.
Pause and reflect.
Review and reflect.

28. The Fruit of the Spirit (FOS) Character Traits of the Month
Sept.
Joy
Self-Esteem/Pride: Proper delight or satisfaction in your accomplishments, achievements, and status. To demonstrate a positive opinion of yourself. To make God happy and yourself happy.
Oct.
Gentleness
Respect/Courtesy: To feel or show honor for the feelings and rights of yourself, others, and the world around you. Polite, well-mannered behavior toward others. Not tattling, fighting, or bullying.
Nov.
Self-Control
Self-Control & Responsibility: To have control over your body and your mind. Not being controlled by your thoughts and actions. To carry out a duty or task carefully, thoroughly, and dependably.
Continued …

29. The Fruit of the Spirit (FOS) Character Traits of the Month
Dec.
Patience
Tolerance & Patience: Respecting the individual differences, views, and beliefs of other people. The power to wait calmly without complaining. Not yelling or getting angry when you do not get your own way.
Jan.
Peace
Cooperation/Good Sportsmanship: A feeling of calm and quiet inside because God gives you peace. Working together peacefully for a common purpose. The ability to take winning or losing without gloating or complaining.
Feb.
Kindness
Caring/Compassion: Using kind words like 'please', 'thank you', and I'm sorry. Being kind, friendly, considerate, and willing to listen, give, and share. Showing concern or sympathy for others.
Continued …

30. The Fruit of the Spirit (FOS) Character Traits of the Month
Mar.
Goodness
Honesty/Fairness: Being truthful and just. Doing and practicing 'good works'.
April
Faithfulness
Diligence/Perseverance: Working hard without giving up in a careful and consistent manner.
May
Love
Loyalty/Citizenship: Showing love and loyalty to God, parents, and our teachers by obeying them and their rules. Faithful to God, a person, a team, your country, or an idea. Demonstrate your rights and privileges as a citizen of heaven, as well as the United States, your school, and your community.
Adapted from

31. The End!