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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lessons Included in this document:
1. Eight days’ worth of lessons from Stephanie Liu:
 Day 1-2: Interdependence (dye, yarn)
 Day 3: Decision-making model
 Day 4: Importance of telling the truth
 Day 5: Importance of classroom jobs
 Day 6: Coping with Anger- When Sophie Gets Mad
 Day 7: Encouraging Words
 Day 8: Using “I” Statements Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns by Mary Quatlebaum.
2. Lesson for Teaching Students to Use “I” Statements – by Sara Cotner
3. “Hands Are Not for Hurting” lesson – by Rachel Schankula
Other Ideas:
Conflict Resolution – Berenstain Bears and Trouble with Friends
Resilience = learning from your mistakes
Correcting your mistakes, not covering them up (spelling, dictation)
Decision-maker model
How to help (hints, not answers)
Consequence of giving answers  next time, they may not know
Special Ed, Fairness of Differentiation:
Place 2 pieces of candy up on the board at the same level, have 1 student who is short try to get one and
1 student who is tall. The tall one should be able to get it, while the short one can’t. Then tell them they can use
a chair. Explain that everyone in the room shares the class goal, but people need different things to get there.
Your job as a teacher is to make sure everyone gets there.
Responsibility/Accountability for
Coming to school on time, bringing materials/homework to school
Cooperation/Sharing
Behavior/community contract: Post the skills from this unit onto a poster to serve as a contract. Have all the
students sign at the end of the unit.
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson One: Interdependence
Objectives
 SWBAT explain what the concept of interdependence means.
 SWBAT analyze how the actions of one person affects everyone else.
Materials
 Container of water, food coloring
 Interdependence definition poster
Hook (5 min)
 Hold up the glass of water, describe the water.
 Drop in food coloring. Watch the change. Explain that that drop of water represents the actions of one student
and the water represents the rest of the class.
Direct Instruction (10 min)
 Define Interdependence and apply it to the water glass.
 Share concrete examples of how this metaphor translates to the classroom.
1. If the class is walking to lunch in the hallway and two people are loud and talking, the whole class looks
and sounds noisy.
2. If the class is in the middle of a lesson and one person misbehaves, then the whole class can’t learn.
Guided Practice (10 min)
 Scenario:
 There is a substitute is Ms. Boland’s class today. The substitute says if everyone finishes their work and
behaves, he will let the class listen to music. Everyone gets really excited and gets straight to work. However,
two students in the back of the room decide they want to play around while the substitute is teaching. First they
start talking, then they decide to shoot rubber bands at one another. Even though they get warnings from the
substitute, they keep playing around.
 Ask the class:
 How does the behavior of these students affect the rest of the class?
 What would you say to those two students if you were sitting next to them?
Independent Practice
 Read a scenario. Have each person think about the consequences and share. What could they have done
differently?
 Ms. Liu is trying to read a story to the whole class. Everyone is really excited about the story, and they can’t wait
to hear what happens next. But then Brandon starts kicking Ray’s back. Ray moves over so he doesn’t get
kicked anymore. That makes Ziere have to move over because Ray is sitting so close to him. But Ziere is being
pushed towards the bookshelf and he accidentally bumps over Ms. Liu’s bottle of water. It spills all over the
carpet and everyone screams and runs to their desk. Ms. Liu has to stop reading the book to clean up the mess
and then everyone is still so loud and excited that she has to stop to calm the class down. Finally she picks up
the book to finish the story, but realizes that she can’t because it is ruined from the water
Closing
 Have each student share how their behavior will be affected now that they know about the concept of
interdependence.
 Have each person turn to their neighbor and say, “What I do affects you and what you do affects me.”
Lesson Two: Interdependence, part 2
Objectives
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)


SWBAT explain what the concept of interdependence means.
SWBAT explain that what one person does, affects everyone else.
Materials
 Yarn skein
Hook (5 min)
 Who remembers what we learned yesterday about interdependence? Stickers as rewards.
 Review definition and examples.
Direct Instruction
 Teach game. Demonstrate.
Guided Practice
 Tell a story, and have each person that is mentioned next take some of the yarn to make a web. (lining up and
walking to the bathroom)
 As room 103 is walking out by the office, the person at the back of the line decides it would be funny to dance and
be silly in line and they trip. PULL STRING.
 What happened? Everyone else was pushed/pulled and some people fell and got hurt.

Example of how people are positively affected too, like by words of encouragement.
Closing
o Have each student share how their behavior will be affected now that they know about the concept of
interdependence.
o Have each person turn to their neighbor and say, “What I do affects you and what you do affects me.”
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Three: Decision-Maker Model
Objectives
 SWBAT consider alternative solutions to a conflict and choose the correct one using the decision-maker model.
Materials
 Decision-maker model with scenario
 HMK: Decision-maker scenario to complete at home.
Hook (5 min)
 The other day I was thinking back to when I was in school. I thought about this time when my mom bought me
this new book. It was all shiny and so funny and fun to read. It because my favorite book. I took it to school to
share with everyone and my best friend wanted to borrow it. Since she was my best friend, I let her see it even
though I really wanted to hold onto it. We walked outside together and it had been raining the day before so the
ground was all wet. I told my friend to be careful not to get it wet and she said she would, but on the way out she
tripped and fell into a great big puddle! Guess what happened to my book?
How do you think I felt?
Direct Instruction (5 min)
 At almost every moment in our lives we make decisions. Some decisions are easy. Examples: What will you eat
in the morning, What do you do when you come into the room? How will I line up? Will I talk out in the hallway?
 Some decisions are harder like when we are getting into a fight with a friend or in a bad mood. Sometimes we get
angry and it makes it harder to make a smart decision. Like when my friend dropped my book in the dirty puddle
water and ruined it.
 Draw a model. What would bring me up? What would bring me down?
 Decision  consequence (had an argument with my friend and didn’t go to her bday party)
 See if I had thought about it, for just a minute, instead of letting my anger get in the way, I would’ve made a better
decision and (consequence).
Guided Practice (10 min)
 Ask someone about an argument they got in.
 Set up the decision-maker model.
 What would bring her up? What would bring her down? What should my decision have been?
Independent Practice (15 min)
 Ask someone about an argument they got in.
 Set up the decision-maker model.
 Students will go back to their desk and complete the model with at least 1 up, 1 down.
Closing (5 min)
 Back to rug. Share ideas.
 What would your decision be? What positive things would happen as a result of a smart decision? What would
happen if you had picked something to bring you down?
Homework/ Extensions
 Decision-maker scenario to complete at home.
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Four: Telling the Truth at all Times
Objectives:
 SWBAT discuss reasons why it’s important to tell the truth at all times.
 SWBAT apply the decision-maker model to telling the truth.
Materials
 Decision-maker model with scenario
 HMK: Decision-maker scenario to complete at home.
Hook (5 min)
 Intro visualization activity:
Close your eyes. I will tell you a story. At the end of the story I’m going to ask you to make an important
decision, so listen carefully. Imagine you’re a 2nd grade teacher at Alcorn Elementary School. Your class is
usually very well behaved, but they were having trouble on this particular day. After lunch, two students come
running over to your desk- Nadia and Tamara. They come up to your desk to tell you they had an argument.
Nadia says Tamara pushed her in the hallway, but Tamara says that Nadia pushed her first. What do you
do?
 Chance to respond, then continue.
Both Nadia and Tamara are very sweet 8 year olds, but Nadia has told you a few lies this year during class.
The lies were what some kids may call “small things,” but you think about them now to figure out who is telling
the truth. Tamara, on the other hand, has always told the truth. One time last fall, you found your stapler
broken on the floor, and she raised her hand and said she did it even though it may have gotten her in
trouble. So now that both are arguing, you have to decide who is telling the truth. Who would you believe?
Nadia or Tamara?
Direct Instruction (10 min)
 Discuss what the word “reputation” means.
 Why is it important to have a good reputation?
 What is something that Tamara did to have a good reputation?
Guided Practice
 Think back to a time when you did not tell the truth. How did you feel about yourself?
 Personal example (breaking a glass bird  “it’s okay”)
o Decision-maker model
o Tell them how it turned out. Did I make the right decision?
Independent Practice
 Scenario  Draw decision-maker model on board
 Hand out paper, students draw/write about one way to move themselves up, and one way to move themselves
down. Which decision should they make?
Closing:
 This year, you all start with a clean slate. It doesn’t matter what happened with your old teachers, but now you
are starting with a good reputation. What are ways for you to keep your good reputation?
 Imagine yourself as the teacher again, why do you think it’s important for everyone to tell the truth?
Homework/ Extensions:
 HMK: Decision-maker scenario about lying to complete at home.
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Five: Importance of Classroom Jobs
Objectives
 SWBAT apply the idea that what one person does, affects everyone else.
 SWBAT explain the importance of everyone doing their jobs.
 SWBAT discuss consequences of people not doing their jobs (natural, and classroom-lose your job).
Materials
 Homework sheet (place for signature, and job)
 Job cards
Hook

I have to tell you about what happened to me yesterday! My mom called and said she had sent me a big box of
homemade chocolate chip cookies! I was drooling as soon as she told me! But guess what? She sent them a
week ago and I still hadn’t gotten them in the mail. Man was I disappointed. She said the post office told her they
were supposed to be here two days ago, so I called my post office and asked them what was the problem. You
know what they told me? They said the mailman who works on my block decided not to come in the past two
days. Just like that! So all those people on my block didn’t get their mail! I didn’t get my cookies and I bet a
bunch of other people didn’t get some other really important stuff too!
Direct Instruction
 What do you think about the mailman not doing his job? Can you think of problems that would happen if other
people didn’t do their jobs?
 Discuss the importance of jobs, and how they contribute to the community.
 For our class, discuss how they help each other learn.
 Display job cards and talk about the role of each job.
Guided Practice
 Pick out a card from the job cards.
 Discuss why it is important and how it helps everyone learn more.
 Discuss what would happen if they didn’t do their job.
Independent Practice
 Have students pick out a job card, and think about how it is important and how it helps everyone learn more.
 Have them explain what would happen if they didn’t do their job.


Okay you really paid attention and learned why jobs are important so I think you’re ready to choose your very own
classroom job!
Choose a job  write it on their sheet and glue it into their homework book.
Homework
 Finish the letter that tells someone at home what your classroom job is. Explain why it is important to the class
and how it helps everyone learn.
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Dear ____________,
Guess what? I got a classroom job today. I will be the class
_________________.
(Fill in for homework.)
My job is to _______________________________________
_______________________________________________. It is
important because if I do my job well then ______________
__________________________________________________.
I promise to do it well.
Love,
___________________
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Six: Coping with Anger
Objectives
 SWBAT list ways to cope with anger.
 SWBAT explain why it is important to cope with your anger before making a decision.
Materials
 Decision-maker model with scenario
 When Sophie Gets Mad
Hook


I want to read a book to you about a girl who gets so angry that she runs away from home and lets the whole
world change because of her anger.
While I read, I want you to pay close attention to the decisions she makes and how they affect her and others
around her.
Direct Instruction
 Review interdependence.
 Decision-maker model of how Sophie got angry.
 What did she do?
 Which things hurt others or herself?
 Which things calmed her down?
 Complete Decision-maker model
Guided Practice
 Use story to make a list of things you can do to cope with anger
 Add other ideas
 Discuss how different strategies will work for different people
Independent Practice
 Draw/write about a time you were upset.
 Name at least 5 things you could do to calm yourself down
Closing
 Share situations and ideas
 Remind them its okay to feel angry, what matters is what you do with the anger and that you make smart
decisions that do not hurt others.
Homework
 Name 5 things you could do to calm yourself down when you are angry.
 How does it help others and yourself to cope with anger
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Seven: Using Encouraging Words
Objectives
 SWBAT explain the importance of encouraging words.
 SWBAT construct encouraging words and prhases.
Materials
 Ball to pass
 Class plant (spider plant?)
 Water pitcher
 Poster of encouraging words/phrases
 Homework sheet
Hook (5 min)
 Sit in a circle, introduce the class plant.
 Ask students to brainstorm what plants need in order to grow.
 Introduce the concept of love/encouragement as a way of helping each other grow. Some scientists believe that
we can play music for our plants and say nice things to them to help them grow. Do you believe that’s true?
Direct Instruction (5 min)
 Plants can be a lot like people. We’re all here at school to grow – not just our bodies, but our brains, and hearts
too- and so we’re all going to help each other grow healthy and happy. We’re going to practice giving each other
encouragement today.
 The best encouragement is specific. It helps people know exactly what they are doing well. Instead of saying,
“Ray, you’re really nice,” try telling exactly how he is nice like, “Ray, you are really nice because you shared your
candy with me today.”
 Focus on what the person did to deserve a compliment.
Guided Practice
 Think-pair-share: on whether these words are specific or not.
1. “Shania, I like you.”
2. “Ziere, thank you for pushing in my chair when I forgot.”
3. “I want to give you a thumbs up for controlling your anger.”
4. You deserve a compliment!
5. You are nice because you played with me when no one else would.
6. You are the best!
Independent Practice
 In a circle, let students roll a ball to each other giving encouraging words to one another.
Homework/Extensions
 List of encouraging words. Circle the ones that are specific. Think of encouraging words for the people listed.
(parents, Ms. Young, Ms. Val)
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I-5: Create a Welcoming Environment
Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson Eight: Using “I” Statements (2 days to complete)
Objectives
 SWBAT explain the purpose of using “I” Statements.
 SWBAT construct encouraging words and prhases.
Materials
 Decision-Maker Model
 “I” statement formula
 T-chart: How I feel on the inside | What to say on the outside
 Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns by Mary Quatlebaum.
Hook (5 min)
 Who can tell the beginning of the Sophie Gets Mad? Or Berenstain Bears Middle? End?
 Decision-maker model, review
 Today I’ll teach you a new way to bring yourself up and make smart decisions.
Direct Instruction (10 min)
 How would you feel if your best friend….?
 Record responses on “How I feel on the Inside” column of the T-chart.
 ___ probably wanted___ to happen, but did the problem get solved?
 So what happened in the end? Everyone was mad and hurt and so the problem didn’t get solved.
 Explain to students that when we get upset with another person, we can tell them how we’re feeling using “I”
statements that focus on ourselves instead of hurting the other person in return and making things worse.
 An “I” statement says “I feel ___ when you ____ because _____.”
 Review story/conflict and use an “I” statement. How would it have changed the situation?
Guided Practice (10 min)
 Scenario: Dominique is playing with a ball outside. Ziere walks up and takes it.
 How does Dominique feel on the inside?
 What could she say on the outside to express the way she feels?




Scenario: Shania is reading out loud in class and messes up on a word. Ray laughs and says, “you are so
stupid.”
How does Shania feel on the inside? What could she say on the outside to express the way she feels?
Scenario: Ms. Liu just finishes stacking her binders and tests to take home to grade. Someone walks by and
pushes them off because he thinks it would be funny.
How does Ms. Liu feel on the inside? What could she say on the outside to express the way she feels?
Independent Practice (15 min)
 Read Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns by Mary Quatlebaum.
 Stop reading and ask students to pretend they are the character. Have each student come up with at least 2 I
statements to help the characters solve their conflicts.
Continue story tomorrow
Closing:
 We will be using “I” statements this year to solve our problems without hurting each other. “I feel happy when you
use I statements because it helps us get along and learn a lot!”
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Tool: Lesson plans for building a classroom community (elementary)
Lesson for Teaching Students to Use “I” Statements
FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL | Building Self, Building Community
By Sara Cotner
Objective
 Students will be able to explain the purpose of an “I” statement.
 Students will be able to use “I” statements to express their feelings.
Materials
 Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns by Mary Quattlebaum
 Index cards with scenarios
 A T-chart that says “How I feel on the inside” and “What I say on the outside”
 “I” statement poster—I feel _________ when you _________ because _________.
Hook (5 minutes)
 Ask for four volunteers to pretend like they are kindergartners by acting out a scenario. Give each volunteer an index
card that explains what they should do. The first three students are standing in line waiting for lunch, and the fourth
student walks up to the line and cuts to the front.
STUDENT ONE: Hey, what do you think you’re doing, dummy! We were here first!
STUDENT TWO: Yeah, get to the end, stupid!
STUDENT THREE: We don’t want to see your ugly face in front of us!
STUDENT FOUR: Mind your own business and shut your mouth!
 Encourage the rest of the class to clap for the volunteers.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes)
 Ask the students who were cut in line to explain how they felt when the fourth student went to the front of the line.
Record their responses in the “How I feel on the Inside” column of the T-chart. (Their responses should include
emotions such as anger for being cut).
 Ask the class to explain what the volunteers said on the outside. Record their responses on the T-chart.
 Ask the volunteers who were standing in line to explain what they wanted to happen in the situation.
 Ask, “Did the problem get solved?”
 Ask the fourth student to explain how s/he felt when the three students said mean things. In the end, everyone was
mad and hurt, and the problem was not solved.
 Explain to students that when we are upset with another person, we can communicate what we’re feeling on the
inside by using “I” statements. Using “I” statements help us solve problems instead of making them worse.
 Reveal the “I” statement poster and explain that an “I” statement says, “I feel _________ when you ___________
because ____________.” Emphasize that the feeling must be a feeling, not an action or an opinion. Also stress that
the behavior must be specific.
 Replay the situation again just with the teacher in the line and one student cutting. The teacher then says, “I feel angry
when you cut in line because I’ve been waiting here for a while.”
Guided Practice (10 minutes)
 Explain the following scenario:
Lyndsay is playing with a ball on the playground. Tynell walks up and takes it.
 Ask, “How does Lyndsay feel on the inside?”
 Ask, “What should she say on the outside (using an “I” statement) to show Tynell how she feels?”
 Explain the following scenario:
India is reading out loud in class and she messes up on a word. Kentra laughs and says, “You are so stupid.”
 Ask, “How does India feel on the inside?”
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



Ask, “What should she say on the outside to show Kentra how she feels?”
Explain the following scenario:
Jireh just finished stacking all his textbooks on his desk so he can get ready to go home. Jeremiah reaches over
and knocks them all down.
Ask, “How does Jireh feel on the inside?”
Ask, “What should he say on the outside to show Jeremiah how he feels?”
Independent Practice (25 minutes)
 Explain to students that they are now going to apply their ability to formulate “I” statements during a read aloud. Direct
them to the poster for reference.
 Read Jackson Jones and the Puddle of Thorns by Mary Quattlebaum.
 Throughout the story, stop reading and ask students to pretend they are a character. They should write “I” statements
that would help the characters solve their conflicts with each other.
Closing (5 minutes)
 Tell students that they will be using “I” statements to express their feelings throughout the school year. When they tell
people how they feel, it is easier for them to resolve conflict and get along.
 Say, “I feel happy when you use “I” statements because you are sharing how you feel on the inside and solving
problems.
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Hands Are Not For Hurting
During my first year of teaching, I had students change cards when they were physically violent towards each other.
Eventually, I decided this didn’t make sense because I didn’t think that students should have the same consequence for
hitting a classmate as s/he would receive for not bringing a pencil to class. I want to create an extreme consequence for
violence so that students would have a clear incentive for making the choice not to be violent. While talking to Emily
Harris, Delta ‘99, I heard about “Hands Are Not For Hurting.” I then did the following introductory activity at the beginning
of every school year.
—Rachel Schankula, Vice President, Teacher Support and Development, Teach For America
FIRST:
Students brainstorm a list of ways that hands can be used for hurting. They come up with all kinds of things — hitting,
pinching, stealing, etc. We list all of their ideas on a piece of paper at the front of the room.
SECOND:
We talk about the negative effects of using hands for hurting. How do victims of violence feel? What are some possible
negative consequences for perpetrators of violence? How does violence make the classroom an unpleasant place to be?
How does violence distract from our progress towards our academic goals?
THIRD:
Students brainstorm a list of ways that hands can be used for helping.
FOURTH:
We talk about the many benefits of using hands for helping. How do people feel when they’re helping others? How does it
feel to be helped? How can our communities be helped by people joining together to make improvements? How can we
reach our academic goals more quickly if we help each other?
FIFTH:
Students trace their hands on construction paper and write all over them the helpful things they can do with their hands.
We then create a bulletin board in the classroom of everybody’s colorful, decorated paper hands. Then students sign a
copy of the “Hands Are Not For Hurting” pledge. It says “I will not use my hands or my words for hurting myself or others.”
The poster with the pledge and everybody’s signature also becomes part of the bulletin board.
LAST:
I inform everyone that in my class, for all the reasons we’ve already discussed, we will NOT use our hands for hurting and
that anyone who chooses to disobey this rule will be required to stay after school on Friday and spend one hour using
their hands for helping.