You will learn
- Say what respect means.
- Show respect with words.
- Show respect with actions.
- Know what to do if someone is unkind.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Respect means caring about others.
- We use polite words.
- We listen and take turns.
- We tell a teacher if someone is unkind.
Words to know
treating others and their things with care
showing good manners
to pay attention with ears and eyes
caring about others
1. Discover: The shared swing
Esi and Kofi both want the swing. Esi says, “Please may I have a turn?” Kofi says, “Yes, after you count to ten.” After the turn, Esi says, “Thank you!” Both children smile.
Think: What kind words did you hear?
2. Understand: Respect
Idea 1: What it means
Respect means treating people and their things with care. It means we are kind and fair.
Idea 2: Words and actions
We show respect with polite words such as please, thank you and sorry. We listen when someone speaks, take turns and use gentle hands.
Idea 3: When someone is unkind
If someone is unkind to you or another child, you can say “Stop, I do not like that.” Then walk away and tell a teacher or a trusted adult.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Ask politely
Ask for a pencil.
- Say please.
- Wait.
- Say thank you.
Answer: May I please have a pencil? Thank you.
Example 2 (We do it together): Listen well
Listen to a friend.
- Look at them.
- Stay quiet.
- Say one thing they said.
Answer: You said you like football.
Example 3 (You try): Say stop
Respond to unkindness.
Show the steps and answer
- Say Stop.
- Walk away.
- Tell a teacher.
Answer: I told my teacher.
Did you know?
The word please is in almost every language, and children everywhere learn it very early.
Why this matters
Respect helps us feel safe and happy at school, at home and everywhere.
4. Explore: Respect role-play
In pairs, act out asking for a toy politely, saying thank you and listening. Then act out saying Stop and telling a teacher.
- Choose roles.
- Act asking.
- Act listening.
- Act telling a teacher.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Kind words made both of us feel good.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I say please when I ___.
- I say thank you when ___.
- I listen with my ___.
- I tell a teacher when ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is one polite word?
Please.
Question 2. What do we say after a gift?
Thank you.
Question 3. What do we listen with?
Ears and eyes.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is one polite word?
- What do we say after a gift?
- What do we listen with?
- What do we do in a line?
- Who do we tell if someone is unkind?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do we take turns?
- Why do we use gentle hands?
- Why say sorry?
Level 3: Stretch
- Act polite words.
- Make a respect poster.
- Tell a friend how to say stop.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Someone pushes in a line. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
Please wait your turn.
Another one. Say please and thank you at home all day.
Show a sample answer
Tick each time.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Respect is for everyone.
Fix: Telling for safety is right.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what respect means.
- I can show respect with words.
- I can show respect with actions.
- I can know what to do if someone is unkind.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Respect means caring about others.
- We use polite words.
- We listen and take turns.
- We tell a teacher if someone is unkind.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: My responsibilities. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Write one polite word. [2 marks]
- Name three ways to show respect. [3 marks]
- What can you do if someone is unkind? [3 marks]
- Why is taking turns fair? [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Word [1]; use [1]
- One each
- Say Stop [1]; walk away [1]; tell a teacher [1]
- Everyone gets a go [1]; clear [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is one polite word?
- What do we say after a gift?
- What do we listen with?
- What do we do in a line?
- Who do we tell if someone is unkind?
- Why do we take turns?
- Why do we use gentle hands?
- Why say sorry?
- Act polite words.
- Make a respect poster.
Homework
Notice three times someone shows respect and tell your class.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is one polite word? | Please. | 1 |
| 2. What do we say after a gift? | Thank you. | 1 |
| 3. What do we listen with? | Ears and eyes. | 1 |
| 4. What do we do in a line? | Take turns. | 1 |
| 5. Who do we tell if someone is unkind? | A teacher. | 1 |
| 6. Why do we take turns? | It is fair. | 1 |
| 7. Why do we use gentle hands? | To keep others safe. | 1 |
| 8. Why say sorry? | To show we care. | 1 |
| 9. Act polite words. | Role-play. | 1 |
| 10. Make a respect poster. | Poster. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Please.; 2 Thank you.; 3 Ears and eyes.; 4 Take turns.; 5 A teacher.. Level 2: 1 It is fair.; 2 To keep others safe.; 3 To show we care.. Level 3: 1 Role-play.; 2 Poster.; 3 Say Stop and tell a teacher..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what respect means | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Show respect with words | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Show respect with actions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Know what to do if someone is unkind | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Respect is only for grown-ups.” Respect is for everyone.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Role-play one polite word at a time. Practise please and thank you in real situations.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns polite words, listening and what to do if someone is unkind. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Use please and thank you at home.
- Praise respectful moments.
- Teach your child to say Stop and to tell you.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what respect means; show respect with words; show respect with actions; know what to do if someone is unkind.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: I am special and I can say my name, my likes and my feelings.
Materials. Paper, crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare role-play scenes.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the swing story and ask what was kind.
Explanation (10 min). Teach respect.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners role-play.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners make posters.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do we show respect? What do we do if someone is unkind?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Respect is only for grown-ups.” Respect is for everyone.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Role-play one polite word at a time. Practise please and thank you in real situations. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 1, topic 7; NCSS C3 Framework, individuals and groups; Cambridge Primary Humanities, people; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.