Making the Right Choice

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Every day, you are asked to make choices.

You even chose to continue with this lesson. Typically, making a choice involves giving up one or more things for something else. Sometimes, making a choice even involves giving up something you want to do in order to do something you need to do.

• So, how do you know how to make the right choices?

When making choices, no matter how big or small, you need to take the time to think about the outcome or result of the decision you are making. For example, in the situation at the beginning of the lesson, you can choose to turn on the television without cleaning your room, but this decision disrespects your parent and will probably lead to you getting into trouble. On the other hand, you could choose to clean your room before you watch television. This decision would make your parent proud and you will likely be able to watch television as soon as you are finished. Taking time to think about the choices you make and the outcome of your choices is an important part of growing up.

When thinking about the choices you need to make, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Is the outcome safe? If the outcome of your decision would lead to you or someone else getting hurt, it is probably not a good decision.
2. Does my choice show respect to the people around me? It is important to remain respectful to the adults and peers around you when making decisions. In the example from the beginning of the lesson, not cleaning your room would be showing disrespect to your parent. Showing respect to those around you through the decisions you make will help you build and maintain positive relationships.
3. Does my choice take care of my needs before it takes care of my wants? A need is something required to keep you safe and healthy, or to help you in a given situation. A want is something you would like to have, but is not something you need to stay safe and healthy. It is always important to take care of your needs before you take care of your wants.

• Can you think of a situation when you had to choose between a need and a want?

Tell your teacher or parent about the situation and the decision you made.

Making choices can be difficult sometimes. Kid President is going to share some ideas for making good choices and not making good choices. As you watch the video clip, keep the following questions in mind:

• What happens when you make a choice?
• What should you NOT do when making a decision?
• What does it take to make a good decision?
• What does Kid President mean when he says, “There are no small choices”?

To find the answers to these questions, watch this clip from SoulPancake, Making Tough Choices with Kid President:

So far, you have learned three questions to ask yourself when making a choice. Kid President also shared some useful tips to help you make good decisions. Tell your teacher or parent at least three things you will do when you are making a decision. If you want, you can even create a poster that lists or illustrates all your ideas for making a good choice. Then, you can hang your poster in your learning space as a reminder.

• Why is it important to make good choices?

Tell your teacher or parent.

Then, move on to the Got It? section to think about the choices you would make in different situations.