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With All Due Respect

Respect

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“I appreciate the variety of resources. This is helpful to support the specific learning of individual classes or even individuals.”

—Middle level educator

Middle School Ethics Education Lesson Module

Includes:

4 Student

narrative

4 Discussion

questions

4 Activities

4 Ethical

dilemma

4 And more!

The class clown

makes an uncomfortable joke— should you

speak up?

Includes:

Student

narrative

Discussion

questions

Activities

Ethical

dilemma

And more!

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Table of Contents

Overview .............................................................................................................................................. i

Student Handout ................................................................................................................................. 1

Bell Ringer ........................................................................................................................................... 7

Discussion Questions ........................................................................................................................... 8

Web Links ........................................................................................................................................... 9

Quick Check....................................................................................................................................... 10

Quick Check Answer Guide ................................................................................................................ 10

Vision Board (Journal Prompt) ........................................................................................................... 11

Activity 1: Respect Word Search ........................................................................................................ 12

Activity 2: Cyber Respect ................................................................................................................... 15

Knowledge Showcase ........................................................................................................................ 16

Glossary............................................................................................................................................. 17

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Overview

With All Due Respect (Respect) is a ready-to-use lesson plan that introduces students to this ethical principle, including the importance of respect, its connection to ethics, and strategies for how to be respectful. This instructional module is part of a 10-module series about ethical leadership.

Educators may choose to use these 10 lesson modules individually or together as a coordinated instructional series. The modules are designed to be easily integrated into any course and are ideal for classroom use, but they are also appropriate for alternative settings, such as in homeroom, advisory periods, or student organizations.

Each module in the series includes the following components. Instructors may choose to use all components, or they may pick and choose appropriate components that best fit the needs of their learners. Descriptions of each component and suggestions for use are included below.

Student Narrative: An engaging instructional content that introduces a topic and uses relevant examples and language appropriate for diverse middle school students. Students may read the narrative as a class, in small groups, or independently. Instructors may choose to have students identify and list key concepts from the narrative and develop “reminder cards” to be placed on desks or in the alternative learning environment.

Key Vocab Terms: Placed individually near the relevant sentence in the student handout and compiled in a comprehensive glossary. Instructors may use these terms to familiarize students with key vocabulary, create a Word Wall, or engage in semantic mapping.

Web Resources: Links to articles and/or videos to further learning about the module topic and/or related content. Resources are both hyperlinked in the student handout and provided separately as full URLs for instructors. As a supplemental activity, instructors may ask students to find and submit additional resources for the class/learning environment.

Ethical Dilemma: A case study called “The Gray Zone” that asks students to consider an ethical

dilemma relevant to their lives and recommend a course of action. Students may discuss the

ethical dilemma as a class, or instructors may ask students to “pick a side” and engage in a

debate about ethical decision-making.

Bell Ringer: A brief activity and/or prompt that opens the class and helps educators gauge students’ prior knowledge. During this time, instructors can also create a Post-it Note parking lot for students to add anonymous questions related to the content before, during, and

after instruction.

Discussion Questions: Provided with relevant page numbers to help educators further learning and differentiate instruction to meet student understanding and ability. Instructors may choose to initiate discussion throughout and/or at the end of the student handout/lesson.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

If students do not feel comfortable sharing and speaking with the whole class, instructors may instead ask students to turn and share thoughts with a partner/small group, write down and submit their thoughts, write in a personal journal and keep their responses, share on a digital board, etc. Instructors can pick and choose the questions that are most useful for their class, and instructors should feel empowered to modify or rephrase any questions as needed.

Formative Assessment: A series of five “Quick Checks” to assess student understanding. Quick Check Answer Guides are also included. Instructors can use these questions in short quizzes, as exit tickets, etc.

Journal Prompt: A unique, future-oriented prompt called “Vision Board” that encourages students to reflect on the module topic and consider how they might apply its content to their own lives. Students could write these reflections in a personal journal or share with the instructor. Instructors may also suggest students share their thoughts with a trusted peer or discuss their responses in small groups.

Activities: Two interactive activities per module that include an activity overview, materials/preparation, step-by-step instructions, and estimated completion time. Instructors should select the activities that would be most effective for their class (given time available, comfort with the material, etc.), which might be one, both, or neither of the options.

Knowledge Showcase: A special activity that gives students the opportunity to showcase their learning through a preferred medium; can be a stand-alone activity or part of a portfolio compilation. Instructors may ask students to present their deliverables to the class or to a greater audience, such as through a school-wide symposium.

Given the complex nature of ethics, we recommend that instructors are mindful when asking students to share personal anecdotes and/or examples with other members of the class. While conversation surrounding challenging topics is encouraged, we recognize that this discussion is best facilitated in

a comfortable and supportive setting. To best facilitate ethics education, it is recommended that instructors begin with a class discussion regarding appropriate and supportive conduct; they may also ask students to develop and sign a document relating to the confidentiality of class discussions.

Our new middle school ethics education resources are part of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Middle School Program. Materials are available to all educators at no cost, thanks to the generous support of the Daniels Fund. For more information about our ethics materials and relationship with the Daniels Fund, visit www.MBAResearch.org/Ethics.

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With All Due Respect

Respect

What Is Respect?

Respect Showing care for the views, feelings, and property of others

and yourself

Respect also means showing care for other people’s feelings. You don’t always need to fully understand or relate to someone’s experiences and feelings. Showing respect means everyone feels safe to express who they are and how they feel without fear or shame. A relationship built on respecting each other’s feelings means you can both talk openly about your wants and needs, and you can both admit when you make a mistake.

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With All Due Respect

You’ve probably heard the word “respect” before. If asked, could you define it? Could you explain it to someone younger than you? Maybe, maybe not! Respect is showing care for the views, feelings, and property of others and yourself. Let’s unpack each of these ideas together.

Respect means showing care for the views of others. This means that even if someone has a different opinion than you—whether it is face-to-face or online—you shouldn’t dismiss or insult them. After all, the world is full of all kinds of viewpoints because every person’s experience is different—all nearly 8 billion of us! You don’t need to agree with someone to treat

them with respect. Instead, showing respect means listening to different views and knowing that it’s OK to disagree.

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Respect isn’t just for people. It’s also about the items we own and care about. When you respect someone’s

property, you take care of it and treat it like it’s your own. You wouldn’t try to break your own laptop or rip pages in your own books, would you? The same goes for the belongings of others, too. Respecting space is also im- portant, whether that’s the physical environment (like the bus or cafeteria) or someone’s personal space.

Self-Respect Honoring your own worth and value

Finally, respect means caring for yourself. Self-respect is honoring your own worth and value. It means believing you are good and deserve to be treated well—and everyone deserves to be treated well, especially by themselves!

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Dig Deeper: To learn more about the importance of

self-respect—both offline and

online—check out this video .

bubaone/DigitalVision Vectors

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Dig Deeper: It is important to understand, respect, and

accept each other’s differences! To learn more, watch Cole Blakeway’s TEDx Talk

“We Are All Different—and THAT’S AWESOME!”

Why Is Respect Important?

When we respect the views, feelings, and property of others (and ourselves!), the world is a safer, more trusting place. Showing respect leads to positive, long-lasting relationships and helps us be ethical. Ethics are a set of beliefs (called principles) that guide behavior.

Respect helps us treat each other kindly and ethically, even when we disagree.

Principles

Moral guidelines that help you differentiate between right and wrong

Ethics

A set of beliefs (called principles) that guide behavior

Respect also helps us value and appreciate our differences. Think about it—there are billions of people on this planet. Whether it’s our age, personality, race, gender, language, abilities, or other traits, we

are bound to be different in many ways!

Sometimes, appreciating differences can be hard. We all have a preference for our own experiences and qualities because they are comfortable and familiar to us. But our differences are what make all of us special and unique—they should be celebrated! Respect helps us say, “We are differ- ent, and we all deserve to be treated with care.”

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With All Due Respect

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Dig Deeper: To learn more about how to show respect and listen to others, watch the RocketKids video “Show Some Respect.”

How To Be Respectful

There are no hard-and-fast rules for treating other people with respect. Every environment is different, and every group of people is different, too. However, here are several general tips you can use to treat others with respect in any situation.

Get to know others—The first step of respecting people is getting to know them. This doesn’t mean you need to establish personal friendships with everyone you meet. It does mean that you should speak to people when you meet them, learn to pro- nounce their names correctly, and sometimes ask them how they are. Treating people respectfully also does not mean treating everyone the same. Each person is an individ- ual, so getting to know a person will help you learn what is respectful to them.
Listen and learn—Even if you think you dis- agree with someone, listen carefully to their point of view. Being willing to listen benefits both of you. If a teammate found a new way to run a drill at practice, a respectful person

With All Due Respect

would pay attention to their explanation. You may find the new method is better than yours! Remember, don’t just listen so you can respond—listen so you understand.

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Do your fair share—Always carry your part of the workload. That means knowing what your responsibilities are and asking questions if you do not understand. You are not respecting your classmates if you slack off on a group project and let them handle all the work. This also means not taking credit for work you didn’t complete. Cheating on a test isn’t respectful of your classmates, and accepting your coach’s praise for work you didn’t do isn’t respectful of your teammates.

Be kind to yourself—Sometimes, we are even harder on ourselves than we are on other people. We have high expectations for how we should think, act, dress, speak, work, play… The list goes on! We will often not meet those expectations, and that’s OK. Being a respectful person also means showing yourself kindness and care. Even when we make mistakes, we are always worthy of respect.

Following these tips will help you treat everyone with respect. Respect is a two-way street. If you treat others with respect, others are more likely to treat you the same way. However, we should always be respectful—not just because we want to be treated with respect, but because it is the good thing to do.

Tact

The ability to do or say the right thing in any situation

Empathy

The ability to relate to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of other people

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Interpersonal Skills Abilities that help you communicate, interact, and

build relationships with others

Develop interpersonal skills—Interpersonal skills are abilities that help you com- municate, interact, and build relationships with others, which are all useful for show- ing respect. Working to build traits like empathy and tact will help make you a more respectful person.

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Your best friend, Avery, is the class clown. Every single day he says or does some- thing that makes you and your classmates burst into laughter. Because of his silly antics, he is universally liked among your classmates. However, while Avery has a great sense of humor, he occasionally makes jokes that are inappropriate. When- ever he makes these jokes, none of your classmates tell him that his joke is rude or ask him to stop. In fact, most of them laugh! In the past, you’ve told

Avery that some of his jokes are offensive and asked him to dial it back a bit, but he never listened.

Recently, Avery made a joke about your classmate Dakota. The students who heard the joke laughed at it, while Dakota left the situation visibly upset. Avery’s joke made you uncomfortable, and you feel as though he crossed a line.

What should you do? Should you say something to Avery and hope he listens to you this time? Should you tell your

teacher what Avery said to Dakota, knowing it may hurt your friendship with Avery and potentially make others view you as a tattletale? Or should you keep quiet and laugh along with Avery?

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With All Due Respect

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Bell Ringer

Use the following activity to gauge students’ prior knowledge of respect while you prepare to start instruction. Display each of the following prompts on the board so students can read them from their desk, or provide the prompts on a handout. Designate three walls of the classroom as Wall A, Wall B, and Wall C, with their corresponding prompt:

Wall A: Rate how important respect is on a scale of 1 to 10.
Wall B: List examples of things we should respect.
Wall C: Describe things that make you feel respected.

Each student should have three Post-it Notes at their desk. Ask students to anonymously respond to each prompt on a separate Post-it Note. After a few minutes, release students to place their Post-it Notes on the corresponding walls. Encourage students to review the responses on each wall, then ask students to return to their seats.

Next, summarize the responses for each wall, and lead a class discussion about the importance of respect in all areas of life. Make note of student responses and use this assessment in subsequent instruction.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Discussion Questions

Discussion Question: Ask students to think of ways they can show respect in their everyday lives. How can they treat others with respect face-to-face? How can they treat others with respect online? How can they show respect at home, at school, and in their extracurriculars? Encourage students to draw on examples from their own lives. (p. 2)
DQ for Further Thinking: Ask students to think of ways in which they can treat themselves with respect. How does treating yourself with respect differ from treating others with respect? (p. 2)
Discussion Question: Ask students to think of a person in their lives they respect and admire (a parent, guardian, coach, teacher, leader, etc.). Why do they respect this person? How does their respect for this person impact their relationship? (p. 3)
Discussion Question: Ask students to think of ways in which they could learn from people who

are different than them. Why is it important to accept each other’s differences? (p. 3)

DQ for Further Thinking: Ask students to consider why we might find it hard to accept other

people’s differences at first. (p. 3)

DQ for Further Thinking: Sometimes, we are disrespectful without even knowing it. Ask students to discuss ways they are unconsciously disrespectful (in person and online). What can they do to prevent themselves from being accidentally disrespectful? (p. 4)
Discussion Question: Ask students to think of other ways they could do their “fair share” in life. How can they do their “fair share” at home, in school, online, or in extracurriculars? (p. 5)
DQ for Further Thinking: Ask students if they use interpersonal skills, like empathy or tact, in their lives. Encourage students to share examples. What are other ways they could use interpersonal skills to be a more respectful person? (p. 5)

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Web Links

Dig Deeper: To learn more about the importance of self-respect—both offline and online— check out this video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5iOiqo7Vvc.
Dig Deeper: It is important to understand, respect, and accept each other’s differences! To learn more, watch Cole Blakeway’s TEDx Talk “We Are All Different—and THAT’S AWESOME!” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQuM5e0QGLg.
Dig Deeper: To learn more about how to show respect and listen to others, watch the

RocketKids video “Show Some Respect” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t40SZtaJo84.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Quick Check

What is respect?
When you honor your own worth and value, you have .
Why is respect important?
Abilities that help you communicate, interact, and build relationships with others are called

List three strategies you can use to treat others with respect.

Quick Check Answer Guide

Respect is showing care for the views, feelings, and property of others and yourself.
When you honor your own worth and value, you have self-respect.
Answers will vary. When we respect the views, feelings, and property of others (and ourselves!), the world is a more trusting place. Showing respect leads to positive, long-lasting relationships and helps us be ethical. Respect helps us treat each other kindly and ethically, even when we disagree. Respect also helps us value and appreciate our differences. Respect helps us say, “We are different, and we all deserve to be treated with care.”
Abilities that help you communicate, interact, and build relationships with others are called interpersonal skills.
Answers will vary but should include three of the following: get to know others, listen and learn, do your fair share, develop interpersonal skills, be kind to yourself.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Vision Board (Journal Prompt)

Think about someone in your life who shows respect for views, feelings, property and/or themselves. Perhaps they are a relative, friend, teacher, coach, or mentor. Write the name of this person below.

Then, describe how this person shows respect.

Starting today, what can you do to show respect just like this person? Make a list of steps to help you be a more respectful person.

When you are finished, your teacher may ask you to create a “reminder card” with steps that help you be a respectful person. Use the steps you wrote above to make your reminder card. Keep your card where you can see it so you remember to be respectful every day!

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Activity 1: Respect Word Search

(Estimated time: 15–20 minutes)

Overview: In this activity, students will complete a word search, then explain how key terms relate to respect.

Preparation: Writing utensils, copies of Respect Word Search (on the next page)

Steps:

Provide each student with a copy of the Respect Word Search. Students will work independently to find 17 hidden words.
After completing the Respect Word Search, ask students to pair up and discuss how each word is related to the concept of respect.
Then, lead the class in a discussion of each word. How does each term relate to respect? What other words can students identify that relate to the ethical principle of respect?

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Respect Word Search

Words can go in any direction and share letters.

appreciate

care

communicate

differences

empathy

ethics

feelings

interpersonal

learn

listen

principles

respect

tact

understand

unique

value

worth

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Lesson Module

Respect Word Search Key

Words can go in any direction and share letters.

appreciate

care

communicate

differences

empathy

ethics

feelings

interpersonal

learn

listen

principles

respect

tact

understand

unique

value

worth

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Instructor Guide

Activity 2: Cyber Respect

(Estimated time: 30–35 minutes)

Overview: In this activity, students will visit “Online and On Guard…Is It Cyberbullying?” and play as a

group to identify instances of cyberbullying before engaging in class discussion.

Preparation: Access to technology

Steps:

Separate the class into groups of three to four students.
Then, instruct students to visit “Online and On Guard... Is It Cyberbullying?” (https://healthpoweredkids.org/smartboard/cyberbullying/story_html5.html), an interactive platform that presents online scenarios for students to identify as bullying, teasing, conflict, a “mean moment,” or a combination of these options.
Instruct each group to play through the site. Encourage students to discuss the scenario and their options before answering each scenario. Tell them every scenario presented is unique and that it is OK if there is some disagreement in the group. Remind students that some scenarios may have more than one correct answer.
When groups are finished identifying the scenarios, the activity will ask them to answer a few

questions before creating a “Bully-Free Zone” agreement.

Once students are finished, ask them to print one agreement per group. Each member should sign their name at the bottom of the agreement.
Then, ask groups to share their responses and agreements. Lead students in a full class discussion about their experience on “Online and On Guard... Is It Cyberbullying?” and its connection to what they have learned about respect.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Instructor Guide

Knowledge Showcase

The activity below can be stand-alone or part of a portfolio compilation.

Ask students to reflect on what they have learned about respect. What knowledge do they have now that they didn’t before? What stood out to or resonated with them? Encourage students to consider these questions for a variety of environments, including home, school, extracurricular activities, places of worship, digital spaces, different communities, etc.

Then, ask students to create a deliverable showcasing their new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding. Instructors may select the deliverable format, or they may give students the choice of their deliverable from one of the forms below:

Comic strip
Short story
Essay
Poem

Skit script
Video
Podcast
Song

Dance
Game
Presentation
Piece of art

(Because this activity is repeatable for portfolio compilation, instructors may also decide whether students may be allowed to repeat formats for different modules.)

Once deliverables have been completed, instruct students to share their “showcases.” This can be done in pairs, in small groups, with the entire class, or as part of a portfolio once all deliverables have been completed.

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With All Due Respect (Respect) Instructor Guide

Glossary

Empathy: The ability to relate to the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of other people

Ethics: A set of beliefs (called principles) that guide behavior

Interpersonal skills: Abilities that help you communicate, interact, and build relationships with others

Principles: Moral guidelines that help you differentiate between right and wrong Respect: Showing care for the views, feelings, and property of others and yourself Self-respect: Honoring your own worth and value

Tact: The ability to do or say the right thing in any situation