Stop, Think, and Choose (Adaptable for Grades K-5)
Lesson Plan
Adapted from/Counselor Name: Marybeth Rodriguez
Title of Lesson: Stop, Think, and Choose
Quarter: 1st
Audience: Classroom Small Group
Level: Primary (K-2) Intermediate (3-5)
Target Grade: 2nd

COUNSELING STANDARDS
ACADEMIC
 Acquire knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and throughout life.
PERSONAL/SOCIAL
 Understand safety and survival skills.

COUNSELING COMPETENCY(IES)
Academic: Develop an awareness of the decision-making process. Personal/social: Recognize decisions have alternatives.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES:
One demo stoplight to use as a model. Students will need scissors, crayons, glue, halfsheet of black construction paper and quartersheets of
red, yellow and green constuction paper.

ACTIVITY: Discuss with the class what happens when we take more time to think before making decisions and vice versa. We need to stop and
think before deciding what to do. Part of thinking is asking the question, “Will this help or hurt me or someone else if I choose this?” Discuss the
following scenarios when asking ourselves these questions: you don’t want to do your homework; you’re mad at the friend who won’t play with
you; you decide to call a friend a name rather than talk it out. STOPLIGHT PART 1: Hold up a demo stoplight. Discuss with the class what stoplights are and why we need them. Ask the following questions: what happens if you don’t stop at a red light; could someone get hurt?
STOPLIGHT PART 2; Students will make their own stoplight similar to the demo, using materials specified above. They can work in small groups
or at tables. Summarize the lesson by asking them to keep stoplights where they can see them all week to practice STOP AND THINK BEFORE
CHOOSING. Next week discuss what happened when they used this technique. Bring to their awareness again whether the behavior hurt or
helped them or someone else.

EVALUATION:
Pretest/Post test: Students will complete the assigned project
How did the student change as a result of this lesson? Students will learn the “Stop and Think” process to make better decisions.
Information/Comments/Follow-up: Continue to ask students if they are using their stop lights, and is their behavior hurting or helping.