Home›Lesson Plans›Social-Emotional Learning›Responsible Decision-Making · Grade 1

Stop and Think

First graders build responsible decision-making by learning a simple three-step trick — Stop, Think, Choose — that helps them pause before acting and pick a kind, safe choice.

Grade 1CASEL: Decision-Making30 minutes1 class periodCASEL SELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Learn Stop, Think, Choose.
  • ✓Pause before acting.
  • ✓Pick a kind, safe choice.
  • ✓Make good choices.
Essential Question

Sometimes we want to do something right away without thinking — but that can lead to trouble! There’s a simple trick to help: Stop, Think, Choose. How does it work?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Stop-Think-Choose Steps

Project this and have children put the three good-choice steps in order — Stop, Think, Choose!

✅ Put the three steps in order!Try it
Tap STOP first!
The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Check-In — Wait a Second!

5 min

We sometimes act without thinking — is there a trick to help?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a check-in.
  • Pose a quick choice.
  • Be caring.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Check in.
  • Think.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Stop, Think, Choose

8 min

Children learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain Stop.
  • Explain Think.
  • Explain Choose.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Learn Stop.
  • Learn Think.
  • Learn Choose.
3

Practice — Order the Steps

8 min

Children practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Order the Steps.
  • Put them in order.
  • Say each one.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order them.
  • Say them.
  • Explain.
4

Apply — Making a Choice

6 min

Children apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Use the steps for a real choice.
  • Pick the kind thing.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Use steps.
  • Pick it.
  • Explain.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the three steps.
  • Say why they help.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name them.
  • Say why.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL 5 Social & Emotional Learning Competencies.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Pause before acting on impulse.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Think about choices and their results.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Make a kind, safe choice.

CASEL
Self-Management

Show self-control.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Step picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First I ___, then ___.”
  • Act out the steps.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with Stop and Choose.
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Apply to a story.
  • Explain a good choice.
  • Make a choices poster.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🛑A stop-sign cue
  • 💻Order the Stop-Think-Choose Steps
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 📋A choices chart
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

stopto pause before actingthinkto use your brain firstchooseto pick somethingchoicea decision you makekindfriendly and caringsafefree from harmpauseto wait a momentgood choicea kind, safe pick
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What are the three steps to a good choice?
Stop, Think, and Choose.
QUESTION 2
Why do we STOP first?
So we don’t act too fast without thinking.
QUESTION 3
What kind of choice should you CHOOSE?
A kind and safe choice.

Reflect: Stop, Think, Choose.

Have children practice “Stop, Think, Choose” the next time they need to make a choice, and tell a grown-up how it helped. A printable stop-think-choose sheet is in the SEL library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Responsible Decision-Making: Stop and ThinkFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Responsible Decision-Making: Stop and ThinkQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Responsible Decision-Making: Stop and ThinkPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: choice, choose, good choice, kind, pause, safe, stop, think
  1. to pick something
  2. free from harm
  3. to pause before acting
  4. a decision you make
  5. to use your brain first
  6. a kind, safe pick
  7. friendly and caring
  8. to wait a moment

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What are the three steps to a good choice?
  2. Why do we STOP first?
  3. What kind of choice should you CHOOSE?
Answer key — Part A: 1) choose · 2) safe · 3) stop · 4) choice · 5) think · 6) good choice · 7) kind · 8) pause
Part B: 1) Stop, Think, and Choose. 2) So we don’t act too fast without thinking. 3) A kind and safe choice.