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Respecting Differences

Eighth graders build social awareness by learning to respect differences — listening to other viewpoints, including everyone, and treating people as equals. Respect makes communities stronger. They sort respectful actions from disrespectful ones, then set a respect goal.

Grade 8Respecting Differences40 minutes1 class periodCASELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Show respect.
  • ✓Tell it from disrespect.
  • ✓Include everyone.
  • ✓Act respectfully.
Essential Question

How do you show respect for people who are different from you?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Respectful, or Disrespectful?

Project this and sort each into Respectful or Disrespectful.

🤝 Sort each — respectful, or disrespectful?Try it
💛 Respectful
👎 Disrespectful
Tap one, then tap a box.
The Lesson · Explicit teaching

40 minutes, five moves

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

1

Check-In — We’re All Different

4 min

What’s something that makes you unique?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask the question.
  • Share if you like.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Respect

10 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Respectful or Disrespectful?
  • Sort each one.
  • Note include everyone.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

12 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a respectful action.
  • Ask instead of assuming.
  • Include someone.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name.
  • Ask.
  • Include.
4

Apply — Apply

9 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Set a respect goal.
  • Name one inclusive action.
  • Plan to do it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Set.
  • Name.
  • Plan.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a respectful action.
  • Name a disrespectful one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Name one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL Framework for Social and Emotional Learning across its five core competencies.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Respect diversity and different perspectives.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Recognize the value of including others.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Treat others with respect.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Act fairly toward all.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Respect/disrespect cards.
  • Frame: "respect means ___."
  • Use clear examples.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Sort respectful vs not.
  • Use 4 actions.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Design an inclusion plan.
  • Interview someone different.
  • Lead a respect activity.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🤝Action cards
  • 💻Respectful or Disrespectful?
  • 📋Respect-goal sheet
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

respecttreating others welldifferencesways people varyincludelet everyone belongperspectiveanother person’s viewassumeguess without askingequaltreated the samediversitya variety of peopleempathyunderstanding others
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
Name a respectful action.
Listen to others, ask instead of assuming, or include everyone.
QUESTION 2
Name a disrespectful one.
Making fun of differences or leaving people out.
QUESTION 3
Why does respect matter?
It makes communities stronger and fairer.

Reflect: respecting differences.

Have students set a respect goal and one inclusive action. A printable respect-goal 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.

🃏 Social Awareness: Respecting DifferencesFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Social Awareness: Respecting DifferencesQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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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.

🖨️ Social Awareness: Respecting DifferencesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: assume, differences, diversity, empathy, equal, include, perspective, respect
  1. let everyone belong
  2. a variety of people
  3. treating others well
  4. guess without asking
  5. understanding others
  6. treated the same
  7. ways people vary
  8. another person’s view

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name a respectful action.
  2. Name a disrespectful one.
  3. Why does respect matter?
Answer key — Part A: 1) include · 2) diversity · 3) respect · 4) assume · 5) empathy · 6) equal · 7) differences · 8) perspective
Part B: 1) Listen to others, ask instead of assuming, or include everyone. 2) Making fun of differences or leaving people out. 3) It makes communities stronger and fairer.