Home›Lesson Plans›Social-Emotional Learning›Responsible Decision-Making · Grade 3

Making Good Choices

Third graders build responsible decision-making by learning a simple four-step plan — Stop, Think, Choose, Check — that helps them pause, weigh their options, and make safe, kind, and thoughtful choices.

Grade 3CASEL: 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…

  • ✓Explain responsible choices.
  • ✓Learn the Stop-Think-Choose-Check steps.
  • ✓Order the steps.
  • ✓Make a thoughtful choice.
Essential Question

Every day we make choices — big and small. Some are easy, but some are tricky! Is there a way to slow down and make a really good choice? Yes — with a simple four-step plan.

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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 Good-Choice Steps

Project this and have children put the four steps of making a good choice in order — Stop, Think, Choose, Check!

✅ Put the good-choice steps in order!Try it
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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 — Big and Small Choices

5 min

We make choices all day — how can we slow down and choose well?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a check-in.
  • Ask about a tricky choice.
  • Set a caring tone.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Learn — The Four Steps

8 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain Stop and Think.
  • Explain Choose.
  • Explain Check.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Learn Stop/Think.
  • Learn Choose.
  • Learn Check.
3

Practice — Order the Steps

8 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

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

🎒 Student Actions

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

Apply — Making a Choice

6 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Use the steps for a real choice.
  • Explain their thinking.
  • Check the result.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Use the steps.
  • Explain it.
  • Check it.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the four 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

Identify choices and think through consequences.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Make safe, caring, and thoughtful choices.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Reflect on how a choice turned out.

CASEL
Self-Management

Pause before acting on impulse.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

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

Support & Access

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

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Apply steps to a story problem.
  • Explain consequences.
  • Make a choice poster.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🛑A stop-sign cue
  • 💻Order the Good-Choice Steps
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 📋A choices poster
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

choicea decision you makeresponsiblemaking safe, caring choicesdecisiona choice between optionsconsequencewhat happens after a choicestopto pause before actingthinkto consider your optionschooseto pick the best optioncheckto see how it turned out
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 four steps to a good choice?
Stop, Think, Choose, and Check.
QUESTION 2
Why is it good to STOP before you act?
It gives you time to think so you don’t make a rushed choice.
QUESTION 3
What does it mean to CHECK your choice?
To look back and see if your choice turned out okay.

Reflect: Stop, Think, Choose, Check.

Have students practice the four steps the next time they face a tricky choice, and talk about how the plan helped. A printable good-choices 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: Good ChoicesFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Responsible Decision-Making: Good ChoicesQuiz
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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.

🖨️ Responsible Decision-Making: Good ChoicesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: check, choice, choose, consequence, decision, responsible, stop, think
  1. a decision you make
  2. to consider your options
  3. to see how it turned out
  4. to pause before acting
  5. a choice between options
  6. making safe, caring choices
  7. to pick the best option
  8. what happens after a choice

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What are the four steps to a good choice?
  2. Why is it good to STOP before you act?
  3. What does it mean to CHECK your choice?
Answer key — Part A: 1) choice · 2) think · 3) check · 4) stop · 5) decision · 6) responsible · 7) choose · 8) consequence
Part B: 1) Stop, Think, Choose, and Check. 2) It gives you time to think so you don’t make a rushed choice. 3) To look back and see if your choice turned out okay.