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Being an Upstander

Fifth graders learn to be upstanders — people who speak up or help when they see unkindness or someone being left out — instead of bystanders who just watch, building a caring, inclusive community.

Grade 5CASEL: Social Awareness35 minutes1 class periodCASEL SELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain an upstander.
  • ✓Tell it from a bystander.
  • ✓Choose to help.
  • ✓Include others.
Essential Question

When someone is being treated unkindly, you can look away — or you can help. The person who helps is called an upstander. How can you be one?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Being an Upstander Check

Project each item and have students answer about being an upstander. The tool explains helping instead of just watching.

🤝 Understand being an upstanderTry it
Answer each question about being an upstander.
The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

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

1

Check-In — Look Away, or Help?

5 min

When someone is treated unkindly, you can help — that’s an upstander. How?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a check-in.
  • Pose a situation.
  • Be caring.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Check in.
  • Reflect.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Upstander vs. Bystander

9 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Being an Upstander Check.
  • Note helping.
  • Note telling an adult.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Reflect.
3

Practice — Practice

10 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name upstander actions.
  • Practice including someone.
  • Role-play helping.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name them.
  • Include.
  • Role-play.
4

Apply — Apply

6 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Plan an upstander action.
  • Choose a safe way to help.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Plan it.
  • Choose it.
  • Explain.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain an upstander.
  • Give an example.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain it.
  • Give one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL 5 Social & Emotional Learning Competencies.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Show concern for the feelings of others.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Stand up for others and include them.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Help and support peers.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Choose to act with care.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Upstander action cards.
  • Sentence frame: “An upstander ___.”
  • Role-play situations.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “invite them in.”
  • Use clear examples.
  • Practice one action.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Explain bystander effect.
  • Make an upstander pledge.
  • Role-play harder cases.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🤝Scenario cards
  • 💻Being an Upstander Check
  • 📚Kindness books
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

upstandersomeone who helps when they see unkindnessbystandersomeone who watches and does nothingincludeto let others belongkindnessbeing caring and friendlyempathyunderstanding others’ feelingssupportto help someonetrusted adulta grown-up who helps youcouragedoing the right thing even when it’s hard
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 is an upstander?
Someone who speaks up or helps when they see someone treated unkindly.
QUESTION 2
Name one upstander action.
Invite someone in, speak up kindly, or tell a trusted adult.
QUESTION 3
What can you do if you don’t feel safe stepping in?
Tell a trusted adult.

Reflect: be an upstander.

Have students name one way they can be an upstander this week. A printable upstander 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: Being an UpstanderFlip
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.

📝 Social Awareness: Being an UpstanderQuiz
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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.

🖨️ Social Awareness: Being an UpstanderPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: bystander, courage, empathy, include, kindness, support, trusted adult, upstander
  1. being caring and friendly
  2. someone who helps when they see unkindness
  3. a grown-up who helps you
  4. to help someone
  5. understanding others’ feelings
  6. to let others belong
  7. someone who watches and does nothing
  8. doing the right thing even when it’s hard

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is an upstander?
  2. Name one upstander action.
  3. What can you do if you don’t feel safe stepping in?
Answer key — Part A: 1) kindness · 2) upstander · 3) trusted adult · 4) support · 5) empathy · 6) include · 7) bystander · 8) courage
Part B: 1) Someone who speaks up or helps when they see someone treated unkindly. 2) Invite someone in, speak up kindly, or tell a trusted adult. 3) Tell a trusted adult.