While it would be ideal for everyone to get along and be friends, this is just not the case. However, students must realize that everyone deserves respect. In other words, students must recognize that they always need to treat others the way they want people to treat them. This Golden Rule is the perfect way to create a respectful world filled with kindness. Luckily, our students are the ones who will help create a world filled with respect! This is why teaching the importance of respecting others with Do Unto Otters is the perfect unit for Social Emotional Learning!
Students will absolutely love this adorable story and the Read Aloud Activities. Best of all, they will see how good it feels to treat everyone with respect.
Do Unto Otters
Author and illustrator Laurie Keller does a fantastic job of reminding students about respecting others.
While Mr. Rabbit is excited about new neighbors, he is also nervous. The new neighbors are otters, and Mr. Rabbit knows nothing about otters! So, he worries whether or not everyone will get along. On top of this, he worries that maybe they won’t want to be friends but will still be stuck living next door.
Luckily, Mr. Rabbit remembers the Golden Rule thanks to his friend Mr. Owl. This conversation reminds Mr. Rabbit that he just needs to treat the otters the same as he wants to be treated. Since everyone wants respect and kindness, Mr. Rabbit will show these qualities as soon as the otters move in.
Read Aloud Activities
The world has billions of people. So, this means there are billions of backgrounds, opinions, and beliefs. On top of this, there are tons of cultures and languages. Honestly, students may not realize just how diverse the world is until they are older. However, this means now is the ideal time to teach students the essential life skill of respecting others.
Since teachers have so much to prepare, there is a teacher guide to outline the entire unit. Specifically, this contains all of the lesson plans needed. Additionally, it includes an introduction to help prepare students and sets the purpose for the story. Likewise, it has essential vocabulary words!
When teaching the importance of respecting others with Do Unto Otters, it is crucial to have a discussion. This allows students to understand that people may have different opinions or thoughts, but everyone deserves respect. Therefore, there are higher-level thinking questions and talking points to guide student discussion. Each question includes a page number, so teachers know exactly where to stop.
While discussion is essential to include in lessons, personal reflection is also critical. Thankfully, the importance of respecting others with Do Unto Otters has both aspects! There is a written response and activity sheet to help students understand the Golden Rule. There are even differentiated options to ensure every student knows the importance of this skill.
Furthermore, there is hands-on craftivity! Students will love how the craft connects the story to their lives while building a better world.
Application
Teachers work hard to ensure students understand how the material taught in the classroom relates to life outside of school. Therefore, there are task cards that provide scenarios or thought-provoking questions. Ultimately, students will realize the importance of treating others how they want to be!
There are different ways to use the task cards. Honestly, they work great for whole class or small group discussions. They even work perfectly for individual work time.
No Prep Resource
Teachers have to handle so much. Thankfully, the Read Aloud Activities are all no prep! Teachers just need to print the resources.
Honestly, the world we live in can be harsh. So, teaching students how to be kind to everyone is more important than ever. Luckily, teaching the importance of respecting others with Do Unto Otters creates an amazing way to do this! Between the book and Read Aloud Activities, students will understand the importance of the Golden Rule!
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Get this Free Read Aloud
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Save this Read Aloud
Be sure to save this pin to your favorite read alouds board on Pinterest! You’ll be able to come back to this lesson plan when you are ready to read it aloud with your students.
