# Lesson 218: Consequences of choices

❤️ SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (40 Lessons) • 🟡 C. Making Good Choices

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## Objective

I can notice that my choices have consequences (what happens after). I can think about whether a choice will help or hurt before I decide what to do.

## Materials

- Plain paper or a notebook page
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Optional: two colors of stickers (one for helpful, one for hurtful consequences)

## Mini-lesson — Choices and consequences

A choice is something we decide to do or say. Every choice has consequences, which means what happens after.

Consequences can be helpful or hurtful

- Helpful consequences: people feel safe, happy, and calm.
- Hurtful consequences: people may feel sad, scared, or upset.
- Some consequences happen right away, others happen later.

Example 1 — Sharing vs. grabbing

- Choice: you share a toy.
- Consequence: your friend smiles, you both play happily.
- Choice: you grab the toy.
- Consequence: your friend cries, you might need to say sorry or lose the toy.

Example 2 — Doing homework vs. ignoring it

- Choice: you do your homework.
- Consequence: you feel proud, the teacher is pleased, you learn new things.
- Choice: you ignore your homework.
- Consequence: you might feel worried later, work might pile up.

Example 3 — Safe play vs. risky play

- Choice: you play safely on the playground.
- Consequence: your body stays safer and others feel calm.
- Choice: you push or climb where you should not.
- Consequence: someone could get hurt, an adult may stop the game.

Thinking about consequences before choosing

- Ask: "What might happen if I do this?"
- Ask: "Will this help or hurt?"
- Choose the action that is safe and kind.

Adults can say out loud: "Let's think about what might happen next if you choose this."

Picture strip: "Two paths, two consequences"

## Guided Practice — Choice and consequence pairs

You and an adult will match simple choices with their consequences and talk about what helps and what hurts.

1. On a notebook page, draw three big arrows pointing to the right. On the left of each arrow, write or draw a choice. On the right, write or draw the consequence.
2. In arrow 1, the adult helps you write or draw a choice like sharing toys. On the right, add the consequence: "We both play and feel happy."
3. In arrow 2, use a choice like shouting at someone. On the right, add the consequence: "They feel sad or scared. I may need to say sorry."
4. In arrow 3, use a choice like looking both ways before crossing the street. On the right, add the consequence: "I stay safer."
5. For each arrow, say together: "This choice is helpful" or "This choice is hurtful". Mark helpful consequences with a star.
6. Let the child create one more choice and consequence of their own. Help them decide if it is helpful or hurtful.

Tracing Pad
Lines
Trace
Pen

## Practice — Help or hurt? Sorting consequences

Use this practice to help your child think about how choices affect people.

1. On a new page, draw two big boxes or circles and label them: "Helps" and "Hurts".
2. With the child, think of everyday choices (for example, sharing, shouting, helping clean up, pushing in line, saying sorry, telling the truth, lying).
3. For each choice, ask: "What might happen after this?" Draw a tiny picture or write a short sentence for the consequence.
4. Help the child decide if the consequence goes in the "Helps" box or the "Hurts" box.
5. Talk together: "How do people feel after helpful consequences?" and "How do they feel after hurtful consequences?"
6. Choose one helpful choice the child wants to practise this week. Put a star next to it and keep the page where they can see it.

## Quick Check — Consequences of choices

Answer each question about choices and what happens after.

1) What is a consequence?

A game you play at recess. What happens after a choice or action. The name of your favourite toy.
A consequence is what happens after a choice.

2) You choose to share your crayons. What is a likely consequence?

Your friend smiles and you both colour. The crayons disappear forever. Everyone has to stop colouring.
Sharing often leads to happy, helpful consequences.

3) You shout at a classmate and call them a mean name. What might be a consequence?

They feel happy and want to play more. Nothing happens at all. They feel hurt or sad, and you may need to say sorry.
Hurtful words often bring hurt feelings and need repair.

4) You choose to tell the truth when you break something. What is a good consequence?

No one ever trusts you again. An adult may feel proud of your honesty and help you fix it. The broken thing magically disappears.
Telling the truth helps people trust and fix problems.

5) Which sentence shows you are thinking about consequences?

"If I push, someone could get hurt." "I do not care what happens." "I will just do it without thinking."
You are thinking ahead about what might happen.

6) You choose to ignore your homework every day. What is a possible consequence?

You suddenly know all the answers. The homework disappears and no one remembers. You may feel worried later and fall behind in learning.
Ignoring work can bring tricky consequences later.

7) You choose to help clean up after a game. What is a likely consequence?

The game pieces stay on the floor. The area looks neat and adults appreciate your help. You are never allowed to play again.
Helping often brings positive, thankful consequences.

8) Why is it important to think about consequences before you choose?

It helps you choose actions that are safe and kind. It makes you get in trouble more. It means you can never have fun.
Thinking ahead helps you choose better actions.

9) When should you ask an adult to help you with choices and consequences?

Only when the choice is about what snack to eat. When everything feels easy and simple. When you are not sure what might happen or something could be unsafe.
Adults can help you think through hard or unsafe choices.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

To make choices without thinking. To remember that choices have consequences and to choose helpful ones. To only think about yourself.
The goal is to notice consequences and choose helpful actions.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can say that a consequence is what happens after a choice. Student can give at least one example of a helpful consequence and one hurtful consequence. Student can explain how one everyday choice affects how someone feels. Student understands that thinking about consequences can help keep people safe and respected. Student knows they can ask an adult for help when they are unsure about what might happen.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can think about consequences and choose helpful actions. 🙂 I understand a little, but I want more practice with consequences. 😅 Thinking about consequences still feels a bit tricky for me.

#### Next time I will practise…

Asking, "What might happen next?" Choosing actions that help, not hurt Talking to an adult when I am not sure about a choice
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