# Lesson 220: Telling the truth

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

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## Objective

I can tell the truth about what really happened, even when it feels hard. I can explain why honesty matters and how to fix a mistake when I have not told the truth.

## Materials

- Plain paper or a notebook page
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Optional: star stickers to mark honest choices

## Mini-lesson — What does it mean to tell the truth?

Telling the truth means saying what really happened. We call this being honest.

Honesty and trust

- When we tell the truth, people can trust us.
- Trust means others believe our words and feel safe with us.
- Honesty helps friendships and families feel strong.

What is a lie?

- A lie is when we say something that is not true on purpose.
- Sometimes children lie because they feel scared, ashamed, or worried about getting in trouble.
- Even small lies can hurt trust.

Example 1 — Spilled juice

- The juice spills on the table.
- Truth: "I spilled it by accident."
- Lie: "I did not do it." when you did.
- Honest consequence: an adult can help you clean it and show you how to be more careful next time.

Example 2 — Broken toy

- The toy breaks while you are playing.
- Truth: "I broke it. I did not mean to."
- Lie: hiding the toy and saying nothing.
- Honest choice: tell the truth, say "I am sorry", and ask how to help fix it.

Fixing a lie

- Everyone makes mistakes, even with telling the truth.
- We can fix a lie by:
  - Coming back and telling the real story.
  - Saying "I am sorry I did not tell the truth."
  - Trying to do better next time.

Adults can say: "In our family/class, it is safe to tell the truth. We can fix mistakes together."

Picture strip: "Honest words"

## Guided Practice — Truth or not?

You and an adult will read short stories and decide if the child is telling the truth or not the truth.

1. On a notebook page, draw two columns. At the top of the left column write or trace: "Truth". At the top of the right column write or trace: "Not the truth".
2. The adult reads a short story, such as: "Sam drops a cookie on the floor and says, 'The dog did it,' but the adult saw Sam drop it."
3. Talk together: Is Sam telling the truth or not? Draw a little picture or write "Sam" in the correct column.
4. Try two or three more small stories, including: "I broke it by accident and I am telling you" and "I already brushed my teeth" when they did not.
5. Each time, ask: "How does the adult feel when the child is honest?" and "How do they feel when the child does not tell the truth?"
6. Finish by thinking of one real moment when the child told the truth, even though it was hard. Draw it in the "Truth" column and add a small star.

Tracing Pad
Lines
Trace
Pen

## Practice — Honesty and trust hearts

Use this practice to help your child see how honesty and trust go together.

1. On a new page, draw a big heart in the middle. Inside, write or trace the word "Trust".
2. Around the big heart, draw three or four smaller hearts. In each small heart, write or trace an honest action, such as "I told the truth about a mistake" or "I gave back something I found".
3. For each small heart, talk about: "How does this honest choice help trust grow?"
4. Next, draw one tiny heart at the bottom and label it "Fixing a lie". Inside, write or trace steps like "tell the truth", "say sorry", "try again".
5. Ask your child: "How do you feel inside when you are honest?" and "How do you feel when you keep a lie?"
6. Choose one honest action they want to practise this week and draw a star next to that heart.

## Quick Check — Telling the truth

Answer each question about honesty, truth, and trust.

1) What does it mean to tell the truth?

Say something that sounds funny, even if it is not real. Say what really happened as best as you can. Say whatever makes you avoid trouble, even if it is not true.
Telling the truth means saying what really happened.

2) What is a lie?

When you say something that you know is not true. When you are unsure and ask a question. When you read a story from a book.
A lie is when we say something we know is not true.

3) Why is honesty important?

It makes people never talk to you. It makes every game boring. It helps people trust you and feel safe with you.
Honesty helps build trust and safety in relationships.

4) You broke a crayon by accident. What is an honest thing to say?

"Someone else did it" when they did not. "I broke it by accident. I am sorry." Say nothing and hide the crayon.
Saying what really happened and saying sorry is honest.

5) You spilled water on your paper. Your adult asks, "What happened?" What shows you are telling the truth?

"I spilled it by accident when I reached for my cup." "The wind did it," even though you know it was you. "Nothing happened" when the paper is wet.
You are honestly saying what really happened.

6) What can you do if you told a lie before?

Keep the lie forever. Tell more lies so no one finds out. Go back, tell the truth, say sorry, and try to be honest next time.
We can fix mistakes by telling the truth and saying sorry.

7) Your friend asks, "Did you use my pencil without asking?" You did. What is an honest answer?

"No, I never touched it," when you did. "Yes, I used it without asking. I am sorry." "Your pencil just moved by itself."
Honesty means answering truthfully, even when it is hard.

8) How does telling the truth usually make you feel inside?

More calm and light, even if you were scared. Always angry. Like you must hide all the time.
Honesty can feel hard at first but brings calm later.

9) When should you ask an adult for help with telling the truth?

Only when it is something very small. Never. You must keep it a secret. When you feel scared, confused, or worried about telling the truth.
Adults can help you be honest in a safe way.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

To learn how to hide the truth. To remember that being honest and telling the truth builds trust. To see how many lies we can tell.
The goal is to choose honesty and build trust.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can say in simple words what it means to tell the truth. Student can give at least one example of an honest choice and one dishonest choice. Student can explain how honesty helps people trust them. Student can describe what to do to fix a lie (tell the truth, say sorry, try again). Student knows they can ask a trusted adult for help when telling the truth feels hard.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can be honest and tell the truth, even when it is hard. 🙂 I know telling the truth is important, but I still need practice. 😅 Telling the truth still feels tricky for me sometimes.

#### Next time I will practise…

Saying what really happened Fixing a lie by telling the truth Asking an adult to help me be honest
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