P.L.U.S Responsibility Lesson One

​Responsibility

This lesson will introduce you to responsibility and how self-discipline plays a big part in being responsible and dependable. You will learn about five things that impact our ability to develop self-discipline and journal about one of those things that you want to work on throughout the Responsibility unit.

​Building Self-Discipline - Scenarios read through scenarios (alone or with a partner) that involve someone about to abandon a task or responsibility. Discuss and write the best self-discipline strategy they could use to help them finish the task or be more successful next time.

​Welcome to the Responsibility unit! This is going to be a great unit because we get to learn about different elements of responsibility.

Open Ended

Define responsibility

​Responsibility is “being reliable to do the things that are expected or required of you.” I think a key word here is “reliable”. When you think about the word reliable, what comes to mind? As you get older, you will be expected to be more reliable. As you have more opportunities, more freedom, more life experience, and more age, people will expect more from you. They will depend on you more. Think about who you depend on now. Who are some people you depend on (even beyond parents or guardians)? Who, in your life, if they did not show up for you on a regular basis, would make a big impact? Think about if teachers didn’t show up, bus drivers, doctors, sanitation workers, grocery store managers, etc.) Being responsible is everyone’s job.

Open Ended

Mario has a science project due on Friday. It is Monday and he has

everything he needs but doesn’t feel motivated to get started. He isn’t doing

well in science and really needs a good grade on this project. What can

Mario do to increase his self-discipline to not only do the project, but do well

on it?

Open Ended

Samara has weekly chores at home; she is required to dust, vacuum or

sweep, and clean the bathroom. She hates chores. All her friends get an

allowance for doing work around the house, but her dad says it’s just part of

being in the family. She always waits until Friday to do her jobs and then has

to do everything at once and usually misses out on going out with friends on

Friday after school because of it. How can Samara be more self-disciplined to

do her weekly chores throughout the week instead of saving them all until

Friday when she wants to go out with her friends?

Open Ended

Adyson struggles with reading. She is supposed to read for 20 minutes at

home but her mom works double shifts and isn’t home until Adyson is in bed.

Her nana stays with Adyson most evenings and is usually watching TV or

napping. Adyson doesn’t like to read by herself. She just doesn’t care about

doing it. What can Adyson do to be more self-disciplined to read 20 minutes

every day, even if she doesn’t have anyone to read with her?

Open Ended

Why Do We Give Up?

Discuss why we sometimes don’t finish what we start, or give up.

What makes us abandon our responsibilities and what do we need to do to

stick with something? What strategies do you use to overcome frustration

and despair that lead to your not fulfilling a responsibility?

Open Ended

My Self-Discipline Strategy

What is a self-discipline strategy that you already use that works well and

what is a new strategy that you would like to try? Journal about this and

about a regular responsibility you have that you don’t like much and need

more self-discipline to complete. How will you use your new strategy the next

time this responsibility comes up?

Open Ended

Technology and Self-Discipline

In what ways does technology help us be more self-disciplined? Are there

apps we use to stay disciplined? Are we motivated by not losing our tech so

we always do what we’re supposed to? In what ways does technology

distract us and prevent us from being self-disciplined?