Working Together With Clear Roles
Students learn to agree on roles within a group with clear contributions and check in if roles drift, give teammates feedback in a kind and specific format, receive team feedback without defensiveness, name a group problem and propose a workable solution, and name their personal contribution and one thing they'd improve as a teammate.
Lesson Overview
What students will be able to do by the end of this lesson: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to agree on clear group roles ensuring each person has a specific contribution, re-clarify roles if a teammate drifts without just doing that person’s job for them, give a teammate specific and kind feedback, receive feedback without becoming defensive and try the suggested adjustment, name a specific group problem and propose a targeted solution, and name one thing they personally contributed and one thing they would do differently as a teammate.
Standards at a glance:
Readiness check — do this before Day 1:
Before starting this lesson, check whether students can do the following. If they can’t yet do these things, run the Rescue plan below before beginning.
– Students can name a specific group role (recorder, timekeeper, speaker, materials handler) and say roughly what that role involves.
– Students can say one specific thing a classmate did well — not just “good job” but something named.
– Students can hear a suggestion from a teacher without immediately arguing or going silent.
What Students Need Before This Lesson
- What’s inside
- What students should already be able to do
- Helpful to have in place
- 3 quick set-ups before the I DoConceptual Prep A — Doing someone else’s job is not the same as helping · Conceptual Prep B — Receiving feedback doesn’t mean agreeing, arguing, or going quiet · Conceptual Prep C — Your contribution is not the same as what the group did
- Rescue planIf students are significantly behind
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Introducing the Skill
- What’s inside
- Opening hook
- What we’re learning
- Why it matters
- Core sentence frameThe frame students use all week
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Setting Roles and Solving Group Problems
- What’s inside
- I do: 4 teacher modelsTextbook example: role-setting that gives everyone a clear contribution · Wrong version → fix: role drift — doing the job vs. re-clarifying · Non-conflict scenario: roles functioning well in a productive group · Naming a group problem and proposing a targeted solution
- We do: 4 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Giving and Getting Feedback as a Team
- What’s inside
- I do: 4 teacher modelsTextbook example: giving feedback with the formula · Wrong version → fix: all praise vs. the formula · Non-conflict scenario: feedback as a routine team practice, not a crisis · Wrong version → fix: receiving feedback — arguing and shutting down vs. trying
- We do: 4 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Looking Back at What You Brought
- What’s inside
- I do: 4 teacher modelsTextbook example: a specific contribution and a personal improvement · Wrong version → fix: vague contribution and improvement about others · Non-conflict scenario: reflection after a project that went well · Reflection when you’re proud of the outcome but still find something genuine
- We do: 4 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Closing the Week
- What’s inside
- 3 partner-share roundsOne for each segment, with the frame students say together
- Closing prompt
- Round 1 — Segment 1
- Round 2 — Segment 2
- Round 3 — Segment 3
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Practice for every skill segment
Each lesson comes with independent practice — the “you do” — for each of its 3 skill segments, in print and digital.
Printable practice
Ready-to-copy practice pages for each segment.
- View and print in your browser
- Answer keys for quick checking
Digital activities
Share one link — students open it on any device, and you see their answers.
- Works on Chromebooks, tablets and phones
- Students just type their name to start
While you wait: from the SEL Resource Library
Relationship Skills resources for Grade 3, ready to use today.
