Being a Peer Leader
Students learn to organize a small class initiative and manage at least two steps of the plan, speak up for a peer who is excluded using specific, direct, and calm language, encourage a peer to make a kind choice using a genuinely persuasive reason, reflect on a leadership action naming what worked and what to change next time, and describe what makes a peer leader different from a teacher leader.
Lesson Overview
What students will be able to do after this lesson: Students will be able to describe what makes a peer leader, plan a class initiative with at least two steps they manage themselves, speak up for an excluded peer using specific, direct, and calm language, encourage a peer with a reason that actually matters to them, and reflect on a leadership action by naming one specific thing that worked and one specific thing to change.
Skill segments at a glance:
| Segment | Segment name | Primary standards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What Is a Peer Leader? | RS-ADV-3-5 |
| 2 | Lead by Doing and Speaking Up | RS-ADV-3-1 · RS-ADV-3-2 |
| 3 | Influence and Reflect | RS-ADV-3-3 · RS-ADV-3-4 |
Supporting standards reinforced:
| Code | Why it connects |
|---|---|
| SoA-INC-3-3 | Peer leaders frequently act by including classmates who are left out — this is one of the most common expressions of RS-ADV-3-2 in daily classroom life. |
| SoA-FAR-3-4 | When peer leaders plan initiatives or advocate for peers, they bring fair, reasoned proposals — connecting directly to the fairness and contribution concepts in SoA-FAR. |
Key Vocabulary
- Peer leader — a student who influences the people around them through words and actions, not because they were given a title or put in charge
- Initiative — a project or plan you start yourself because you see something that could be better
- Advocate — to speak up for someone who is being excluded or treated unfairly
- Persuasive reason — a reason that works because it actually matters to the specific person you are talking to
- Reflect — to look back at something you did and think honestly about what worked and what you would do differently
Materials
- Whiteboard or chart paper and markers
- Before the week begins: Post your unit anchor chart and I Can Statement where students can see them — you’ll reference both throughout the week.
- Optional: sticky notes for Segment 2 planning activity
How this lesson is structured: Each skill segment below has an I Do (teacher models the skill with a realistic scenario) and a We Do (class practices together with your guidance). Independent practice — the You Do — lives in the practice resources that go alongside this lesson.
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 Do“Peer leader” means the person who was picked — not someone who decides to act · Speaking up for someone = tattling or being bossy · Encouragement = telling someone what they should do
- 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.
What Is a Peer Leader?
- What’s inside
- I do: 3 teacher modelsWhat peer leadership looks like in action · Wrong version → fix: peer leader as “the one the teacher picked” · Non-conflict: peer leadership when nothing is wrong
- 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.
Lead by Doing and Speaking Up
- What’s inside
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 3 launches.
Influence and Reflect
- What’s inside
- 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
- Round 1 — What makes a student leader
- Round 2 — Planning and speaking up
- Round 3 — Helping a friend choose well and reflecting
- Land the key idea
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.
