Keeping Promises

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Subject: English Language Arts (ELA)

Duration: 30 minutes

Class Size: 10 Students

Curriculum Standards (California ELA Standards – Kindergarten)

• CA ELA Standard K.RL.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
• CA ELA Standard K.RL.7: Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, settings, or events.
• CA ELA Standard K.W.2: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts.

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Lesson Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Listen attentively to a read-aloud of an Indigenous story about breaking promises.
2. Identify and reflect on emotions felt by the characters when a promise is broken.
3. Express understanding through drawing, showcasing emotions or events from the story.
4. Engage in discussion about the importance of keeping promises in everyday life.

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Materials Needed:

• Book Selection: A teacher-approved Indigenous children’s book about broken promises (e.g., The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson or Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell).
• Chart Paper & Markers
• Blank Paper & Crayons/Coloured Pencils

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Lesson Sequence:

1. Warm-Up Discussion (5 minutes)

Guiding Questions:

• “Has anyone ever made a promise before? What was it about?”
• “How do you feel when someone keeps a promise? How do you feel when they don’t?”

Activity:

• Teacher writes key words on chart paper, such as "promise," "trust," "happy," and "sad," based on student responses.
• Introduce the chosen book and explain that it is an Indigenous story about why promises are important.

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2. Read-Aloud & Discussion (10 minutes)

• Read the book expressively, pausing to ask thoughtful questions:
  • “What do you think will happen next?”
  • “How do you think the character feels now?”
  • “What would YOU do if a promise was broken?”
• Show illustrations, emphasizing emotions on characters’ faces.

Think-Pair-Share Activity:

• Students turn to a partner and briefly discuss:
  “How did the character feel when the promise was broken?”

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3. Drawing Activity (10 minutes)

• Students draw something from the story that represents broken promises.
• Encourage them to focus on emotions – facial expressions or symbolic images.
• Assist students in labeling their drawings with emotions (e.g., "sad," "angry," "disappointed").

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4. Reflection & Sharing (5 minutes)

• Students voluntarily share their drawings with the class.
• Teacher prompts responses:
  • “Tell us about your drawing.”
  • “How can we make sure we keep our promises to others?”

Wrap-Up Message:

• “Keeping promises helps us build trust. If we ever break one, we can always try to make it right!”

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Assessment & Differentiation

Assessment Strategies:

✅ Observation – Are students engaged and contributing during discussions?
✅ Drawing Analysis – Do their drawings represent emotions and key moments from the book?
✅ Oral Responses – Can students explain how a broken promise affects others?

Differentiation:

🌟 For Emerging Learners: Offer emotion cards (happy/sad/angry) so students can point to a feeling if they struggle with verbal expression.
🎨 For Advanced Learners: Encourage them to add speech bubbles or a short sentence under their drawing.

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Extension Activity (if time allows):

Promise Chain – Each student writes (or dictates) a promise they want to keep to a friend, and links their "promise paper strips" into a class chain to symbolize trust!

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Teacher Reflection After Lesson:

• Were students able to identify emotions effectively?
• Did the book resonate with them?
• Was there engagement across different ability levels?
• How can this conversation continue in other subjects or future lessons?

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🌟 This lesson combines storytelling, social-emotional learning, and creativity to leave a lasting impact on students' understanding of trust and promises!