Looking Through Respectacles

After I mentioned respectacles, Tammy at Forever In First and Barb at Grade ONEderful both asked for more information, so today's post is dedicated to 
R-E-S-P-E-C-T!


Making respect visible is a good way to keep it in the forefront. We made these frames with the kids when they were younger; here's what Kaitlyn had to say about respect when she was in second grade. (Can I just say that it looks slightly different to her now that she's 19!)  Glue some Dollar-Store colored craft sticks together, have students write their words of wisdom on a scrap piece of paper, glue it to the sticks and attach a magnet. The sticks are colored-coded to correspond with the Six Pillars of Character color scheme.

Put up a Radiating Respect bulletin board:

photo of respect bulletin board

With your students, brainstorm ways in which we radiate respect. Then make their ideas the rays of the sun in this visual display.

This next idea is inspired from a lesson in the State Farm Thought, Word, and Deed binder. Find out what your students think glasses do for people. Let them know that another word for glasses is spectacles. Then ask, "What could respectacles do for you?" Have students make their hands into a pair of glasses, bring them up to their eyes, and voila - you've got respectacles! Make it your silent signal for respect. 
Use respectacles to look for examples of respect or to let students know they should check their respect-o-meter.  If you want to make them more tangible, get some pipe cleaners and let students create a pair of respectacles. See the small glasses on Seymour, that baby harp seal puppet in the Clubhouse in the picture to the right? I put a purple pipe cleaner around them to make respectacles (after this picture was taken) and they look SO cute on him. The kids loved it. 

Finally, let students put on their respectacles and belt out 
R-E-S-P-E-C-T with Aretha! Sing it with me now . . . 
Oh, just a little bit . . . just a little bit . . . 
Click {here} for a RESPECT acrostic activity 
and {here} for a Brush Up On Respect lesson idea.

9 comments

  1. We actually MAKE respectacles after our lesson on respect. We use pipe cleaners too: I usually make up many of the pieces up beforehand so it is easier for the littlest learners to just connect the pieces. Make two little circles and connect them with a small piece of pipe cleaner. Add two long pipe cleaners for the bows and viola--respectacles. The kids love wearing them and we we take their picture in them.

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  2. Thanks for the instructions, Jo! My kids LOVE putting their pretend respectacles on every time we pass in the hallway after that lesson! I'll bet their pictures are precious.

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  3. These are all great ideas. Thank you for explaining the respectacles. I'm pretty sure my kids will be wearing them this year.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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    1. Please send a picture if you do - I'd LOVE to see them! Or blog about it and send the link!

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  4. Did you hear me singing?
    I think it is important to talk about what character really looks like...
    Perhaps they will be able to see it more clearly when wearing their respectacles!
    Thanks for the idea!

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  5. This is AWESOME! I love this stuff. This will work really well with our restitution program. Thank you!

    Barbara
    Grade ONEderful
    Ruby Slippers

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  6. Barbara, I LOVE the Respectacles Idea!!! I just bought more pipe cleaners today!! I was meant to be!!! Love your blog!!

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  7. Barbara, I just posted about how I've used respectacles in my room. Thanks for inspiring me!
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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  8. I used this theme "Radiating Respect" in my school bulletin board it came out well. thanks for sharing ur ideas

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