To view this lesson plan as a PDF, click here.
Objectives
Students will:
- Learn what adults look for when reviewing a report.
- Distinguish between emotions and evidence-based details.
- Practice rewriting vague, dramatic, or incomplete reports into more helpful versions.
- Understand that the goal is support and safety, not punishment.
Materials
- Mini-Lesson Google Slides: Link
- Student Paper: Link
Learning Activities
Introduction
- In small groups, have students brainstorm answers to the following question: If you were reporting something anonymously, what information would you need to include?
- Bring class back together and share answers.
Mini-Lesson
Teach: A strong, appropriate report is:
- Clear (facts, not conclusions)
- Specific (details that help adults follow up)
- Respectful (no name-calling/slurs/judgments)
- Reliable (identifies what they saw/heard, not rumors)
Provide appropriate examples and ask students what might be missing or not helpful about each example.
Report Rewriting
Give groups 4–6 sample anonymous reports with common issues:
- Overgeneralizing
- Emotional outbursts
- Missing key details
- Judgments instead of facts
- Rumors or “someone said that someone said…”
Students provide missing information or rewrite to improve.
Group Discussion
Discuss:
- “How did you decide what details were important?”
- “What made a rewritten report more helpful and less emotional?”
- “Why shouldn’t we avoid reporting even if we’re unsure?”