Taking Responsibility for Our Safety

While we have others (like family, friends, and teachers) who look out for us, we should prioritize taking responsibility for our safety.

Grade Level: 6-12

Character Skills

Responsibility

SEL Skills

Self-Awareness
Responsible Decision-Making

Academic Skills

Diligence

Definitions

Responsibility

Do what you are supposed to do. Try your best.
Persevere. Keep on trying.
Be self-disciplined.
Think before you act. Consider the consequences.
Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes.

Self-Awareness

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes.

Responsible Decision-Making

Make decisions based on rationality, ethics, and effectiveness.

Diligence

Have a growth mindset and is willing to learn from mistakes.

Share This Activity

Learn more about our character, social-emotional, and academic outcomes.

Students will read an essay about taking responsibility for our safety and then reflect on how they can be more responsible for their safety in the future.

Instructions

Ask students to read an essay, written by a teen, about responsibility and safety.
- It’s Yours. Own It. Stage of Life.
In her essay, Amanda wrote: “While others have roles in your safety, the largest possession belongs to you. You can trust someone—your parents, your school, the government—to assist you in maintaining your safety, but you should not impart with them the whole of that trust, that responsibility.” Ask students:
1. Have you ever considered that your safety is one of your responsibilities? Why or why not?

Journal

Describe a time when you faced a consequence for not taking your safety seriously enough. What lessons did you learn from that experience? What could you do differently next time to be more responsible for your safety? OR
Describe a time when you didn’t take your safety seriously enough. What could you do differently next time to be more responsible for your safety?

Essay: Tucker, A. 2011. It’s Yours. Own It. Stage of Life.