E+R=O Classroom Guidance Lesson

Social/Emotional & Academic

Title of Lesson: E+R=O (event + reaction = outcome)

Grade Level: 6th Grade

ASCA Standards Addressed:

A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions

PS:A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior

PS:A1.8 Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it

PS:B1.1 Use a decision-making and problem-solving model

PS:B1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and choices
PS:B1.3 Identify alternative solutions to a problem
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
Core and/or Indiana Standards Addressed:
6.W.1: Write routinely over a variety of time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences;
apply reading standards to support analysis, reflection, and research by drawing evidence from
literature and nonfiction texts.

6.W.3.3: Write narrative compositions in a variety of forms that –

 Establish and maintain a style appropriate to purpose and audience.
 Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the information or explanation
presented.

6.SL.2.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-
led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing personal
ideas clearly.

Developmental Asset(s) Addressed:

Planning and Decision Making, Responsibility, Personal Power

Differentiated Instruction/Cultural Awareness:

Students with IEPs or 504 plans will have an instructional assistant in the room to assist with the
learning process and make accommodations. I will provide many opportunities for students to create
their own examples of events in middle school so it is not simply the events I have created. The lesson
also allows for multiple types of learning styles to be addressed, discussion, visuals, writing.

Learning Objective(s): Students will be able to define what E+R=O stands for (event +
reaction=outcome). Students will be able apply social situations to the E+R=O equation.

Collaborative Partners: The counselor John Moorehead collaborated with me to develop this
lesson plan. In some classes the teacher or an aide may be in the classroom to assist with particular
students or classroom management.
Materials Needed:
 Projector
 Computer to show slide show
o https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u5GPueyLYvHrHTpr3yclyHZYeaQ_VUIg4R-
QzIznMJI/edit?usp=sharing
 Blank Sheets of paper
 Writing utensils
 iPads for Pre and Post survey
 8 event example half-sheets for students to come up with reactions and outcomes
Activity Summary:
1. Students will first complete a pre-assessment by using their iPads to scan the QR code.
2. Intro to the Lesson
a. Welcome students to class and introduce yourself. Explain that in the next hour there will
be some fun and maybe silly activities but encourage students to really take the lesson
seriously. What I will be teaching them in the lesson can really help in a variety of
situations and problems that you face in middle school.
3. Show students the 2+2=4 example on PowerPoint. Point out that it is the same format as E+R=O.
A number plus a number equals another number.
4. Keep the first number the same and change the second number in the equations and ask
students to volunteer to solve them.
a. Discussion Questions
i. What changed in the equations? (the second number)
ii. What did that change do to the answer? (it also changed)
iii. Ensure students agree that this makes sense and have them keep them in mind as
we learn about E+R=O.
5. Ask if students have seen the E+R=O signs in the hallway. Explain how important we think it is
that we have reminders throughout the school. Ask students if they’ve ever wondered what it
stands for.
6. Baseball Video Example
a. Introduce what is happening in the video and who to keep an eye out for (batter,
manager, pitcher)
b. Play Video
c. Discussion Questions
i. What event did you witness?
ii. Did the batter have any control over the event?
iii. How did the batter react?
iv. How did the manager react?
v. What was the eventual outcome? For the batter? For the manager? For the
pitcher?
7. Middle School Event Examples
a. Explain each event
i. Your teacher telling you there is a test Friday, you get cut from the soccer team,
 getting grounded, being bullied, someone posting a mean comment on your photo
on Instagram
8. Negative Reactions
a. Go through each example of a possible negative reaction below and ask students what
the outcome may be if you responded to those events in that way.
i. Study that morning at breakfast, bad-mouth or blame the coach, yell at your
parents about how you’re being treated unfairly, keep to yourself about being
bullied, post mean comments back on Instagram
9. Better Reaction=Better Outcome
a. Emphasize that having a better reaction is going to lead to a better outcome.
b. Use Michael Jordan as an example for someone who has had some failures or negative
events and reacted positively leading to a positive outcome.
10. Positive Reactions
a. Now have students share how you could react positively to the event examples and what
positive outcomes may occur from those reactions.
11. Review
a. Have students all answer together what E, R, & O stand for. Repeat at least two or three
times.
b. What will happen if you have a better reaction? Answer: A better outcome!
12. Practice Using Individual Examples
a. On a blank sheet of paper, students will write E, R, and O on the left side of the paper with
space in between each letter.
b. Students will create and write down examples of events they could face in middle school,
a positive reaction and a possible positive outcome.
c. After they are done students will crumple their papers into a ball and have a “snow ball
fight” with their papers. Give them about one minute to throw around the papers. When
the snowball fight is over, students will pick up the snowball nearest them and bring it to
their seats.
d. Give students an opportunity to share the example they picked up to the class.
13. Go over E+R=O using hygiene as an example.
a. The event is puberty. You have no control over that happening or when it is going to
happen.
b. What you can control is how you react to puberty and we should react by washing our
bodies and hair, wearing deodorant, wearing clean clothes and shoes etc.
c. The outcome is then smelling wonderfully. If you do not react positively to puberty then
there will be a negative outcome of not smelling wonderful, which may lead to more
negative outcomes like being made fun of or having to have a conversation with me or
Mr. Moorehead etc.
14. If time allows, split class up into eight groups and give each group an example card with another
example of an event. In groups students will come up with a positive and negative reaction and a
positive and negative outcome. Groups will share their responses to the class.
15. Post-Test
a. Have you ever heard of the equation E+R=O?
b. Can you say with confidence that you know what the E, the R and the O stand for?
c. Do you know how to apply this equation to the social interactions you have in middle
 school?
Time needed for lesson: 1 hour
Evaluation Plan:
Student will take a brief pre and posttest including the following question:
1. Have you ever heard of the equation E+R=O?
2. Can you say with confidence that you know what the E, the R and the O stand for?
3. Do you know how to apply this equation to the social interactions you have in middle school?
Follow-Up Plan:
E+R=O will be utilized in future lessons in 7th and 8th grade.
References/Resources Used:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u5GPueyLYvHrHTpr3yclyHZYeaQ_VUIg4R-
QzIznMJI/edit?usp=sharing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngqeyfutg54&feature=youtu.be