Civility Tree

Civility Tree

Topic: Creating a Classroom Civility Tree

Empowerment Video: Importance of Civility

Basic Supplies:

  • Poster paper, a blank bulletin board, or another large location to assemble and display the Civility Tree
  • A tree trunk created from brown construction paper, pre-assembled or created by the students at the beginning of the activity session
  • Construction paper in a variety of colors
  • Scissors
  • Pens
  • Tape, a stapler, or another method to secure the leaves to the tree

Video Discussion:

Ask students to turn and talk to a partner about what the word “civility” means to them.

After a few minutes of discussion, bring the class back together and ask students to share their ideas.

Work together to come to a class definition of the term civility (e.g., “To show respectful and polite behavior and speech in interactions with others.”)

After watching the video Importance of Civility, ask the following questions to discuss the video content:

  • Why should you bother to be civil?
  • When someone is rude to you, what is your response? What is the best way to handle this situation?
  • Does civility happen automatically? Explain your answer.
  • You may have heard the saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” What does this mean? How does it relate to civility?
  • Can you think of a time recently when you saw someone showing civility? What did they do? How did it make a difference?
  • How can small acts of kindness and civility make a big difference in our school and community?

Activity Instructions:

Civility is all about treating others with respect and kindness, even when it's not easy. Being civil helps make our school and community a better place for everyone.

In this activity, we will be creating a Civility Tree. Each leaf on the tree will represent an act of civility, showing how small, positive actions can help grow and strengthen our community.

  1. Select a few sheets of construction paper in various colors.
  2. Cut one large leaf shape out of each piece of construction paper.
  3. Write one act of civility on each leaf. This can be an act of civility you have recently seen, something you read about, or something you can imagine yourself doing in the future.
  4. Attach each of your leaves to the branches of the Civility Tree.
  5. The Civility Tree should be displayed in your classroom or another high-traffic location like the library or cafeteria. The display will remind everyone of the importance of being respectful and encourage others to practice civility every day. Remember, even the smallest actions can create a positive impact on our community!