RESPECT >> The value of respect is being considerate
and acting appropriately toward others in any situation.
Lesson Overview
Topics covered:
• Bullying
• Fairness
• Authority Figures
• Equality
• Tolerance of
Differences
• Racism
Respect means treating others the way they
should be treated. Unfortunately, this principle
is practiced less and less as an ugly cycle of
disrespect has become the norm. Seemingly
small acts like littering, name-calling and
snubbing those in authority, are actually seeds
of distrust, discrimination and hatred. How can
we stop this cycle once and for all?
Respect [Cycle]
<< Cycle
WARNING: Each movie is designed to impact the thought process
of the viewer. As such, care should be taken to empathize and deal
sensitively with the issues that may be brought to the surface. At no time
should a MakeYouThink movie be shown without an adult-led discussion
afterwards.
Recommended Forum
Leaders should review all items on the DVD and rehearse the
recommended discussion questions and additional activities. Please
ensure that your lesson time plan allows at least 5–10 minutes for oneon-one dialogues at the end of the lesson.
Suggested Timeline [30-60 minutes]
1. [Optional] Learning Activity 2. Introduce Movie (see “Sample Introduction”)
3. Play Movie and optional Music Video
4. Discussion Questions 5. [Optional] Learning Activity 6. Summarize using Director’s Cut 7. Plan Time for One-on-one Dialogues 8. [Optional] Explain Take-home Assignment
as time allows
1 minute
8–14 minutes
2–5 minutes
as time allows
3–4 minutes
5–10 minutes
1–3 minutes
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Respect
Short Film Title >>
Objective >>
Preparation >>
(Cycle) Respect
Lesson Plan
Cycle—The Value of Respect
The objective of this lesson is to understand
ways in which we can value and treat others the
way they should be treated and valued.
Watch the short film, music video and the
directors cut for Cycle—The Value of Respect
(approximate total time: 20 minutes). You may
choose to follow along with the provided script
and music lyrics using a highlighter or pen.
Read through the sample lesson activities.
Identify or modify an activity to fit your context or
create your own activity where needed.
Materials >>
Playing the DVD >>
Gather any props or materials you will need
for the activities. Photocopy the Take-Home
Assignment if desired.
You’ll need a computer laptop which plays DVDs
and a video projector OR a TV with a DVD
player to play the short film, directors cut, and
music video [optional].
The DVD has been created with a menu system
that allows you to play each video segment plus
the discussion questions.
LESSON PLAN >>
Optional Introductory Activity. Depending on
your context, students may benefit from sharing
an activity to introduce the topic before playing
the movie. We’ve provided some additional
activities that you can choose from or modify, or
you can create your own. You may also choose
to begin the class with the music video and then
insert your introductory activity.
Introduce Movie. Read aloud (or adapt) the
sample Introduction provided before playing the
main movie portion of the lesson.
Play Movie. Play the music video and movie
continuously, or the movie only. (If you played
48
Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
the music video as an introduction to the topic,
you should play only the movie at this point in
the lesson.)
Discussion Questions. Guide the class/group
through the discussion questions either as a
whole group or in small groups. This will aid
you in helping the students process the value
they are wrestling with in this lesson. You can
choose to use the questions in the book to read
aloud or write one question at a time on a white
board or flip chart. You can also play “Discussion
Questions” on the DVD to show one question at
a time on the screen.
Optional Activity. If your time allows, you can
elect to use or modify one of the additional
activities we’ve provided in this guide or create
an activity of your own that will engage the class
in owning or interacting over this value.
<<
Summarize. It’s important to set up the class
for a strong close, so we encourage you to
reserve the final 10 minutes of the class period
to summarize and challenge students to own
this value personally. To do this, we highly
recommend that you transition to the director’s
cut video, which provides a short summary of the
value and its importance.
The value of
respect is being
considerate
and acting
appropriately
toward others in
any situation.
>>
One-on-one Dialogues. Tell the students that
you (and, if available, additional adult or peer
leaders) are available for the next 5–10 minutes
to talk one-on-one if the lesson has raised any
questions or issues they would like to talk about.
Optional Take-Home Assignment. We believe
that the primary way that values are learned is
through life-on-life transfer. We’ve constructed
a take-home assignment that you can use as
presented or modify it for your context that will
encourage students to dialogue this value with
significant adults in their life.
49
(Cycle) Respect
Music Video
Break
Words and music by Shauna Simmonds, Jon Corbin, & Nathanael Gerber
© 2007 Shauna Simmonds. All Rights Reserved.
MakeYouThink® Music
City breathing, too hard to sleep
Evil deeds overpower as people scream
Respect earned by what you wear, who you know
What you do and where you go
Wear exteriors as a badge of honor
Can’t expect what’s coming round the corner
Give it all for a rep they say
But decisions made now cause your future fade away
<<
We’ve got
to show the
world a better way. Be
the change
you want.
>>
We must break the mold
We’ve got to show the world a better way
Be the change you want
Let’s go beyond, let’s go together
Eyes stay fixed on the want (yep)
we’ll even front (why)
To get what we think we need
The need, indeed, is acceptance
We feel restless, unless we pay our penance
A hand on the shoulder, couldn’t feel colder
A long to belong makes us feel bolder
Question the act, but, the conviction is clear
The cycle continues respect and fear
Religious ritual residual scars
Locked inside of those spiritual bars
Light the candle, lead those who yearn
Inside not enough fire to burn
Fine lines define your chance to shine
Win the crowd by dropping some petty dimes
They say they can alleviate crime
Camera’s rolling claim they have the time
Theory and practice, a book and some matches
Politician busy playing actor and actress
Ignore the needy and absorb satisfaction
Missed out on putting their beliefs into action
50
Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
Movie [Cycle]
[Sirens wail and music starts as dark street
scenes flash by. Young man is getting a tattoo.
Man shown with gang, nervous.]
Gang member 1: “OK, come here. You want to
be down with us, right?”
New member: “Yeah, of course.”
Gang member 1: “What I need you to do is go
steal some money.”
New member: “I don’t know; that’s wrong.”
Gang member 1: “What? It doesn’t it matter if
it’s wrong? We need the cash now. If you want
to be down with us, that’s what you’ve got to do.
OK?”
New member 1: “All right.”
Gang member 1: “You down for that?”
New member: “All right.”
[On screen: “‘The way you see people is the
way you treat them, and the way you treat them
is what they become.’ Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe”]
<<
The way you see
people is the
way you treat
them, and the
way you treat
them is what
they become.
>>
Girl 1: “The world could be better if everyone
treated people the way they wanted to be
treated.”
Girl 2: “Taking into account what people believe,
respecting what their beliefs are.”
Girl 3: “Once people get disrespected, then they
feel like they need to disrespect someone.”
Guy 1: “There’s a lot of different examples of
disrespect.”
Girl 4: “I come out of work at night, or I come
out of my house in the morning, and there’s
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(Cycle) Respect
muffin wrappers and cigarette packs, Kleenex,
and old newspapers in my bike basket, like, it’s
not a garbage.”
Guy 1: “People don’t respect the environment;
people don’t respect other people.”
[On screen: “Respect is being considerate
and acting appropriately toward others in any
situation.”]
[On screen: “It includes taking someone’s
feelings, needs, thoughts, ideas, wishes and
preferences into consideration.”]
Guy 1: “We’ve become a society where anger
and, like everything just leads to anger, like it’s
just the easy way out, you know?”
Girl 5: “People are rude to each other all the time.”
<<
People don’t
respect the
environment;
people don’t
respect each
other.
>>
Girl 6: “Like if someone is really rude to me, I’m
probably going to be rude back.”
Guy 2: “If somebody hates on them, they’ll go
hate on somebody else, just to get back at
somebody else.”
Guy 3: “I had to be the controller of the group,
the ‘my way or the highway’ type thing, you
know. Drinking or fighting or anything like that,
like I had to be the word, you know?”
Girl 7: “Because I was one of the few black kids
at school, it led me to always be in some kind
of defense. I grew up kind of disliking other
races because of how I was treated when I was
younger.”
Guy 3: “And I became like emotionally
distraught, and I took that out on women, you
know; I used them for sex. I felt like the world
owed me something.”
Girl 7: “And I’d be like a bully in school, or I’d
always have to be tougher than everybody else
cuz I didn’t want to be run over anymore.”
52
Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
[On screen: “It is hard to survive outside a
caring network of others.”]
[New member returns to meet gang; is beat up
by all of them and then abandoned.]
Girl 7: “When you’re a targeted as a black youth
doing wrong, you’re kind of labeled, and I had
a lot of threats coming from each and every
different way, of me being killed, even as a
female, it was a likely statistic. If someone says
they’re going to kill you, you’re probably going
to lose your life.”
Guy 4: “I got into a situation with an
acquaintance of mine. I didn’t know that he was
being hunted down by a gunman, and that guy
came to me to see where he was. I told him that
I wouldn’t give up that information, so he pulled
out a gun and shot me. The bullet entered my
arm and it went through my ribs into my spinal
cord, an it left me in a wheelchair for the past
six years.”
[Journalists and cameramen interview female
politician.]
Politician: “We are now working on passing
bill B39 to ensure that our community and our
streets remain safe on a daily basis.”
<<
We are living
in a world
where the
general respect
for people is at
an all-time low.
>>
Journalist: “Mrs. Sinclair, we’re talking about
respect; how do you define it?”
Politician: “A display of dignity, care, and
appropriate action towards everyone. That is
the respect that we aim to achieve in our society
today. Thank you.”
[Man beaten down struggles to get up, reaches
out. Politician walks past with assistant, who
points to man. Politician ignores him, gets into
car, and they drive off.]
[Scenes from church, stained glass, flash by.]
Pastor: “The Lord said, ‘Do unto others as you
53
(Cycle) Respect
would have them do unto you.’”
[Pastor walks by man on ground, pauses, steps
over him and continues, ignoring his hand
reaching out for help.]
<<
We are not born
hating people
who are different
from us. We
learn it.
>>
Shauna Simmonds, Executive Producer,
MakeYouThink.tv: “We are living in a world
where the general level of respect for people
is at an all-time low. We’re more likely to
encounter a lack of respect than experience the
level of respect that is deserved. Is it that we’ve
been so disrespected by others that we think
we have a right to disrespect back? I actually
feel that we are part of a cycle of disrespect that
is way out of control and is now really hard to
stop. I’m calling on our generation to stop the
cycle. Every single one of us needs to show
respect first, including myself. Will you help me
by putting a stop to this cycle once and for all?”
[On screen: “We are not born hating people who
are different from us. We learn it.”
[On screen: “‘So it’s possible for all of us to
learn to appreciate, respect & celebrate our
differences.’ -The National Youth Violence
Prevention Resource Center.”]
Guy 4: “You cannot rely on the gun to solve or
to cope with your problems, you know?”
Girl 7: “And I didn’t see it as a disrespect
before, but when someone broke into my car,
it all came back to me, boom: ‘You used to do
this’--you know? It’s kind of like, whatever you
sow you reap, you know? You can’t get away
from principles of life.”
Guy 3: “It’s disgusting to think now of how
deceitful I was, and the things that I wanted to
do were so negative when I look at it now.”
Guy 4: “I never at the time that what I was doing
was disrespecting people, because I never
thought I was going to be in this chair. There
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Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
was a time when I was running around having a
good old time, right? I never thought it would be
me. I’d seen people in wheelchairs and never
thought it would be me. But it can be you, and it
could be worse.”
[Man on ground struggles alone. Another man
approaches, runs up.]
Man: “Help! Help!”
[Man recognizes victim as the one who stole his
wallet, hesitates, then picks up phone and dials
911.]
Man: “There’s someone hurt. Help!”
[Man carries victim to street.]
<<
It’s possible for
all of us to learn
to appreciate,
respect &
celebrate our
differences.
>>
55
(Cycle) Respect
Director’s Cut
[Cycle]
I can think of numerous things that have
happened to me just recently that have showed
a lack of respect: talking behind someone’s
back, showing up late for something for no
good reason, letting the door slam in front of
someone and not opening it for them, showing
up late for work, spitting on someone, writing
on a bathroom wall. We are living in a world
where the general level of respect between
people is at an all-time low. We’re more likely to
encounter a lack of respect than to experience
the level of respect that is deserved.
<<
We’re more
likely to encounter a lack of
respect than to
experience the
level of respect
that is deserved.
>>
The house that I grew up in was on the corner
of two main intersecting roads, and because we
were on the corner, we were an easy target for
people to throw their garbage. Every morning
I’d walk across the lawn to catch the bus, and
every morning I’d see new garbage on our lawn.
What I couldn’t understand is how people could
just drive up to the stop sign, open their window,
and chuck out their garbage.
Showing respect simply means treating people
the way they should be treated. Is it that we’ve
been so disrespected by others that we think
that we have a right to disrespect back. Respect
includes people and things. You know, there’s a
lot of people that are growing up in our society
today not liking someone else just because they
wear a different brand of clothing than them, or
they have a different color of skin, they’re from a
different country, or simply because they have a
different opinion. Here’s what happens: instead
of seeing these differences as strengths, the
disrespect is fanned into flame, and soon
enough, one person is alienated from a group.
It can even turn into fights and severely broken
relationships.
56
Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
In 1931, the Belgian empire decided to abandon
its rule over the country of Rwanda. There
were two tribes in the country, and it was
believed that one tribe had larger skulls than
the other one and this made them superior.
This one simple act resulted in a deep-seated
hatred between the tribes. It created one of the
deepest genocides in our history.
Maybe you don’t own your own lawn yet, but
I’m sure you have things that are important to
you. Maybe you own a car or your cell phone or
an iPod. Do you like it when your sister comes
and takes your clothes? Or what about when
your friend uses your cell phone without even
asking? I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if someone
were trashing your stuff, would you?
I actually feel that we are part of a cycle of
disrespect that is way out of control and is now
really hard to stop. Do you have any roots of
disrespect in your own life? I’m calling on our
generation to stop the cycle. Every single one of
us needs to show respect first, including myself.
I challenge us to wake up every morning and
think respectfully. Value others’ time. Throw out
your garbage. Talk appropriately to leaders and
those in authority. Take care of your things and
the things you borrow from others. And take
care of the environment in which we live. Will
you help me by putting a stop to this cycle once
and for all?
<<
I’m calling on
our generation
to stop the
cycle. Every
single one of us
needs to show
respect first.
>>
57
(Cycle) Respect
Sample
Introduction
Respect means treating others the way they
should be treated. Unfortunately, we see this
principle practiced less and less, and instead an
ugly cycle of disrespect has become the norm.
Seemingly small acts like littering, name-calling
and snubbing those in authority, are actually
seeds of distrust, discrimination and hatred. Is
there a way we can stop this cycle?
The value of respect is being considerate
and acting appropriately toward others in any
situation.
<<
Use this if you
need a teaser
to introduce
the video for
the students.
58
>>
Take a look at this video, and then we’ll talk a
little more about respect.
Respect (Cycle)
Respect [Cycle]
Discussion
Questions
1. What does this film make you think about?
2. Describe the worst act of disrespect you
have ever seen.
3. When have you felt highly respected? Least
respected?
4. Think of a person you respect most. Why
do you respect them?
5. What can you do to start the cycle of
respect?
<<
Reminder:
Make sure you
allow time for
students to
discuss with an
adult after
viewing the
video.
>>
Note: Discussion questions can be displayed visually, one at a time, on
the screen using the Cycle DVD.
59
(Cycle) Respect
Additional
Activities
1. Hand two thank you notes and envelopes to
each student. Have students write thank-you
notes to two different people they respect (a
peer and an adult), sharing why they respect
them.
<<
Have students
write thank-you
notes to two
different people
they respect.
60
>>
2. Bring in some washable finger paint and paint
different color stripes on students’ foreheads
. Each student should have only one color,
but some colors may be repeated. Designate
a handicap for each color. For instance, red
people cannot use their right arm; blue people
must be blindfolded; green people cannot use
their thumbs. Give them a task, like picking up
a mess or building a tower of blocks. Then talk
about how we each have limitations, but our
differences help us to work together.
Respect (Cycle)
Ask these interview questions to two adults in your life. (Choose one
adult 5–9 years older than you, and one at least 10 years older than
you.)
1. Describe the worst act of disrespect you have ever seen.
2. When have you felt highly respected? Least respected?
3. Think of a person you respect most. Why do you respect them?
Respect [Cycle]
Take-Home Assignment
4. Do you think respect is practiced normally in today’s culture?
Why or why not?
5. What common signs of disrespect bother you the most?
6. What steps do you think we can take to stop the cycle of
disrespect when we see it happening around us?
Write a one-page reflection paper on what you heard from those you
interviewed.
61