Polite or Rude
At a Halloween party, one of your friend's parent passes out homemade pumpkin muffins. Taylor really dislikes pumpkin flavor. She accepts a muffin, smiles, and says "Thank you so much!" She holds onto it and quietly throws it in the trash bin near the door on her way out.
Polite or rude?
Polite. You don't have to eat food you dislike, but acknowledging the giver's effort with a "thank you" preserves their feelings. Throwing it away discreetly avoids making a scene or making the host feel bad.
We eat this food on Thanksgiving. It may have said "gobble gobble" while it was still alive.
Turkey
At the school fall carnival, Maya stands with her arms tightly crossed, looking down at her boots, and stepping back every time someone in a scary masks walks by.
How is Maya feeling and what clue tells you that?
Your grandma asks you what your favorite thing about fall is. How do you respond?
Give your answer and then ask her back.
That pumpkin pie is calling my name. I have to give it a try!
What does 'calling my name' mean?
When you have to try/do something and can't say no.
After returning from a long break, Jordan sees a classmate he hasn't spoken to in a while. In front of a group of peers in the hallway, Jordan blurted out, "Whoa, did you gain weight over the break? You look way bigger!"
Rude! Commenting on someone's body size or weight—especially publicly—is intrusive and usually makes the person feel self-conscious or embarrassed. A good rule of thumb: If someone cannot fix their appearance in 5 seconds (like food in their teeth), don't comment on it.
Boil and peel this vegetable and then mash it with butter and garlic. Delicious!
Mashed potatoes
During a chilly autumn football game, Liam keeps shifting his weight from foot to foot, rubbing his hands together quickly, and blowing warm air onto his fingers.
What is Liam experiencing and what should he do next?
He is cold. He should put on gloves, grab a warm drink, or put his hands in his pockets
Mom: Can you please help me set the table for Thanksgiving dinner?
You: Ha. There's no way I'm doing that.
Is this an appropriate response?
No. Say something like "Sure mom."
On Thanksgiving, I felt so hungry I could eat a horse. I hadn't eaten all day to make sure I could enjoy all the food at dinner.
What does 'so hungry I could eat a horse' mean?
Starving
For a Secret Santa / Fall Swap, Maya receives a knitted scarf in a bright yellow color that she really doesn't like. She looks at her peer, smiles, and says, "Thank you for thinking of me! It feels super soft."
Polite. Maya focused on a positive detail ("super soft") and thanked the giver for their thought/effort rather than expressing disappointment about her personal taste in colors.
Take noodles, cheese, and milk. Mix them all together, top with bread crumbs and bake until nice and crispy.
Mac n cheese
At the pumpkin patch, Jordan's friends are laughing and taking group selfies in the corn maze. Jordan is walking ten feet behind them, staring at his phone, and giving short one-word answers when they ask him questions
What can you infer about Jordan's mood or how he feels about the group?
He feels left out, bored, or annoyed with the group
Your cousins are talking about video games and you bring up the pizza you had for dinner last night.
What's wrong with this? How do you fix it?
It's off-topic. You can say something about video games instead.
My cousin drives me nuts. I am not looking forward to seeing her on Thanksgiving because he always annoys me.
What does it mean if someone 'drives you nuts'?
Drives you crazy, is annoying
During lunch, Sam notices his classmate accidentally sat in chocolate milk, leaving a dark stain on the back of his pants. Sam leans in close, lowers his voice, and whispers privately, "Hey man, just wanted to give you a heads-up—there's a spot on your pants. Do you want to borrow my hoodie to tie around your waist?"
Polite. Pointing out an embarrassing problem privately (and offering a practical solution) saves the peer from public embarrassment.
You can make this dessert with pumpkin, nuts, or fruit. Bake it into a crispy crust and enjoy.
Pie
During a classroom Halloween party, Sam looks at the table of snacks, wrinkles his nose, squinting at a dish of pumpkin cookies, and gently nudges his classmate to whisper something while pointing at the dish.
What is Sam thinking about the dish?
He thinks the cookies look strange or unappetizing.
You: Ok.
How can you keep this conversation moving? Why is that response a conversation stopper?
You can give a more detailed response and then ask grandma how she has been doing. It's a stopper because it's boring and doesn't leave a lot of room to build on the conversation.
When Jamie saw the coyote in front of her, she stood as still as a scarecrow, not moving or breathing at all.
What does 'still as a scarecrow' mean?
She stood very still and didn't move.
At a friend's house, the friend's grandmother offers Ethan a bowl of stew. Ethan looks into the bowl, wrinkles his nose, pushes it away, and loudly says, "Ew, gross! That looks disgusting, I'm definitely not eating that."
Rude. Saying "Ew" or calling someone's food "gross" insults the person who made it and makes everyone at the table feel uncomfortable. Simply saying, "No thank you, I'm not very hungry right now" is the polite way to decline.
This warm fall drinks tastes like apples and cinnamon.
Apple cider
Alex invited three classmates to go to a haunted house on Friday night. One classmate pauses, looks at the floor, and says, "Um, I think my family might be doing something...I'll let you know."
No. Hesitating, avoiding eye contact, and making a vague excuse show they are trying to politely decline because they are likely scared or uninterested
This long, crunchy candy comes in a red package. You need to break it apart before you eat it
Kit Kat
My mom was feeling under the weather, so she couldn't come to Thanksgiving dinner. She had to stay in bed and sleep all day.
What does 'under the weather' mean?
Sick