Flip the Script

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 4, 5, and 6 to strengthen assertive communication, emotional regulation, and critical thinking through realistic social scenarios. By examining common challenges-such as group work conflicts, teasing, or unfair situations-learners practice transforming passive or aggressive reactions into calm, respectful, and confident responses using guided sentence starters and “I” statements.

Learning Goals

• Assertive Problem Solving (Grades 4-6) – Replace unhelpful reactions with clear, respectful communication.
• Emotional Regulation & Boundary Setting – Recognize emotions and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.
• Perspective-Taking – Consider how different responses affect others and the situation.
• Writing Realistic Dialogue – Craft natural, appropriate responses that reflect real-life communication.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with upper-elementary SEL, health, and ELA standards.
• Scenario-Based Practice – Uses relatable situations to make skill application concrete and meaningful.
• Guided Support – Sentence starters scaffold assertive language for developing communicators.
• Empowers Student Voice – Builds confidence in self-advocacy without conflict escalation.
• Flexible Use – Ideal for counseling lessons, small groups, role-play discussions, or independent work.
• Low-Prep Design – Easy to print and use in classroom or homeschool settings.

This printable worksheet helps students learn that they can “flip the script” in challenging moments by choosing calm, assertive language over reactive responses. Through guided rewriting and reflection, learners strengthen communication skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence-tools that support positive relationships and confident self-expression in school and beyond.

This worksheet is part of our Assertiveness vs. Aggression vs. Passivity collection.