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You Think, I Think

A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on noticing that somebody else can think something different and still be reasonable.

You Think, I Think is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Civ.10.K-2 — compare what you think with what somebody else thinks. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.

Grade:
Kindergarten to Grade 2
Length:
40 minutes
Standard:
D2.Civ.10.K-2

Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Civics

D2.Civ.10.K-2

Compare their own point of view with others' perspectives.

Objective

Students will be able to state their own view and somebody else's on the same question.

Students are successful when they can

  • States their own view.
  • States somebody else's accurately.
  • Says the other person is not being silly.

What you need

  • Question cards the class will split on
  • Two signs: I think / You think
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — stand up if you agree

5 min
  1. Read a question the class will split on. Everybody stands or sits.
  2. Look round. Both sides have people on them.

Teach — the other side has a reason

13 min
  1. Take one person from each side and hear their reason.
  2. Write both under the two signs.
  3. Ask the room whether either reason is silly. Neither is.
  4. Say the point: people can want different things and both be sensible.
  5. Have one child say the other side's reason back in their own words.
“You do not have to agree. You do have to be able to say what they think.”

Guided practice — say theirs, then yours

12 min
  1. Pairs take a question they disagree on.
  2. Each says the other's view before their own.
  3. The partner confirms or corrects it.

Independent practice

8 min
  1. Students complete the my-view-and-theirs page.
  2. Read each pair aloud.

Close

2 min
  1. Take one question. Hear both sides once each.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Says the other view is wrong or silly.

Why: Disagreeing feels like one side must be mistaken.

Fix: Ask for their reason. A reason you can state is much harder to call silly.

States the other view as a weaker version of it.

Why: It is easier to argue against.

Fix: The partner confirms it. Getting it wrong is corrected on the spot.

Changes their own view to avoid disagreeing.

Why: Agreement is comfortable.

Fix: Say plainly that disagreeing is allowed and is not unkind. Both signs stay up.

If they are not there yet

  • Give both views and match them.
  • Use a question with two obvious sides.

If they finish early

  • Find a question with three views.
  • Argue the side you do not hold.
  • Say what would change your mind.

Exit ticket

Should we have a class pet? Say what you think and what somebody else thinks.

What to look for: Two views, both stated fairly. A caricatured other side means the partner-confirms step needs repeating.

Printable practice for D2.Civ.10.K-2

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about You Think, I Think

How long does the You Think, I Think lesson take?

40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.

Which standard does You Think, I Think teach?

D2.Civ.10.K-2 — D2.Civ.10.K-2, Civics for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Compare their own point of view with others' perspectives.” In plain terms, compare what you think with what somebody else thinks.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

Question cards the class will split on, two signs: I think / You think and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.

What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?

Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: says the other view is wrong or silly; states the other view as a weaker version of it and changes their own view to avoid disagreeing. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.

How do I know whether the lesson worked?

The exit ticket asks: “Should we have a class pet? Say what you think and what somebody else thinks.” Two views, both stated fairly. A caricatured other side means the partner-confirms step needs repeating. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.

Is there a worksheet to go with You Think, I Think?

Yes — 1 printable D2.Civ.10.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.

Is You Think, I Think free to use?

Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.

Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.Civ.10.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.