Teachers, save “Wellness Word of the Week: Permission” to assign it to your class.

Teacher Notes (not visible to students)

This activity teaches students how to turn demanding statements into polite permission questions and when to use can, may, or could. Use whole-class modeling first: show a bossy sentence and demonstrate 2–3 polite versions. For partner work, pair students so one reads a scenario and the other practices asking politely. No special materials are needed beyond paper and a recording device (tablet or phone) for the partner activity. For the sorting activity, prepare colored cards (green, yellow, red) or let students color-code scenarios on paper. High-quality answers for open-ended tasks show the student changes a demand into a question form (verb moves, modal added) and uses a polite word like "please" or a soft modal (may/could). For partner recordings, good responses include clear polite phrasing and calm tone. For the paragraph question, expect 3–5 sentences describing when they would ask and which modal they would use; answers that explain reason (who they are asking) are stronger. Use simple correct/incorrect grading for open responses: correct if the student uses a polite question form and appropriate modal; incorrect if they only restate the demand or do not form a question.