Welcome students and introduce them to today’s lesson. Explain that they are going to become Joke Detectives whose job is to find out if jokes are kind or hurtful. Encourage them to put on their detective thinking hats!

Explain the detective mission: we will examine jokes carefully, sort them, and then create our own kind jokes. Invite students to think about what detectives do—look for clues, make decisions, and report findings.

Ask students: “What is a joke?” Solicit answers. Then display the definition. Emphasize that jokes are meant to make people laugh, but sometimes they can hurt feelings.

Show two examples. Ask the class to help identify which is kind and which might be hurtful. Guide discussion about why words matter.

Explain the sorting activity. Distribute Detective Clue Cards. Students work in pairs to read each joke and place it under the correct heading on the chart paper.

Now that they’ve practiced sorting, students will write their own kind jokes. Encourage them to use the prompts and check with you to ensure the joke is kind.

Invite 3–4 pairs to share their favorite kind joke with the class. Then distribute Reflection Cards. Students write or draw one thing they learned and one joke they created. Collect for assessment.