💛 SELGrade 2Lesson 12
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Say Sorry and Forgive

Lesson preview: the Mini Lesson and Vocabulary are open to everyone. Guided practice, exercises, the parent checklist and the printable PDF worksheet come with full access (free 7-day trial or membership).

What you will learn

  • 1Put the steps of a sincere apology in the correct order
  • 2Explain what it means to forgive someone
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Mini Lesson

Everyone makes mistakes — even the kindest people. What matters most is what you do next. A sincere apology and a willing heart to forgive can mend a friendship that feels broken.

The 4 steps of a sincere apology

  1. Say what you did — name the specific action. "I took your pencil without asking."
  2. Say you are sorry — mean it. "I am really sorry," not "Sorry you feel that way."
  3. Say why it was wrong — show you understand. "That was not fair to you."
  4. Make it right — offer to fix it. "Can I return it and do something to make it up to you?"

What is forgiveness?

  • Forgiveness means choosing to let go of anger or hurt so you can move forward.
  • It does not mean forgetting what happened or saying it was okay.
  • Forgiving someone is a gift you give yourself — it frees you from carrying the hurt.

Does the other person have to forgive you right away?

  • No — forgiveness takes time and cannot be forced.
  • After a sincere apology, give the person space to feel their feelings.

Words to know

Apology

Saying sorry and meaning it

e.g. A sincere apology has four steps.

Sincere

Truly meant from the heart

e.g. My sincere apology helped my friend feel better.

Forgive

To let go of anger after someone says sorry

e.g. I chose to forgive my friend.

Mistake

Something you did wrong by accident or choice

e.g. I admitted my mistake and apologized.

Make it right

To take a step that fixes what you did

e.g. I made it right by returning the pencil.

Four steps of a sincere apologyA four-rung ladder showing the steps of a sincere apology from bottom to top: Say what you did, Say you are sorry, Say why it was wrong, Make it right.4 Steps of a Sincere Apology4. Make it right"How can I fix this?"3. Say why it was wrong"That was not fair to you."2. Say you are sorry"I am really sorry."1. Say what you did
A four-rung ladder showing the steps of a sincere apology, from naming the action up to making it right.
What forgiveness is and is notTwo columns showing what forgiveness is on the left and what forgiveness is not on the right.What Is Forgiveness?It IS...Letting go of angerChoosing to moveforwardA gift to yourselfSomething thattakes timeYour own choiceIt is NOT...Forgetting it happenedSaying it was okayTrusting right awayBeing best friendsagain immediatelyBeing forced to feela certain way
Two columns clarifying what forgiveness is and what it does not mean.
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Ask yourself: "Have I said sorry in a way that shows I truly understand? Am I ready to forgive so I can feel better too?"

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