teaching resource

Tattling vs. Telling Worksheet

  • Updated

    Updated:  12 Jun 2023

Explore the differences between “tattling” and “telling” with this simple worksheet.

  • Editable

    Editable:  Google Slides

  • Non-Editable

    Non-Editable:  PDF

  • Pages

    Pages:  1 Page

  • Grades

    Grades:  1 - 3

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teaching resource

Tattling vs. Telling Worksheet

  • Updated

    Updated:  12 Jun 2023

Explore the differences between “tattling” and “telling” with this simple worksheet.

  • Editable

    Editable:  Google Slides

  • Non-Editable

    Non-Editable:  PDF

  • Pages

    Pages:  1 Page

  • Grades

    Grades:  1 - 3

Explore the differences between “tattling” and “telling” with this simple worksheet.

Is Tattling a Problem in Your Classroom?

No one likes a tattler… especially teachers! But do the students in your class know the difference between tattling and telling? They may never know unless they are specifically taught the difference between the two!

  • Tattling is when you complain to an adult about something someone has done or has happened.
  • Telling is when you inform an adult about something someone has done or has happened. 

They sound similar, but they are very different!

Banish Unnecessary Tattling with This Tattling vs. Telling Worksheet

This 2-page worksheet has been designed to help you set behavior expectations in your classroom by teaching your students the difference between tattling and telling. Students must read each scenario, then decide whether the situation is an example of tattling or telling.

Anna didn’t do her homework, so she asked if she could copy Haley’s homework. Haley quietly told this to the teacher. (This is an example of telling.)

Martin tripped over Celia’s bookbag. Celia yelled for the teacher, even though Martin apologized. (This is an example of tattling.)

There are 10 examples on the worksheet for students to work through. An answer key is also included.

Download the File Format That Best Suits Your Classroom!

Use the dropdown menu next to the Download button to select from the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource.


This resource was created by Jennifer Hall, a teacher in North Carolina and a Teach Starter collaborator.

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