Things That Belong to You
Look around you right now. Maybe you see a backpack hanging by the door. Maybe there is a drawing you made taped to the wall. Maybe your favorite stuffed animal is sitting on your bed. Those things are yours. But what does it really mean for something to belong to you? Today we are going to find out!
What Does It Mean to Own Something?
When something belongs to you, you get to decide what happens to it. You can use it, keep it safe, share it if you want, or put it away. Nobody else gets to decide what happens to your things without asking you first. Ownership is not just about toys or books. It is also about the words you write, the pictures you draw, the ideas you have, and private facts about yourself. All of those things belong to you too — even though you cannot hold them in your hands.
When something belongs to you, you are in charge of it. That means you decide what happens to it. No one should use your things — including your words, pictures, or private facts — without asking you first.
Let us think about a boy named Marcus. Marcus has a bright red notebook he uses to write his stories. He also has a drawing of a dragon he spent two whole afternoons making. And he knows his home address and his family's phone number. All three things belong to Marcus. His notebook and his dragon drawing are things he made. His home address is a private fact about his life. Marcus gets to decide who sees them, who uses them, and who knows about them.
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
Three Kinds of Things That Are Yours
There are three big kinds of things that can belong to you. The first kind is your stuff — physical things like your pencils, your shoes, your lunchbox, your books. You can see them and touch them. The second kind is your creations — things you made with your hands, your voice, or your mind. A poem you wrote. A block tower you built. A song you hummed. Because you made them, they belong to you. The third kind is your private information — facts about you that you keep to yourself. Your address, your passwords, your family secrets. These belong to you, and you get to choose who knows them.
Match each item to the kind of thing it is.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
Ownership is not just for grown-ups. Even as a kid, your things, your creations, and your private information belong to you. You have real ownership rights, and they matter!
Which of these is something that belongs to you even though you cannot hold it in your hands?
When something belongs to you, what do you get to do?
My Belonging Map
- Grab a piece of paper and draw a big circle in the middle with your name in it. That circle represents YOU.
- Now draw three smaller bubbles around it and label them: My Stuff, My Creations, and My Private Facts.
- In each bubble, write or draw two things that belong to you in that category. For example, in My Creations you might draw a picture of a painting you made.
- When you are done, look at your map. You own a lot more than you probably thought! Share your map with someone you trust and talk about why each thing belongs to you.