Sister Bear is feared that she will forget her lines when she is chosen to lead a school play. Despite Brother's teasing, she follows Mama's advice and practises until she's perfect. On the night of the performance, it's Brother who ends up with stage fright and who is rescued by his sympathetic sister.
Mama Bear decides to take her ill-mannered family in hand and offers them lessons to become polite, but she realizes that she received better luck from children than Papa. Unsuccessful in her method, she devises a Politeness Plan - a chart listing a chore as a penalty for each act of rudeness. The cubs foil the plan by being super polite and actually enjoy it.