Unit Plan 4 (Grade 1 Counselor): Kind Words and Helpful Actions
Teach Grade 1 kindness with words, helpful actions, inclusion, sharing, encouragement, and role-play that builds a welcoming classroom.
Focus: Help students understand how kindness shows up in both words and actions. The counselor uses a read-aloud or picture scenarios to help students identify kind choices such as inviting someone to play, encouraging a classmate, helping clean up, sharing materials, or using polite words. Students practice simple kindness phrases and role-play how to respond when someone needs help or inclusion.
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: School Counseling (Kindness • Belonging • Helpful Actions)
Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This Grade 1 counseling lesson helps students recognize that kindness is something they can say and something they can do. Students learn that kind words can help classmates feel welcome, encouraged, included, and cared for. They also learn that helpful actions, such as sharing, cleaning up, inviting others, listening, and offering help, can make the classroom feel safer and more welcoming.
The counselor uses a read-aloud, puppet, picture scenarios, or simple role-play cards to help students identify kind choices in everyday school situations. Students practice phrases such as “You can play with us,” “Do you need help?” “Thank you,” “I like how you tried,” and “You can have a turn.” The goal is for students to understand that every student can help create a kind classroom community.
Essential Questions
- What are kind words?
- What are helpful actions?
- How can kindness help classmates feel included?
- What can students say when someone needs help or encouragement?
- How can students help make the classroom kind, safe, and welcoming?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify examples of kind words and helpful actions.
- Explain how kindness can help classmates feel included, safe, and welcome.
- Practice simple kindness phrases for common Grade 1 situations.
- Identify ways to invite, encourage, help, share, and include others.
- Role-play safe and respectful kindness responses when someone needs help or inclusion.
- (Optional Session) Apply kindness and belonging skills through a read-aloud, picture sort, role-play, or class kindness chart.
Standards Alignment — Grade 1 (ASCA-based Custom)
- C:S3.1a — Use Kind Words and Actions
- Demonstrate kindness through helpful words, friendly invitations, encouragement, and respectful behavior.
- Example: A student says, “You can play with us,” when noticing a classmate standing alone.
- C:S1.1c — Show Belonging in the Classroom and School
- Recognize that they are an important member of the class and can help create a kind, safe, welcoming community.
- Example: A student names one way they can help classmates feel included during group work or play.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name kind words.
- I can name helpful actions.
- I can invite someone to join.
- I can encourage a classmate.
- I can help my classroom feel kind, safe, and welcoming.