Unit Plan 29 (Grade 1 Counselor): Who Can Help Me?

Focus: Review trusted adults and helping roles at school. Students identify the teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, secretary, playground supervisor, and other safe adults. The counselor uses scenario cards where students match a problem to a helpful adult. The lesson reinforces that students do not need to handle big problems alone.

Grade Level: 1

Subject Area: School Counseling (Help-Seeking • Trusted Adults • School Safety)

Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This Grade 1 counseling lesson helps students understand that school has many trusted adults who can help with different kinds of problems. Students learn that teachers, counselors, nurses, principals, secretaries, playground supervisors, cafeteria helpers, bus drivers, librarians, specials teachers, and family adults all have helping roles.

The counselor uses picture cards, school role cards, puppet examples, or scenario cards to help students match common problems to adults who can help. Students practice noticing when a problem or feeling is too big to handle alone and using clear help-seeking words. The goal is for students to understand that asking for help is a safe and responsible choice.

Essential Questions

• Who are trusted adults at school?
• What are different helping roles at school?
• What problems can students try to solve with a small strategy first?
• What problems or feelings are too big to handle alone?
• What words can students use when they need help?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Name trusted adults at school, such as the teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, secretary, playground supervisor, cafeteria helper, bus driver, librarian, or specials teacher.
2. Explain simple helping roles for trusted adults in different school spaces.
3. Recognize when a feeling or problem may be too big to handle alone.
4. Match common school problems to adults who can help.
5. Practice help-seeking words such as “I need help,” “I feel scared,” “Something unsafe happened,” or “I do not know what to do.”
6. Explain that asking for help is a safe, responsible, and brave choice.
7. (Optional Session) Apply help-seeking skills through scenario sorting, trusted adult matching, puppet practice, school map activities, or role-card discussions.

Standards Alignment — Grade 1 (ASCA-based Custom)

• C:S2.1c — Know When and How to Ask for Help
  • Recognize when a feeling or problem is too big to handle alone and identify a trusted adult who can help.
  • Example: A student says, “If I feel really scared on the playground, I can tell the teacher on duty.”
• C:S6.1a — Identify Trusted Adults and Helping Roles
  • Name trusted adults at school and explain when to ask them for help.
  • Example: A student identifies the teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, or playground supervisor as adults who can help.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name trusted adults at school.
• I can explain how different adults help students.
• I can tell when a problem feels too big to handle alone.
• I can match a problem to a helpful adult.
• I can use clear words to ask for help.
• I can remember that I do not have to solve big problems by myself.