Unit Plan 21 (Grade 2 Counselor): Handling Worry

Focus: Help students understand worry and identify what to do when worry gets in the way. The counselor uses a story about a worried character and guides students to notice body clues, name the worry, use a coping tool, and talk to a trusted adult. Students practice separating “small worries I can try a tool for” from “big worries I should tell an adult about.”

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: School Counseling (Worry • Coping • Trusted Adults)

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

I. Introduction

This Grade 2 counseling lesson helps students understand that worry is a normal feeling that everyone has sometimes. Students learn that worry may show up when something feels uncertain, difficult, new, scary, or important. The counselor helps students notice common worry body clues, such as a tight stomach, wiggly hands, fast heartbeat, fast breathing, racing thoughts, or wanting to avoid something.

Students practice a simple worry plan: notice the body clue, name the worry, choose a coping tool, and ask a trusted adult for help when the worry feels too big or does not go away. The counselor emphasizes that some small worries can be helped by breathing, counting, self-talk, drawing, movement, or trying one small step, while big worries or worries that keep happening should be shared with a trusted adult.

Essential Questions

• What is worry?
• What body clues can tell students they are worried?
• What coping tools can help with small worries?
• When should students tell a trusted adult about a worry?
• Who are trusted adults students can ask for help?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify worry as a feeling that can happen when something feels uncertain, hard, new, scary, or important.
2. Name body clues connected to worry, such as tight stomach, fast heartbeat, wiggly hands, fast breathing, or racing thoughts.
3. Distinguish between small worries students can try a coping tool for and big worries that need adult support.
4. Choose coping tools that may help with worry, such as breathing, counting, positive self-talk, drawing, movement, taking a break, or asking for help.
5. Identify trusted adults who can help when worry feels too big, keeps happening, or affects safety or learning.
6. Practice clear help-seeking language for worries.
7. (Optional Session) Apply worry-coping skills through story reflection, scenario sorting, role-play, or trusted adult matching.

Standards Alignment — Grade 2 (ASCA-based Custom)

• C:S2.2a — Identify Emotions and Body Clues
  • Recognize a range of emotions in themselves and others and describe body clues connected to those feelings.
  • Example: A student says, “When I’m nervous, my stomach feels tight and my hands feel wiggly.”
• C:S2.2c — Know When Feelings Need Adult Support
  • Recognize when a feeling, worry, or problem feels too big to handle alone and identify an appropriate trusted adult.
  • Example: A student says, “If I keep feeling scared at recess, I can tell my teacher or counselor.”
• C:S6.2a — Identify Trusted Adults and When to Seek Help
  • Name trusted adults at school and explain when a student should ask for help for themselves or someone else.
  • Example: A student identifies the counselor, teacher, nurse, principal, or playground supervisor as adults who can help with different problems.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name worry as a feeling.
• I can notice body clues that may show worry.
• I can choose a coping tool for a small worry.
• I can ask a trusted adult for help when a worry feels too big.
• I can name trusted adults who can help me at school.