Unit Plan 23 (Grade 2 Counselor): Solving Friend Problems with Respectful Words

Focus: Give students direct practice using respectful language during peer conflict. The counselor uses role-play cards about line cutting, teasing, sharing materials, partner disagreements, or recess rules. Students practice scripts such as “Please stop,” “I feel ___ when ___,” “Can we make a plan?” and “Let’s ask for help.”

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: School Counseling (Peer Conflict • Respectful Words • Problem-Solving)

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

I. Introduction

This Grade 2 counseling lesson helps students practice solving friend and peer problems with respectful words. Students learn that many common conflicts can be handled by stopping, calming down, naming the problem, thinking of choices, and choosing a safe solution. The counselor emphasizes that respectful words can help students speak up without yelling, blaming, grabbing, or making the problem bigger.

Students practice scripts for common Grade 2 conflicts, such as line cutting, teasing, sharing materials, partner disagreements, recess rules, waiting for a turn, or someone continuing a behavior after being asked to stop. They also review problem size so they know when to try respectful words first and when adult help is needed. The goal is for students to use calm, clear language to solve problems safely and respectfully.

Essential Questions

• How can students use respectful words during peer conflict?
• How can students tell whether a friend problem is small, medium, or big?
• What problem-solving steps can help students choose a safe solution?
• What words help students speak up without making the problem bigger?
• When should students ask an adult for help?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify common friend problems and decide whether they are small problems students can try to solve or bigger problems that require adult help.
2. Use problem-solving steps such as stop, calm down, name the problem, think of choices, choose a safe solution, and reflect.
3. Practice respectful conflict scripts such as “Please stop,” “I feel ___ when ___,” “Can we make a plan?” and “Let’s ask for help.”
4. Choose safe solutions such as respectful words, compromise, turn-taking, walking away, or adult help.
5. Explain when a peer problem has become too big, unsafe, repeated, or hurtful and needs adult support.
6. (Optional Session) Apply respectful-word scripts through role-play, scenario sorting, or safe-solution practice.

Standards Alignment — Grade 2 (ASCA-based Custom)

• C:S4.2a — Identify Problems and Their Size
  • Recognize common school problems and tell whether they are small problems students can try to solve or bigger problems that require adult help.
  • Example: A student explains that losing a pencil is a small problem, but someone getting hurt is a big problem.
• C:S4.2b — Use Problem-Solving Steps
  • Use steps such as stop, calm down, name the problem, think of choices, choose a safe solution, and reflect on what happened.
  • Example: A student says, “The problem is we both want the same book. We could take turns or choose another one.”
• C:S4.2c — Resolve Conflicts Safely and Respectfully
  • Use respectful words, compromise, turn-taking, walking away, or adult help to solve peer conflict without unsafe behavior.
  • Example: A student says, “Please stop. I don’t like that,” and then asks an adult for help if the behavior continues.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell the size of a friend problem.
• I can stop and calm down before solving a conflict.
• I can name the problem without blaming.
• I can use respectful words to speak up.
• I can choose a safe solution or ask an adult for help when needed.