Unit Plan 29 (Grade 2 Counselor): Trusted Adults and Help-Seeking Review

Focus: Review trusted adults and when students should seek help for themselves or others. Students match problems to school helpers such as teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, secretary, playground supervisor, or bus driver. The counselor emphasizes that getting help for unsafe, repeated, or overwhelming problems is responsible and brave.

Grade Level: 2

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

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

I. Introduction

This Grade 2 counseling lesson reviews trusted adults and helps students understand when to ask for help. Students learn that some problems can be solved with a coping tool, respectful words, or a small strategy, but other problems need adult support. The counselor emphasizes that seeking help is not tattling when someone is unsafe, hurt, scared, repeatedly bothered, overwhelmed, or unsure what to do.

Students match common school problems to trusted adults, including teachers, counselors, nurses, principals, secretaries, playground supervisors, cafeteria supervisors, bus drivers, and family adults. The goal is for students to know who can help, when to speak up, and what clear words they can use when a problem feels too big to handle alone.

Essential Questions

• Who are trusted adults at school?
• When should students ask for help for themselves or someone else?
• What problems are unsafe, repeated, or too big to handle alone?
• Which school helper can support different kinds of problems?
• Why is getting help a responsible and brave choice?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Name trusted adults at school and explain how they can help.
2. Identify when a feeling, worry, or problem feels too big to handle alone.
3. Distinguish between problems students can try a strategy for and problems that need adult support.
4. Match common school problems to appropriate trusted adults.
5. Practice clear help-seeking statements for unsafe, repeated, overwhelming, or confusing problems.
6. (Optional Session) Apply help-seeking skills through trusted adult matching, scenario sorting, and role-play practice.

Standards Alignment — Grade 2 (ASCA-based Custom)

• 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 trusted adults at school.
• I can tell when a problem needs adult help.
• I can match problems to school helpers.
• I can ask for help with clear words.
• I can get help when a problem is unsafe, repeated, or too big.