Unit Plan 8 (Grade 3 Counselor): Asking for Help and Advocating for Yourself

Focus: Teach students how to ask for help clearly and respectfully when a problem is too difficult to handle alone. The counselor uses scenarios involving confusing schoolwork, repeated peer conflict, strong worry, unsafe behavior, or feeling excluded. Students practice advocacy statements such as “I tried a strategy, but I still need help,” “I need space,” and “This problem is not stopping.”

Grade Level: 3

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

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

I. Introduction

This Grade 3 counseling lesson helps students understand that asking for help is a responsible skill, not a weakness. Students learn that some problems can be handled by trying a strategy first, but other problems may be too confusing, too repeated, too unsafe, or too overwhelming to handle alone. The counselor helps students practice noticing when support is needed and choosing the right trusted adult.

Students practice self-advocacy through realistic Grade 3 scenarios involving confusing schoolwork, repeated peer conflict, strong worry, unsafe behavior, boundary problems, or feeling excluded. They learn respectful words for explaining what happened, what they tried, what they need, and who can help. The goal is for students to speak up clearly, calmly, and respectfully when they need support for themselves or someone else.

Essential Questions

• What does it mean to advocate for yourself?
• When can students try a strategy first, and when should they ask for help?
• Who are trusted adults students can go to for support?
• What words can students use when a problem is too big to handle alone?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Explain self-advocacy as speaking up respectfully when help, space, support, or clarification is needed.
2. Identify when a feeling, worry, peer issue, repeated problem, or safety concern is too big to handle alone.
3. Name trusted adults at school who can help with learning, feelings, safety, health, peer conflict, or repeated problems.
4. Practice clear help-seeking statements, such as “I tried a strategy, but I still need help.”
5. Match common Grade 3 problems to appropriate support options, such as teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, playground supervisor, or family adult.
6. (Optional Session) Create a simple self-advocacy plan for asking for help respectfully and clearly.

Standards Alignment — Grade 3 (ASCA-based Custom)

• C:S2.3c — Recognize When Support Is Needed
  • Identify when a feeling, worry, peer issue, or safety concern is too big to handle alone and choose an appropriate trusted adult for support.
  • Example: A student says, “If someone keeps bothering me after I ask them to stop, I should tell my teacher or counselor.”
• C:S6.3a — Identify Trusted Adults and Appropriate Help-Seeking
  • Name trusted adults at school and explain when to seek help for themselves or others.
  • Example: A student knows to tell a teacher, counselor, nurse, principal, or playground supervisor about unsafe behavior, strong worries, or repeated peer problems.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell when a problem is too big to handle alone.
• I can name trusted adults who can help me at school.
• I can explain what I tried before asking for help.
• I can use respectful words to ask for help, space, or support.
• I can ask an adult for help when a problem is unsafe, repeated, confusing, or overwhelming.