Unit Plan 25 (Grade K Counselor): Including Others
Teach Kindergarten inclusion with kind invitations, making room, sharing, taking turns, noticing left-out feelings, and classroom belonging.
Focus: Help students understand what it means to include classmates in play and classroom activities. The counselor uses a story or puppet scenario where someone feels left out, then asks students how to help. Students practice inviting others, making room, sharing materials, and noticing when someone may need a friend.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: School Counseling (Belonging • Kindness • Taking Turns and Sharing)
Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This Kindergarten counseling lesson helps students understand that everyone has a place in the classroom community. Students learn that including others means noticing when someone may feel left out, using kind words, inviting classmates to join, making room, sharing materials, and taking turns.
The counselor uses a story, puppet scenario, picture cards, partner practice, and simple sharing activities to show how inclusion can look during play, centers, recess, partner work, and classroom routines. Students practice phrases such as “Do you want to play?” “You can sit with us,” “Can we make room?” and “Let’s share.” The goal is for students to build friendship skills that help classmates feel welcome, safe, and important.
Essential Questions
- What does it mean to include others?
- How might someone feel when they are left out?
- What kind words can students use to invite classmates?
- How can students make room, share materials, and take turns?
- How does including others help our classroom community?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Explain that including others means helping classmates feel welcome and part of the group.
- Recognize that each student is an important part of the class and school community.
- Identify how someone might feel when they are left out of play or an activity.
- Practice kind words and actions that invite classmates to join.
- Practice sharing materials, making room, waiting, and taking turns during a counselor activity.
- Choose inclusive choices instead of excluding, ignoring, grabbing, refusing to share, or saying unkind words.
- (Optional Session) Apply inclusion skills through puppet practice, picture sorting, invitation scripts, sharing games, partner activities, or a classroom belonging reflection page.
Standards Alignment — Grade K (ASCA-based Custom)
- C:S1.Kc — Understand Belonging in the School Community
- Recognize that they are an important part of the class and school community.
- Example: A student participates in a class activity about how everyone has a place in the classroom.
- C:S3.Ka — Practice Kind Words and Actions
- Use kind words, friendly actions, and helpful behavior with classmates.
- Example: A student says, “Do you want to play?” or helps a classmate pick up materials.
- C:S3.Kb — Take Turns and Share
- Practice taking turns, sharing materials, and waiting during classroom activities.
- Example: A student waits for a turn with a game piece during a counselor lesson.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can help classmates feel included.
- I can remember that everyone belongs.
- I can notice when someone may need a friend.
- I can say, “Do you want to play?”
- I can make room for others.
- I can share materials.
- I can take turns and wait.