Unit Plan 4 (Grade K Counselor): Kind Words and Helpful Actions

Focus: Introduce kindness as something students can say and do. The counselor reads a short friendship story, then helps students sort kind and unkind words or actions. Students practice simple phrases such as “Do you want to play?” “Are you okay?” and “I can help you.”

Grade Level: K

Subject Area: School Counseling (Kindness • Friendship • Belonging)

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

I. Introduction

This Kindergarten counseling lesson helps students understand that kindness can happen through both words and actions. Students learn that kind words can help others feel welcome, safe, included, and cared for. They also learn that helpful actions, such as sharing, inviting someone to play, helping clean up, or checking on a classmate, can make the classroom community stronger.

The counselor uses a short friendship story, puppet example, picture cards, or a simple kind/unkind sort to help students recognize kindness in school situations. Students practice using short, friendly phrases and identifying actions that show care. The goal is for students to understand that every child can help the classroom feel like a place where everyone belongs.

Essential Questions

• What are kind words?
• What are helpful actions?
• How can kind words help classmates feel included?
• How can students help others at school?
• How does kindness help everyone belong in the classroom?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify kind words students can use with classmates.
2. Identify helpful actions students can do at school.
3. Sort examples into kind/helpful and unkind/not-yet choices.
4. Practice simple kindness phrases such as “Do you want to play?” “Are you okay?” and “I can help you.”
5. Explain that kind words and helpful actions can help classmates feel welcome and included.
6. Participate in a class activity that shows everyone has a place in the classroom community.
7. (Optional Session) Apply kindness skills through a read-aloud response, puppet role-play, picture sort, kindness chart, or helping-action drawing.

Standards Alignment — Grade K (ASCA-based Custom)

• 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: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.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name kind words.
• I can name helpful actions.
• I can say, “Do you want to play?”
• I can say, “Are you okay?”
• I can say, “I can help you.”
• I can help my class feel kind and welcoming.
• I can remember that everyone belongs.