Body Signals and Safety

Overview

This lesson combines Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 health learning about noticing body signals, naming feelings, and using simple safety strategies. Students practise recognising when their body is telling them something is not right and identifying appropriate ways to seek help.

Learning intentions

• Students will recognise that their body sends signals when they feel safe or unsafe.
• Students will identify simple body signals (e.g. tummy feels tight, feeling hot, shaky, cross, scared) and match them to feelings.
• Students will learn and rehearse basic safety strategies: stop, move away, tell a trusted adult, and use help words.
• Students will describe how seeking help keeps people safe.

Success criteria

• I can name at least one body signal and the feeling it might show.
• I can use a safety strategy: stop, move away, tell a trusted adult.
• I can explain who I can seek help from at school and at home.
• I can use respectful “help words” when I need support.

Curriculum links

• PDHPE Early Stage 1 Unit 3 and Stage 1 Unit 3 outcomes focused on identity, health and wellbeing, respectful relationships and safety, and self-management and interpersonal skills.
• Students’ learning supports recognising body signals and responding appropriately with simple safety strategies.
• Students practise interpersonal communication (using help words) to seek support from trusted adults.
• The lesson includes teacher observation, short responses, and a brief check for understanding to monitor learning.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and focus. Teacher says today’s focus: “Our bodies tell us things. We will listen and keep ourselves safe.” Students sit in a circle and share one time they felt safe today (no details required).

2. 5–15 min · Body signals warm-up (safe/unsure sorting). Teacher shows picture cards (or teacher-drawn faces) of feelings: safe, worried, scared, angry, sick/tired; students hold up a colour/number card to show “safe signals” or “not sure signals.” Teacher then names examples of signals: hot face, fast heartbeat, tight tummy, want to cry, shaky hands. Students practise repeating: “My body is telling me I feel…”

3. 15–25 min · Mini-direct instruction: noticing and naming. Teacher explains: “Body signals are not just feelings—they are messages from your body.” Model two scenarios with age-appropriate prompts:

• “A loud game suddenly feels too much.”
• “Someone asks you to do something you’re not comfortable with.” Students point to the matching feeling and complete a sentence starter on a worksheet or whiteboard strip: “When I feel ___, my body might ___.”

4. 25–40 min · Safety strategies rehearsal (no physical activity). Teacher teaches a simple routine and gestures:

• Stop (freeze)
• Move away (step back/turn body away, staying in place)
• Tell (look for a trusted adult and use help words)
• Stay nearby with the adult until help arrives Teacher models with two short role-plays (teacher plays both roles). Students practise as a whole class using “help words” phrases displayed on the board:
• “I don’t feel safe.”
• “I need help.”
• “Stop. Please go away.” Keep practice brief and calm; emphasise students can ask for help even if they are unsure.

5. 40–52 min · Role-play stations: seek help. Set up 3 teacher-led stations (or 2 stations if space is limited), each with a scenario card:

• Station A: playground problem (someone too close / too rough)
• Station B: classroom request that feels wrong (someone asks for something)
• Station C: “I feel unwell” or “this doesn’t feel right” Students rotate every 4–6 minutes. At each station, teacher asks:
• “What body signal might you notice?”
• “What feeling is it telling you?”
• “Who is a trusted adult?” Students respond verbally using sentence starters and then practise saying help words.

6. 52–58 min · Quick class debrief (turn and talk). Teacher asks: “What should you do first if you’re not sure?” Students turn and talk to a partner, then share one answer. Teacher reinforces the routine: stop, move away, tell a trusted adult.

7. 58–60 min · Exit ticket. Students complete one quick check: draw a face (safe/not sure) and circle one body signal word (hot/tight tummy/shaky/fast) and write or dictate: “I tell ___ for help.”

Resources

• Picture cards showing feelings (safe, worried, scared, angry, sick/tired)
• Body signal word cards (e.g. hot, tight tummy, shaky, fast heartbeat, want to cry)
• Colour/number cards for sorting
• Sentence starter strips (e.g. “When I feel ___, my body might ___”)
• Safety routine visuals: Stop / Move away / Tell / Stay
• Scenario cards for role-play stations
• Worksheet or quick response sheet for exit ticket
• Teacher-made role-play scripts

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during safe/unsure sorting (are students identifying correct categories and naming signals?)
• Formative: check students can state the first two steps of the routine and select a trusted adult during role-plays.
• Exit ticket: identify one body signal and state a help action (“I tell ___ for help”).

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide visual sentence starters and word banks for “body signal” and “help words.”
• Use fewer scenarios for some students and allow pointing/gesturing instead of full sentences.
• Pair students strategically so one supportive peer can model responses.
• Extension:
• Ask students to add a second body signal and name two trusted adults (e.g. teacher and parent).
• Prompt: “What should you do if the adult doesn’t understand right away?” (repeat help words, stay nearby).
• EAL/SEN considerations:
• Rehearse key phrases (“I don’t feel safe. I need help.”) with consistent gestures.
• Accept non-verbal responses (pointing to cards) while gradually increasing verbal participation.
• Transition sensitivity:
• Remind students this is about safety and feelings, not about personal stories; offer opt-in sharing only.