Staying Safe Everywhere

Health – Year 6

Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education
Strand: Personal, Social and Community Health
Content Descriptors:
AC9HP6P08 – Analyse and rehearse protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies that can be used in a range of online and offline situations.

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Student Prior Knowledge

Students likely already have a basic understanding of online safety, such as not sharing personal information and using respectful language online. They may have encountered situations where they felt uncomfortable but may not yet have practised structured protective behaviours or developed a repertoire of help-seeking strategies. They may also lack confidence in discussing uncomfortable experiences or identifying unsafe situations, especially if peer dynamics are involved.

During a previous unit, students shared things that made them uncomfortable online (e.g. mean comments, strangers messaging them) but were unsure how best to respond or who to talk to about it.

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Identify unsafe online and offline situations.
• Rehearse protective behaviours in these situations.
• Practise help-seeking strategies confidently.
• Reflect on who to talk to if we ever feel unsafe.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
✅ Identify examples of unsafe behaviours or situations online and offline
✅ Describe at least three protective behaviours they can use
✅ Role-play how to respond in these situations using appropriate help-seeking strategies
✅ Reflect on ways to protect themselves and others from harm

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Key Vocabulary

• Protective behaviours
• Trust network
• Unsafe situation
• Help-seeking
• Permission
• Consent
• Embarrassment
• Boundaries

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Preparation and Resources

• Whiteboard and markers
• ‘Red Flag / Green Flag’ scenario cards (printed and cut out)
• Role-play cards (mix of online and offline situations)
• Mini whiteboards or paper and markers for group work
• Protective Behaviours Handout (includes two key strategies: "We all have the right to feel safe at all times" and "We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is")
• 'Trust Tree' worksheet (students record safe people they could talk to)
• Laptops or iPads (if available for extension activity: design a digital safety poster)

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Lesson Outline (60 minutes)

🕔 5 minutes – Daily Review (Class Discussion)

• Begin with a circle discussion. Ask students to recall what they already know about staying safe online and offline.
• Questions to prompt:
  • What does “feeling safe” mean to you?
  • Have you ever had a time online where you felt uncomfortable?
• Write student responses on the whiteboard as key ideas.

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🎯 20 minutes – Learning Intentions, Success Criteria & Modelling

1. Present the WALT and Success Criteria on the board and read aloud. 2. Connect with real-life examples. Ask:

• What should you do if someone posts a silly or embarrassing photo of you without asking?
• What if a friend says something super mean in a group chat?
• What can you do if someone touches your belongings without permission?

3. Model the ‘Red Flag / Green Flag’ Thinking Activity

• Present a mix of safe (green flag) and unsafe (red flag) situations, e.g.:
  • Your cousin posts a nice photo of you playing soccer and tags you.
  • Someone asks you to keep a secret that makes you feel uncomfortable.
  • A classmate keeps messaging you after school when you’ve said you want some space.
• Students give thumbs up (Green Flag) or thumbs down (Red Flag). Discuss answers together and clarify confusion.

4. Introduce Protective Behaviours Strategies
Discuss the two core messages:

• We all have the right to feel safe at all times.
• We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is.

Present the 'Trust Tree' visual. These are safe adults you can talk to – at least 5 people. Model filling out a sample: mum, teacher, neighbour, coach, school counsellor.

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👥 25 minutes – Student Activity Time

Main Activity: Role-Play Triads (15 minutes)

• In groups of 3, students choose a role-play card and act out a scenario:
  • One person plays the victim.
  • One plays the person exhibiting unsafe behaviour.
  • One plays the helper they would go to.
• After role-play, students discuss:
  • What made the situation unsafe?
  • What protective behaviour was used?
  • How did they seek help?

Support for Lower Ability Students

• Pre-written role-play scripts with highlighted “what to say” sections.
• Work in teacher-led groups to build confidence using the phrases.
• Use visual supports with emoji cards (😟😐🙂) to express feelings.

Extension for Higher Ability Students

• Create a digital poster (slides or Canva if devices permitted) with a message promoting protective behaviours or help-seeking strategies.
• Include images, symbols, and brief copywriting for peers to understand situations to look out for.
• Present their message to the class in the review segment if time allows.

Mini Assessment Task (Formative) While circulating:

• Ask students during role-play: “What protective behaviour is that?” or “Who would be on your Trust Tree?”
• Observe and take notes on clarity, empathy, and confidence in help-seeking.

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🔄 10 minutes – Review & Conclusion

Whole-Class Reflection Discussion

• What did you learn today about staying safe online and offline?
• What was something surprising or new?
• What will you do next time you feel unsafe?

Next Lesson Teaser:
“In our next lesson, we’ll learn more about personal boundaries – what they are, how we respect them, and how we let others know about ours.”

Exit Ticket (Oral or Sticky Note) Before leaving, ask each student to:

• Name one safe adult they would talk to if they felt unsafe.

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Evaluation & Teacher Reflection

What went well:

• Students enjoyed interactive role-play and engaged well in talking about real-life scenarios.
• The “Red Flag/Green Flag” approach helped students visualise safe vs unsafe behaviours clearly.

Challenges:

• Some students were shy acting out role-plays. Consider more private journaling or comic strip activities in future.
• A few students struggled with identifying who their trusted adults are. May need a follow-up 1:1 or small group support session.

Next Steps:

• Revisit the Trust Tree regularly. Keep a template in their folders so they can update it across the term.
• Introduce school support systems more deeply: school psychologist, chaplaincy, online reporting tools.

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Support & Differentiation Summary

Student Group	Strategies
Low Ability / EAL/D	Visual aids, sentence starters, support with understanding body language in role-plays, small group work with teacher
High Ability / Extension	Digital media design, critical analysis of real-life scenarios (from current news or fictional examples), presentation opportunities
Whole Class	Kinesthetic learning through movement and role-play, use of discussion and reflection to deepen understanding, concrete take-home visuals (Trust Tree)

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Quote to end the lesson:
“Feeling safe is your right – and there is always someone to talk to.”

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Prepared by: Pre-service teacher at Cannington Community College
Term: Full Internship
Class Size: 26 students
Duration: 60 minutes
Focus: AC9HP6P08 - Protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies