Safe and Unsafe Situations

Overview

This is lesson 2 in the 10-lesson unit Understanding Street Safety designed for Year 2 students (ages 6-7). The focus is on enabling pupils to identify safe and unsafe situations they might encounter on the street through engaging and interactive role-play activities. This lesson encourages children’s personal safety awareness and decision-making skills in line with the National Curriculum for PSHE and Relationships Education.

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National Curriculum Links

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) — Relationships and Health Education (Y2)

• “How to recognise risks in different situations and then decide how to behave responsibly.”
• “How to keep safe in different situations, including recognising and responding to peer pressure.”
• “To respect and care for the environment.” (linking with safe community environments)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Identify examples of safe and unsafe situations encountered on streets or pavements.
• Understand basic actions to take to stay safe in these situations.
• Demonstrate understanding through role-play and discussion.
• Begin to recognise and communicate potential dangers to a trusted adult.

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Resources Needed

• Scenario cards (illustrated and written, depicting common street situations—both safe and unsafe)
• Soft props for role-play (e.g., toy traffic lights, reflective vests, small road signs)
• Large drawing paper and coloured pencils
• A ‘Safety Signal’ card (green for safe, red for unsafe) for each pupil

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30-Minute Lesson Plan

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Begin with circle time, briefly revisiting what was covered in Lesson 1 (basic understanding of streets and road signs).
• Introduce today’s focus: "How can we tell if something on the street is safe or unsafe?"
• Show example pictures: children crossing at a zebra crossing vs. running across a busy road. Ask: “Which do you think is safer? Why?”

2. Activity 1: Sorting Scenarios (10 minutes)

• In pairs, give each pair 4–6 scenario cards illustrating different street situations (some safe, some unsafe).
• Ask pupils to sort the cards into two piles: Safe and Unsafe.
• Circulate and support, asking prompting questions.
• After pairs finish, bring the class together to discuss a few examples. Confirm correct categories and clarify misconceptions (e.g., explain why crossing somewhere without a crossing is unsafe).

3. Activity 2: Role-Play Street Safety (10 minutes)

• Introduce role-play, setting up simple ‘street’ stations with props (pretend crossing, road signs).
• Assign small groups (4–5 pupils) different scenarios to act out, for example:
  • Walking on the pavement with a trusted adult
  • Crossing at a zebra crossing with traffic lights
  • Being approached by a stranger
  • Running into the road chasing a ball
• Children role-play the right and wrong actions, demonstrating safety strategies such as ‘Stop, Look, Listen, and Think.’
• Encourage use of ‘Safety Signal’ cards—holding up green for safe actions and red for unsafe actions during role-play.

4. Plenary & Assessment (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils and ask reflective questions:
  • “What did we learn about safe and unsafe street situations?”
  • “What should you do if you see something unsafe on the street?”
• Use thumbs up/down or holding Safety Signal cards to assess pupil understanding quickly.
• Optionally, invite a few children to share their role-play learnings.
• Reinforce the importance of talking to a trusted adult if unsure.

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Differentiation

• For lower ability pupils: Simplify scenario cards with clearer images and fewer words. Provide adult support in role-plays.
• For higher ability pupils: Encourage them to think of additional safety rules or to create their own ‘safe’ scenario to act out.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Vocabulary development linked to safety and risk.
• Art: Drawing or captioning their own street safety posters in a follow-up lesson.
• Science: Understanding signals from traffic lights (basic colours and meanings).

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Reflection for the Teacher

• Did pupils confidently distinguish between safe and unsafe situations?
• Were children able to verbalise actions they could take in unsafe scenarios?
• How engaged were pupils during role-play activities?
• Note any misconceptions for revisiting in future lessons.

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This lesson plan blends practical engagement and National Curriculum compliance to create a memorable, age-appropriate learning experience that empowers Year 2 pupils with essential street safety awareness.