Who Helps Me?

Overview

Unit: Building Positive Relationships (Lesson 2 of 5)
Age Group: Year 2 (6-7 years)
Duration: 30 minutes
Class Size: 8 students
Subject: PSHE
UK Curriculum References:

• PSHE Association Programme of Study (Key Stage 1):
  • Understand the roles of different people who help us and how to develop positive relationships.
  • Recognise feelings and how to express them appropriately.
• Statutory Relationships Education (DfE, 2020):
  • Identify different types of relationships and supportive people.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

1. Identify at least three people who help them in their daily lives (family, school, community).
2. Understand why these helpers are important for building positive relationships.
3. Demonstrate appreciation for helpers through role-play activities.
4. Express their thoughts and feelings about being helped in a supportive environment.

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Resources Needed

• A large “Helper Tree” poster or drawn on the board, with empty branches.
• Colourful paper leaves or sticky notes.
• Character masks or simple props for role-play (teacher, parent, friend, doctor).
• Emotions flashcards showing happy, thankful, and calm faces.
• ‘Who Helps Me?’ worksheet – a simple drawing frame for children to draw or write names of helpers.
• Soft ball or ‘talking stick’ to manage speaking turns.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Welcome and Warm-up:
  Gather students in a circle.
  Briefly recap the previous lesson about being kind to friends.
  Introduce today’s theme: "Who helps me?"
• Engage through questioning:
  Ask: “Can you think of someone who helps you when you are at home? What about at school?”
• Show the “Helper Tree” poster without leaves. Explain that during the lesson we will fill the tree with names of helpers.

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2. Guided Group Discussion (8 minutes)

• Use open questions to guide conversation:
  • Who helps you get ready in the morning? (e.g. parent, sibling)
  • Who helps you learn new things? (e.g. teacher)
  • Who helps you when you feel sad? (e.g. friend, family member)
• Write or stick children’s suggestions on paper leaves and place them on the tree branches.
• Show emotions flashcards as you talk about why helpers are important, linking feelings to helpers (e.g., feeling safe, happy).
• Encourage pupils to describe how helpers make them feel using simple sentences.

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3. Interactive Role-Play (12 minutes)

• Set up small groups (2-3 children):
  Give each group a scenario where someone needs help (e.g., a child struggling with a school task, someone feeling lonely, or needing a bandage).
• Assign roles (helpers and helped) and props as needed.
• Prompt youngsters:
  Act out how helpers offer support kindly, showing what they say and do.
• Bring the class back together after 8-10 minutes.
• Invite volunteers to share what they learned about helpers and positive ways to respond.

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4. Reflection and Drawing Activity (5 minutes)

• Hand out the ‘Who Helps Me?’ worksheets.
• Children draw or write the names of people who help them the most.
• Encourage them to think about how these helpers make their lives better.
• As they finish, ask some children to share their pictures with the class, reinforcing positive recognition.

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5. Plenary and Exit (2 minutes)

• Recap key points: helpers are all around us; they help us feel loved, safe, and happy.
• Reinforce the message of appreciation with a short group call-and-response chant:
  “Helpers help, that’s what friends do!”
• Encourage children to thank a helper at home or school today.

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Differentiation

• For SEN learners: Provide one-on-one support during role-play and drawing; use visual aids and simplify language.
• For advanced learners: Encourage writing simple sentences about why helpers are important or create new helping scenarios.

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Assessment

• Teacher observes participation during discussion and role-play, noting understanding of helpers’ roles.
• Review completed ‘Who Helps Me?’ worksheets for ability to identify helpers and explain feelings.
• Informal oral feedback during plenary discussion.

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Extension Ideas (Optional)

• Create a “Helper of the Week” display where each child can nominate someone who helped them.
• Invite a community helper (e.g., school nurse, local firefighter) for a follow-up visit.

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Teacher’s Notes

• Maintain a warm and encouraging tone to foster emotional safety.
• Use positive reinforcement to validate children’s ideas of helpers from diverse family and cultural backgrounds.
• Emphasise the importance of saying “thank you” and recognising kindness as a key social skill early in the school years.

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This detailed and interactive lesson plan is carefully tailored to meet UK PSHE curriculum standards, incorporating developmentally appropriate activities that promote empathy, social skills, and positive relationship-building in Year 2 students.