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Kindergarten
LESSON
Five
Boundaries: Safe & Unsafe Behavior
50 minutes
This lesson is currently under review with Nest Educational Advisors. Please check back later for updates.
Lesson Overview
In this lesson, students will explore what their personal body boundaries are through the use of a bubble mindfulness activity. They will design their own boundary bubbles and receive a badge for their Kindness Scouts vests. Students will then be introduced to an important body safety boundary. They will also be reminded to share with a trusted adult if someone is crossing their boundaries or touching their bodies without consent.
Lesson Objectives
- Visualize our personal bubbles that represents our physical boundaries.
- Discuss the importance of boundaries in caring communities.
- Identify what physical boundaries feel safe and unsafe.
Materials
Handouts
quicklinks
how to prepare for this lesson
If possible, begin this lesson with students sitting together in a circle on the carpet or form a circle with their seats to foster community. After the lesson introduction, students will participate in a movement activity in this space. After their movement activity, they will return to their desks.
This lesson introduces an important body safety boundary: our genitals—the penis and the vagina—along with our breasts, glutes, and anus, should never be touched by others. Using accurate anatomical language, such as 'penis' and 'vagina,' reduces ambiguity and ensures that children understand how to describe their bodies and report abuse if it occurs. For more information on this and the research supporting anatomical language as a protective factor for children, please see the Teacher Guide. If you are aware of student’s in your class who have survived physical or sexual abuse you are encouraged to have follow up supports lined up with your school counselor or social worker. Since there is no way to know every detail of every student’s life, it is a good idea to have your campus social worker or counselor on standby for any student who may have a strong reaction to the discussion regarding body boundaries.
Students should have their What’s My Feeling? Handouts out at the beginning of class to reference. Students will also need their Kindness Scout Handouts from Lesson 2 to add their new badge to. Be sure to collect the Kindness Scout and What’s My Feeling? Handouts at the end of the lesson or instruct students to keep them in a safe place for future lessons.
There should be enough Kindness Scout Badges: Boundaries, pre-cut, for each student.
Students will each need a copy of the My Safe and Trusted Adults Handout.