Helping Hands Slides Wellness & Safe Adults
PreK - Grade 1
Heart Harbor Wellness
Helping Hands &
Safe Grown-Ups
Learning how our bodies feel, naming big emotions, and meeting our 5 safe helpers.
You are never alone when feelings get big.
Slide 1 of 5
How Does Your Body Feel?
Body Clues
Calm & Sunny
Breathing is slow, stomach is soft, muscles feel loose and happy.
Sad or Heavy
Eyes feel teary, throat feels tight, body feels tired and quiet.
Upset or Scared
Heart beats fast, tummy has butterflies, hands squeeze tight into fists.
Key Rule: All feelings are okay to have! When they feel too heavy, we tell a grown-up.
What Makes a Grown-Up "Safe"?
Safe Helpers
They Listen
They stop what they are doing, look at you kindly, and hear your words without getting angry.
They Keep You Safe
They never ask you to keep an unsafe secret and they work to solve problems with you.
They Help You Feel Better
They help you take deep breaths, give comfort, and remind you that you are cared for.
They Are There Every Day
Grown-ups at home, at school, and in your neighborhood who want you to succeed.
Think in your head: Who are 2 safe adults you know right now?
Your "Hand of Trust"
5 Fingers = 5 Helpers
1
Home Adult
Mom, Dad, Grandparent, Foster Parent
2
Teacher
Your classroom teacher or aide
3
Counselor
School counselor, nurse, or principal
4
Family Helper
Aunt, Uncle, Big Cousin, or Coach
5
Backup Adult
Librarian, bus driver, or neighbor
If Helper #1 is busy or away, move to Helper #2! Never give up until someone listens.
How to Ask for Help
Say It Proud
A
Sentence Starter 1
"I have a big feeling and I need your help."
B
Sentence Starter 2
"My body feels upset and I don't feel safe alone."
C
Sentence Starter 3
"Can you sit with me right now? I need to talk."
Asking for help is being brave, smart, and strong.
Heart Harbor Wellness
Helping Hands Activity Heart Harbor Wellness • PreK-Grade 1
My Hand of Trust
Name:
Date:
Instructions: You have 5 fingers on your hand! That means you can always count on at least 5 safe grown-ups . In each finger box below, write the name (or draw a picture) of a trusted adult who listens and keeps you safe.
Finger 1 Home Adult
Mom, Dad, Guardian
Name or Drawing
Finger 2 Teacher
Classroom Teacher
Name or Drawing
Finger 3 Counselor
Nurse or Counselor
Name or Drawing
Finger 4 Family/Coach
Aunt, Uncle, Coach
Name or Drawing
Finger 5 Helper Backup
Neighbor, Librarian
Name or Drawing
The Golden Safe-Adult Rule
If Helper #1 is busy or doesn't understand, don't stop! Move to your next finger until a grown-up sits down and helps you feel safe.
I am safe and cared for!
Heart Harbor Wellness • Hand of Trust Activity Sheet Page 1 of 2
Part 2 • Practice & Speaking Up
My Body Clues & Brave Words
Feelings Practice
1 Color the feeling face that matches each clue:
Calm Body
Deep breaths, ready to learn
Sad / Heavy Body
Tears, quiet, lump in throat
Scared / Mad Body
Fast heart, tight hands
2 Brave Words: Practice what to say to a safe adult
"I have a big feeling and I need a safe grown-up."
Practice saying this out loud with a partner or teacher.
Practiced!
"My body feels sad inside. Can you sit with me?"
You don't have to carry heavy feelings alone.
Practiced!
3 Draw something or someone that makes you feel safe and loved:
I promise to tell one of my 5 safe adults whenever I feel scared, hurt, or sad.
My Signature / Stamp
Heart Harbor Wellness • Safe Adult Practice Sheet Page 2 of 2
Helping Hands Facilitator Guide Educator Resource • PreK - Grade 1
Helping Hands Facilitator Guide
Lesson 1 Facilitation
Trauma-Informed Pedagogical Principle
For early learners (ages 4-7), wellness and suicide-prevention readiness center on emotional somatic awareness , destigmatizing distress , and embedding help-seeking as a muscle memory reflex . We do not introduce concepts of self-harm or despair; instead, we systematically build a living safety net of 5 reachable adults.
Step-by-Step Circle Time Facilitation Script
Phase 1: Body Check-In & Weather Report (5 min) Opening
"Put your hands on your tummy. Take a deep, gentle breath like smelling a warm cookie. Today, we are learning that feelings are like the weather—sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy, and sometimes stormy. Every feeling is welcome here, but when feelings feel too heavy or scary, we never hold them alone."
Phase 2: Defining a "Safe Adult" (8 min) Concept
"What makes a grown-up safe? A safe grown-up is someone who stops to listen, uses kind words, makes you feel protected, and will never ask you to keep an unsafe secret. If someone makes you feel sad, scared, or uncomfortable, a safe grown-up will always help you fix it."
Phase 3: The Hand of Trust Exercise (10 min) Activity
"Hold up your hand. Count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Each finger stands for a trusted helper. If you tell Helper #1 and they are busy cooking or on the phone, what do we do? We do not stop! We tap Helper #2! We keep telling safe adults until someone sits down to help."
Pre-K Adaptation
Use printed photo cut-outs of school staff (teacher, nurse, principal) so non-readers can paste their safe adults on the fingers.
Grade 1 Extension
Have students pair up and practice the sentence starter aloud: "Excuse me, I have a big feeling and I need a safe adult right now."
Heart Harbor Wellness • PreK-1 Facilitator Guide Page 1 of 2
Safety Protocols • Early Childhood
Distress Signs & Safety Pathways
Safety Protocol
Early Childhood Emotional Distress Indicators
Verbal Statements
"I wish I wasn't here / I want to go away forever."
"Nobody likes me, the world is bad."
"I'm broken / I'm just bad."
Preoccupation with death in free play or drawings.
Behavioral / Physical Clues
Sudden developmental regression (toileting, clinging).
Extreme withdrawal from peers during recess/centers.
Chronic unexplainable stomachaches or headaches.
Brave Voices Slides Speaking Up & Emotional Wellness
Grades 2 - 3
Heart Harbor Wellness • Lesson 2
Brave Voices &
Help Signals
Understanding problem sizes, breaking silence on heavy feelings, and reaching trusted adults.
Speaking up is the strongest thing you can do.
Slide 1 of 5
The Feeling Thermometer
Self-Check
Level 1 - 2
Green: Smooth Seas
Calm, focused, content. Your brain is ready to learn, play, and solve minor issues easily.
Tool: Keep shining & help others
Level 3 - 4
Yellow: Choppy Waves
Frustrated, nervous, or sad. Your body feels tense, fidgety, or irritated.
Tool: Deep breaths, calm break
Level 5
Red: The Storm
Overwhelmed, hopeless, panicky, or very angry. It is too big to fix alone!
Tool: Call a Trusted Adult NOW
Whenever you hit Red Level 5, it is a signal to ask an adult for support immediately!
How Big is the Problem?
Matching Reactions
S
Small Glitch
Losing a game, forgetting a pencil, a friend playing with someone else for recess.
Action: Try a calm strategy or polite compromise first.
B
Big Heavy Problem
Deep sadness that won't go away, someone getting hurt, threats, or feeling unsafe inside.
Action: Never keep to yourself! Report to a safe adult immediately.
Tattling is trying to get someone in trouble. Reporting is getting someone safe!
Safe Surprises vs. Unsafe Secrets
Safety Rule
Safe Surprise
A birthday present or party plan.
Makes people feel happy and excited.
Will be revealed soon to everyone!
Result: Warm & joyous feeling
Unsafe Secret
Someone hurting themselves or others.
Makes you feel sick, scared, or guilty.
Someone says: "Don't tell a grown-up!"
Rule: ALWAYS break an unsafe secret!
You are NEVER in trouble for breaking a secret that keeps someone safe.
The 3-Step Help Formula
Action Steps
1
Name the Feeling
"I'm feeling really overwhelmed / sad / scared right now."
Step 1: Be honest with yourself.
2
Brave Voices Workbook Heart Harbor Wellness • Grades 2 - 3
Brave Voices Workbook
Name:
Date:
1 Problem Sizing: Decide if the problem is a Small Glitch or a Big Heavy Problem
Write "S" for Small Glitch (can try a calm tool first) or "B" for Big Problem (requires an adult right away).
You drop your tray at lunch and your milk spills.
You or a friend feel so deeply sad that you don't want to come to school anymore.
Another student made a mean comment on the playground once.
Someone whispers: "Don't tell anyone, but I'm going to hurt myself."
2 My Coping Compass: What helps my body and mind reset?
Check off the calming tools you like, and write 1 new tool in the blank space:
4-7-8 Breathing (in for 4, hold 7, out for 8)
Grounding: 5 things I see, 4 I feel, 3 I hear
Taking a quick sip of cold water
Drawing or scribbling my heavy feeling on paper
My Favorite Calming Tool:
Remember: Coping strategies help us calm down to think clearly. They never replace telling an adult if the problem is big or dangerous!
Heart Harbor Wellness • Brave Voices Student Activity Page 1 of 2
Part 2 • Action Plan
My Trusted Adult Pocket Shield
Safety Shield
Emergency Safe Adult Card (Cut or fold to keep in backpack)
Always With You
Trusted Adult #1
At Home:
Name & Relationship
Trusted Adult #2
At School:
Teacher / Counselor
Trusted Adult #3
Community / Other:
Coach / Family Friend
3 Drafting My Brave Voice Script
Imagine you have a heavy feeling that has stayed in your heart for 3 days. Use the 3-step formula to write what you would say to your trusted adult:
Step 1: "I need to talk to you because I am feeling..."
Step 2: "What is happening is..."
Step 3: "Can you please help me by..."
If my adult is busy, I will not give up. I will say: "This is an emergency, please look at me."
Student Signature
Heart Harbor Wellness • Trusted Adult Pocket Shield Page 2 of 2
Brave Voices Educator Guide Educator Resource • Grades 2 - 3
Brave Voices Educator Guide
Lesson 2 Facilitation
Developmental Focus (Ages 7-9)
In 2nd and 3rd grade, children frequently begin internalizing shame, peer rejection, or intense worry. Our primary objective is to teach students that asking for help is an act of bravery, not weakness , and that keeping unsafe secrets leads to isolation .
The L.I.S.T.E.N. Disclosure Response Protocol
L
Listen Without Gasping or Panicking:
Maintain calm body language. If you react with horror, the student may shut down or feel guilt.
I
Initiate Eye Level Connection:
Sit down next to the student. Say: "I hear you, and you did the exact right thing by telling me."
S
Safety First, No False Promises:
Never promise: "I won't tell anyone." Explain gently: "Because I care about your safety, I am going to connect us with Mrs. Davis (counselor) so we can support you."
T
Take Immediate Protective Action:
Do not leave the student alone or tell them to wait until the end of the day. Warm handoff to support staff.
E
Empathize and Validate:
Acknowledge their courage: "It takes huge bravery to speak up when you feel stormy inside."
N
Note Facts Accurately:
Document the conversation using the student's exact language in your private incident documentation.
Pro-tip: Stock your Classroom Calm Corner with visual feeling thermometers and trusted adult cards.
Classroom Setup
Heart Harbor Wellness • Grades 2-3 Facilitation Guide Page 1 of 2
Safety Protocols • Grades 2 - 3
Middle Elementary Distress Protocols
Escalation Guide
Recognizing Hidden Signs of Deep Distress in Ages 7-9
Verbal & Expressive Markers
"I'm giving all my favorite things away."
"Everyone's life would be better if I went to sleep forever."
"I hate myself and I can't do anything right."
Morbid writing or repeated themes of catastrophic loss in assignments.
Emotional & Behavioral Shifts
Abrupt change from high engagement to profound lethargy.
Uncharacteristic explosive anger or weeping over small glitches.
Stronger Together Slides Mental Wellness & Peer Support
Grades 4 - 5
Heart Harbor Wellness • Lesson 3
Stronger Together &
Lifeline Connections
Understanding mental health, recognizing distress in friends, and breaking the silence with trusted adults.
Caring for your mind is just as vital as caring for your body.
Slide 1 of 5
Mental Health Is Just Like Physical Health
Fact vs Myth
Physical Health
If you break an arm, you see a doctor.
You rest, get a cast, and let it heal.
Nobody blames you for feeling hurt!
We treat physical injuries openly with care.
Mental & Emotional Health
Brains can feel sick, tired, or injured too.
Counselors and trusted adults help us heal.
Asking for help is a sign of immense courage!
Mental health challenges are treatable and normal.
You are NEVER weak for feeling overwhelmed. Everyone needs help sometimes!
Recognizing Warning Signals
Notice Clues
Words & Talk
"I want to disappear," "Nobody would care if I wasn't here," or talking about self-harm.
Always take words seriously!
Withdrawing
Stopping activities they used to love, sitting alone at recess, or avoiding friends completely.
Notice sudden changes!
Big Behavior Shifts
Giving away prized possessions, dramatic mood drops, or expressing deep hopelessness.
Trust your instincts!
If something in your gut tells you a classmate or friend is in danger, ACT immediately!
How to Support a Friend: The ACT Model
Action Tool
A
Acknowledge
Notice the signs and don't ignore them. Say: "I've noticed you seem really down lately, and I care about you."
Step 1: Notice & validate
C
Care
Listen with empathy. Let them know they are not alone. Say: "You matter to me, and we are going to get through this."
Step 2: Show compassion
T
Tell a Safe Adult
Tell a counselor, teacher, or parent right away. Even if your friend made you promise to keep it a secret!
Step 3: Save a life
Golden Rule: A true friend breaks the silence to keep their friend alive and safe.
Your Lifeline Network
24/7 Support
Stronger Together Action Plan Heart Harbor Wellness • Grades 4 - 5
Mental Wellness Action Plan
Name:
Date:
1 Daily Wellness Anchors: What recharges your mental battery?
Select at least 3 anchors that help restore your calm, and write your personal #1 reset strategy:
Unplugging from screens
Outdoor physical movement
Listening to calming music
Journaling / Drawing feelings
Talking with a trusted friend
Getting 8-9 hours of sleep
When my stress level rises to an 8 out of 10, I will reset by:
2 My Dedicated Support Network (5 Trusted Adults)
List the specific names and contact methods of adults you can go to during emotional distress:
1. Home Trusted Adult Parent / Guardian
Name:
How to reach:
2. School Counselor / Social Worker Main Office
Name:
Room / Office location:
3. Teacher or Coach At School
Name:
Classroom:
4. Community / Extended Family Mentor / Relative
Name:
Phone / Connection:
Lifeline 24/7 Safety Resource: Call or text 988 free, confidential anytime.
National Lifeline
Heart Harbor Wellness • Wellness Action Plan Page 1 of 2
Part 2 • Peer Support Lab
The ACT Peer Support Lab
Case Studies
A - Acknowledge
Notice signs of pain or talk of giving up
C - Care
Show you care without promising secrecy
T - Tell
Immediately report to a trusted adult
Case 1: The Recess Secret
During recess, Jordan sits alone by the fence. When you sit down, Jordan says: "I hate everything and I'm giving all my favorite sketches away. Promise me you won't tell anyone, but I don't want to wake up anymore."
What caring words can you say to Jordan right then? (Care)
What exact words do you say to the counselor or teacher immediately after? (Tell)
Case 2: Overwhelmed Inside
You yourself have felt a heavy weight in your chest for two weeks. School feels too hard, you feel invisible, and you find yourself crying in the restroom.
Which trusted adult will you approach first, and what will you tell them?
Fact: You never "snitch" when you report mental health distress. You protect a life.
My Commitment
Heart Harbor Wellness • ACT Peer Support Lab Page 2 of 2
Stronger Together Crisis Protocol Guide Educator & Counselor Guide • Grades 4 - 5
Stronger Together Crisis Protocol Guide
Lesson 3 Protocol
Upper Elementary Prevention Rationale (Ages 9-11)
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Psychologists emphasizes that elementary suicide awareness must balance empowering help-seeking with destigmatizing mental health care . At this developmental threshold, peers frequently confide in each other before approaching adults; our curriculum empowers children to bridge their peers directly to safety without bearing the burden alone.
Facilitation Guidelines & Psychological Safety Rules
Establish Ground Rules First:
No sharing of graphic details or personal private trauma publicly during group discussion.
Explain that teachers cannot keep secrets when someone's physical or emotional safety is in jeopardy.
Provide an anonymous "Question & Help Box" in the room for students hesitant to speak up.
Pre-Coordinated Staff Support:
Alert the school counselor and social worker prior to teaching this lesson.
Ensure support staff are on standby or co-facilitating in the classroom.
Establish a discreet signal if a student needs to step into the hall with an adult helper.
Addressing the Reluctance to Report ("I don't want my friend mad at me")
Reassure students: "A friend might feel scared or upset for a few hours if you tell, but they will be alive. Being an upstander means prioritizing your friend's life over temporary anger. Trusted adults are here to protect you both and handle the situation with tenderness."
Heart Harbor Wellness • Upper Elementary Facilitation Page 1 of 2
Intervention & Re-Entry Flow • Staff Protocol
Suicide Prevention Escalation Protocol
Staff Action Plan
Immediate Intervention Workflow (Elementary Protocol)
1
Continuous Supervision & Direct Handoff:
Under no circumstance should a student expressing suicidal ideation or deep despair be left unattended or sent to the office unescorted. Escort directly to certified mental health staff.
2
Standardized Screen & Safety Planning:
School counselor or social worker administers an age-adapted Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) or district-approved safety screening to determine risk level.
3
Caregiver Notification & Lethal Means Counseling:
