Lesson Plan
Building Our Safe Space Lesson Plan
Students will understand the purpose of SEL, co-create classroom norms, and begin building a trauma-informed, trusting environment through discussion and reflection.
Establishing SEL foundations and shared norms creates safety, trust, and emotional awareness—key to supporting students’ well-being and engagement all year.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Classroom and Materials
15 minutes
Step 1
Welcome and Warm-Up
10 minutes
Step 2
Introduce SEL and Trauma-Informed Classroom
15 minutes
Step 3
Co-Create Classroom Norms
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection and Sharing
15 minutes
Step 5
Closing and Next Steps
5 minutes
Slide Deck
Welcome to SEL & Trauma-Informed Practices
What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Why SEL Matters
Understanding Trauma
The Brain & Trauma Response
A Trauma-Informed Approach
Key Principles for Our Classroom
How Trauma Affects Learning
Discussion Prompt
Next Steps
Worksheet
Activity
Discussion
Reading
