Lesson Plan
Trust Foundations Plan
Students will identify key trust-building behaviors and practice them through peer activities and discussions to strengthen classroom relationships.
Building trust fosters a supportive learning environment, enhances collaboration, and develops students’ relationship skills aligned with CASEL.
Audience
5th Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive activities with reflection and discussion.
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the slide deck: Trust Builders Presentation
- Read instructions in Trust Fall Team-Up Guide
- Familiarize yourself with questions in What Trust Means Discussion Guide
- Print enough copies of Trust Reflection Exit Ticket for all students
Step 1
Warm-Up Brainstorm
5 minutes
- Prompt students: “What does trust mean to you?”
- Record responses on the board or chart paper
- Highlight recurring themes (e.g., honesty, reliability)
- Explain today’s objective: exploring and practicing trust
Step 2
Present Trust Builders
5 minutes
- Display Trust Builders Presentation
- Define trust and list trust-building behaviors (e.g., keeping promises, active listening)
- Ask students to give examples from their own experiences
Step 3
Trust Fall Team-Up
15 minutes
- Review safety rules from Trust Fall Team-Up Guide
- Pair students; designate roles: “truster” and “catcher”
- Conduct three trust falls starting close, then take a small step back each time
- Switch roles and repeat the exercise
- Encourage positive feedback between partners
Step 4
What Trust Means Discussion
10 minutes
- Reconvene as a whole class
- Use prompts from What Trust Means Discussion Guide:
- How did it feel to rely on a partner?
- What behaviors made you feel safe?
- Connect their observations back to trust-building behaviors on the slide deck
Step 5
Trust Reflection Exit Ticket
5 minutes
- Hand out Trust Reflection Exit Ticket
- Students write:
- One behavior they will use to build trust
- One peer they appreciate for being trustworthy
- Collect responses as they leave
Slide Deck
How Do We Build Trust?
Exploring CASEL Relationship Skills: Trust
Welcome students and introduce the slide deck’s purpose: exploring trust as a key relationship skill.
What Is Trust?
Trust is believing that someone will act with your best interests in mind and keep their promises.
Define trust in student-friendly terms and relate it to their daily experiences.
Trust-Building Behaviors
- Keeping Promises
- Active Listening
- Showing Empathy
- Being Reliable
Briefly define each behavior; students will practice these later in activities.
Keeping Promises
When you say you will do something, follow through. Consistency builds trust.
Discuss how following through on small promises (like returning a pencil) builds trust over time.
Active Listening
Pay full attention, ask questions, and show you understand what someone is saying.
Model active listening with a quick demonstration if time allows.
Showing Empathy
Try to understand how someone else feels and respond with care and kindness.
Explain empathy and why understanding feelings matters when building trust.
Student Example: Trust in Action
Sara promised to help Jay with his project. She arrived on time and offered helpful feedback. Jay felt supported and trusted Sara.
Read the scenario aloud and ask students to identify the trust-building behaviors in Sara’s actions.
Reflection Questions
• Think of a time someone earned your trust. What did they do?
• How can you show trust to a friend today?
Have students discuss with a partner before sharing with the class.
Activity
Trust Fall Team-Up Guide
Duration: 15 minutes
Objective: Practice trust-building behaviors by supporting a peer during a simple trust fall exercise.
Materials Needed:
- Open space (clear of furniture)
- Soft mat or carpeted area (optional)
- List of safety guidelines posted visibly
Safety Guidelines
- Choose a clear, level space.
- Ensure there’s enough room around each pair.
- “Catcher” stands with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- “Truster” keeps body straight and crosses arms over chest.
- Communicate clearly: “Ready?” “Fall!”
- Catch gently at underarms; no grabbing wrists or clothing.
- Stop if anyone feels uncomfortable—trust and safety first!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Pair Up: Students find partners and decide who starts as “truster” and who is “catcher.”
- Demonstration: Teacher models one trust fall with a volunteer, highlighting posture and communication.
- Practice Round 1:
- Truster stands about one big step away from catcher.
- Catcher signals “Ready.”
- Truster falls back gently; catcher supports and guides to standing.
- Increase Challenge:
- Repeat two more times, stepping one small pace further each time.
- Switch Roles: Partners swap roles and repeat all three trust falls.
- Positive Feedback: After each fall, partners share one specific skill they noticed (e.g., “You caught me so steadily!”).
Debrief Questions (5 minutes)
- How did it feel to fall and trust someone else?
- What did your partner do that helped you feel safe?
- Which trust-building behavior (keeping promises, active listening, empathy, reliability) did this activity remind you of?
- How can you use that behavior in class today?
What Trust Means Discussion Guide
Format: Whole-Class Discussion
Time: 10 minutes
Discussion Prompts
- How did it feel to rely on someone else during the trust fall?
- What actions from your partner made you feel secure?
- When do you need trust in your everyday life (e.g., at home, on the playground)?
- Which trust-building behaviors from our slide deck did you notice in this activity?
Follow-Up Points
- Emphasize the role of clear communication and consistency.
- Connect physical support in the fall to emotional support in friendships.
- Encourage students to share examples of trust outside class.
Trust Reflection Exit Ticket
Time: 5 minutes
Format: Individual Written Response
- One trust-building behavior I will use this week is:
- One peer I appreciate for being trustworthy is:
- Why does that peer’s behavior matter to you?
Discussion
What Trust Means Talk
Format: Whole-Class Discussion
Time: 10 minutes
Objective: Reflect on the Trust Fall experience and connect trust-building behaviors to everyday situations.
Materials
- Trust Builders Presentation slides
- Notes or whiteboard to record key ideas
- Student pairs’ reflections from the Trust Fall activity
Discussion Steps
- Revisit Trust-Building Behaviors
• Quickly review the four behaviors on the slide deck (Keeping Promises, Active Listening, Showing Empathy, Being Reliable).
• Ask: “Which behavior stood out to you during our activity?” - Prompt 1: How did it feel to rely on someone else?
• Teacher Note: Encourage words like “nervous,” “safe,” “excited,” or “surprised.”
• Follow-Up: “What made you choose that word?” - Prompt 2: What specific actions made you feel safe?
• Examples to highlight: clear communication (“Ready—Fall!”), steady stance, calm encouragement. - Prompt 3: When do you need trust in everyday life?
• Invite students to share situations at home, on the playground, or in group projects.
• Record responses for reference in future lessons. - Prompt 4: Which trust-building behavior did you see in action, and why does it matter?
• Have students name one behavior and give a brief example from today’s activity or their own experiences.
Follow-Up Points
- Emphasize that clear communication and consistency build trust over time.
- Connect the physical support of a trust fall to the emotional support we give friends.
- Encourage students to practice one trust-building behavior this week and notice its impact.
- Remind them they’ll reflect on this in the Trust Reflection Exit Ticket.
Cool Down
Trust Reflection Exit Ticket
Time: 5 minutes
Format: Individual Written Response
- One trust-building behavior I will use this week is:
- One peer I appreciate for being trustworthy is:
- Why does that peer’s behavior matter to you?