How We Make Others Feel wellbeing lesson plan
A primary wellbeing lesson for Foundation that helps Australian teachers introduce how everyday actions and words affect the way others feel, through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Students learn to recognise how their behaviour can make a friend feel included, happy or upset, and practise simple, respectful ways to respond in everyday friendships.
Emotional Regulation & Mental Health
Snapshot
How We Make Others Feel
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce how everyday actions and words shape how friends feel.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Recognising how actions affect others' feelings and practising respectful responses
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise that words and actions can affect how others feel
recognise simple examples of kind and unkind behaviour in friendships
recognise when a friend might be feeling happy, left out or upset
Understand
understand that everyone's feelings matter and deserve respect
understand that shared respect helps friendships feel safe and fair
Practise
practise using kind words and actions with friends
practise noticing how a friend might be feeling in everyday situations
practise simple ways to ask a trusted adult for help if a friendship feels unfair
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Foundation students who are beginning to learn about feelings, friendships and how their behaviour affects the people around them.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care, circle time or advisory sessions
early friendship and respect skill building
class culture and kindness expectation work
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing feelings and friendship skills Use when students are first learning how their words and actions can affect others.
Building classroom culture Use when reinforcing kindness, inclusion and shared respect as part of everyday class expectations.
Supporting inclusion Use to help students think about how it feels to be included or left out of a game or activity.
Practising respectful choices Use when students are learning to notice a friend's feelings before they act.
Reinforcing respectful communication Use when you want students to practise kind words alongside kind actions.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led conversation about feelings, friendships and fairness.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Students are still learning that their actions and words have a real effect on how others feel, and this takes time, practise and clear examples. Helping students notice this early supports kinder, more respectful friendships at school. This part of emotional and social development is not only about fixing problems after they happen. It is also about helping students build awareness of others' feelings and understand that small, everyday choices, such as including someone or using kind words, make a difference. The lesson supports a classroom culture where students feel comfortable thinking about others, and where they understand that trusted adults are there to help if a friendship situation feels unfair or hard to manage alone.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Social awareness Students notice how their actions affect a friend's feelings.
Empathy Students consider how it feels to be included, left out or treated kindly.
Relationship skills Students practise kind words and respectful actions with friends.
Self-regulation Students think before acting, considering how a choice might affect someone else.
Help-seeking Students learn simple ways to ask a trusted adult for help if a friendship feels unfair.
Belonging Students reinforce that everyone's feelings matter in the classroom.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students not to name classmates or share other people's stories
Frame discussion around general examples rather than personal disclosures
Identify trusted adults students can speak to at school
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use simple, everyday examples such as sharing, including a friend or using kind words
Give students time to talk through how different actions might make someone feel
Reinforce that everyone's feelings matter and deserve respect
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or partner talk depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Keep examples general rather than based on specific classmates
Reinforce that asking a trusted adult for help is a responsible choice
Use agreed classroom language for respectful discussion
Adaptation options
Use partner talk or small groups for students who are still building confidence
Use drawing or simple sentence starters for younger or less verbal students
Spend more time on identifying trusted adults if students need extra support
