Key Messages

  • People can experience physical signs in their body when they feel unsafe.
  • When someone feels the warning signs, they should talk to a safe adult about it.

Learning Intention

Students will: Recognise that bodies may produce physical responses that
indicate they are feeling uncomfortable or unsafe in a range of scenarios

Time

30 minutes

Required Resources

  • Whiteboard and markers.
  • Class set of ‘Early Warning Signs' worksheets.
Download Required Resources

Teaching Notes

Our bodies might produce a physical response in one of the following 3 situations:

  1. Feeling unsafe, but having fun and in control of the situation. Choosing to participate in the experience. For example, watching a scary movie, diving off a high diving tower or riding a roller
    coaster.
  2. Feeling unsafe, not having fun, but still in control of the situation. For example, going to the dentist or sitting an exam.
  3. Feeling unsafe, not having fun and not in control of the situation. These situations are personal emergencies as the child is in danger of losing control over what happens to them. For example, being lost, being bullied, or being abused.

Procedure

  1. Draw an outline of a body on the whiteboard.
  2. As a class, students to brainstorm how the body may react if an individual is scared e.g., what do their stomach, throat, knees, and palms feel like?
  3. List all responses on the board.
  4. Explain that these signs are feelings that can signal when something is not right. Not everyone gets all the signals each time. Sometimes, it is hard to name what it is that is frightening, but the body already recognises danger.
  5. Explain that some of these body responses can occur from excitement. For example, when we are taking a plane trip or about to ride the roller coaster. There are some clear differences, though, to a danger response and an excitement response. A danger response is associated with a sense of dread, while an excitement response anticipates pleasure.
  6. Provide students with ‘Early Warning Signs' worksheet to complete.

Alternatively
Project or draw body for whole class to see. Add annotations as a class.

Early Warning Signs include:

  • Sweaty palms, underarms and face.
  • Jittery legs, ‘butterflies’ in stomach.
  • Wanting to vomit, cry or go to the toilet
  • Headache, dry throat, hard to speak, heart beats faster
  • Breathing faster and shallower, inability to talk or move, minimal response altogether, wanting to run away, and more.

Questioning

  1. What are some physical signs that someones body might show when they are feeling unsafe or
    uncomfortable?
  2. What could someone do if they found themselves in a situation where they feel unsafe or uncomfortable?
  3. What people or sources of information can an individual access if they have any further questions or
    concerns?
  4. Do adults experience Early Warning Signs?

Curriculum Information