Blurt Alert!

Kaylyn Davis

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Creating a Blurt Plan

Help the student identify triggers for blurting and collaboratively develop a personalized action plan to improve self-regulation.

This session is important to assist the student in recognizing patterns that lead to blurting out and to empower them with strategies to manage impulses, fostering better classroom behavior.

Audience

1st Grade Student

Time

20 minutes

Approach

One-on-one discussion with guided materials and reflection.

Materials

Creating a Blurt Plan, Identifying Triggers (slide-deck), Self-Reflection Exercise (activity), and Self-Regulation Goals (rubric)

Prep

Preparation for Blurt Alert!

5 minutes

Review the Creating a Blurt Plan lesson plan for structure and key points.
Prepare the Identifying Triggers slide deck to visually support discussion.
Familiarize yourself with the Self-Reflection Exercise and Self-Regulation Goals rubric to guide the student through self-evaluation steps.

Step 1

Introduce & Review

5 minutes

Greet the student and explain the session's purpose.
Briefly review the concept of blurting out and how it can be linked to specific triggers.
Use the slide deck to introduce the idea of triggers visually.

Step 2

Identify Triggers

5 minutes

Engage the student in a discussion about moments when they tend to blurt out.
Ask probing questions to help the student pinpoint feelings or situations that precede the blurting.
Note down key triggers on a whiteboard or paper.

Step 3

Self-Reflection Activity

5 minutes

Guide the student through the Self-Reflection Exercise to reflect on their triggers.
Encourage the student to share insights on why these moments occur.
Validate the student’s feelings and emphasize growth.

Step 4

Develop Action Plan

5 minutes

Collaboratively create a personalized action plan using the Self-Regulation Goals rubric.
Discuss strategies for pausing and thinking before speaking.
Reinforce the action steps and confirm the student's understanding and commitment.

Slide Deck

Welcome to Identifying Triggers

Today, we will use bright images and fun icons to explore the moments that make us want to speak quickly. Let’s start our adventure with a smiling friend!

Introduce the concept using a fun, colorful background. Show a large, vibrant image of a smiling character and add playful icons (like stars and hearts) around the text. Mention that we'll be exploring our feelings like detectives.

What is a Trigger?

A trigger is like a little spark! It can make you feel excited, surprised, or a little nervous. Look at these icons to see how our feelings might pop up.

Display simple, eye-catching icons (like a heart, smiley face, and light bulb) to represent different feelings. Emphasize the idea of a 'spark' that starts our emotions.

When Do You Blurt?

Look at these expressive faces! Can you remember a time when you felt like one of these? Which picture shows how you felt before speaking out?

Show vivid images of faces expressing different emotions such as surprise, happiness, and thoughtfulness. Ask the student to point to the face that matches their feelings. Use a pointer icon to guide attention.

How to Pause and Think

Watch this fun image of a child taking a deep breath. When you feel a trigger, try stopping for just a moment—take a deep breath or count slowly to three.

Include an engaging image of a child taking a deep breath with a subtle animated effect if possible. Add icons like clocks and pause symbols to emphasize the concept of pausing.

Let’s learn more about how our emotions can sometimes make us speak out quickly and discover strategies to manage it.

This slide now includes an embedded video that explains the relationship between emotions and blurting. Ensure the video is displayed in a clean, uncluttered layout with a visible play button.

Let's Plan Ahead!

Now that we've seen our triggers and learned to pause, let’s create a fun action plan together! Choose one idea from the checklist that will remind you to take a breath before speaking.

Wrap up the session by showing a colorful checklist with playful illustrations (like smiley stickers or thumbs-up icons) next to each action item. Invite the student to choose one strategy they like.

Activity

Self-Reflection Exercise

This activity will help you think about the moments when you feel like speaking out quickly. Let's work together to understand your feelings and discover what might be triggering those moments.

Instructions

Think About a Time:
- Close your eyes for a moment and think about times when you blurted out. What was happening?
Answer These Questions:
- What were you feeling just before you spoke?
- Can you remember what made you feel that way?
- How did you feel after blurting out?
Draw or Write:
- Use a piece of paper to draw a picture of what you think happens in your mind when you feel like speaking out quickly.
- If you're not ready to draw, write a few sentences about your feelings.
Sharing Time:
- If you'd like, share one of your answers or your drawing with your teacher. This can help create more ideas on how to take a pause.

Remember, every feeling you have is important, and understanding them is the first step to finding ways to feel more in control. Great job taking the time to reflect on your experience!

Rubric

Self-Regulation Goals Rubric

This rubric helps both you and your teacher set and assess goals for managing blurting triggers. Use it to track how well you understand your triggers, use pause strategies, and apply self-regulation skills.

Scoring Levels

Emerging (1 Point): You are beginning to notice your feelings and triggers, but you need help to pause before blurting out.
Developing (2 Points): You sometimes notice your triggers and try to pause, but you might need reminders and practice.
Proficient (3 Points): You clearly recognize your feelings, consistently use strategies to pause, and make good choices about when to speak.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria	Emerging (1 Point)	Developing (2 Points)	Proficient (3 Points)
Recognizing Triggers	May show some awareness but often does not identify what causes blurting.	Sometimes identifies triggers during the discussion with help.	Clearly identifies triggers and explains what feelings or situations lead to blurting.
Using Pause Strategies	Rarely uses strategies like taking a deep breath or counting to pause.	Occasionally uses pause strategies with reminders from the teacher.	Consistently uses effective pause strategies to help decide when to speak, showing self-control.
Communication of Feelings	Has difficulty explaining how they feel before and after blurting out.	Can explain feelings with some support, though details may be unclear.	Clearly explains personal feelings and describes the effect of blurting out, showing understanding of their emotions.
Application of Action Plan	Struggles to follow the action plan for managing blurting triggers.	Follows parts of the action plan with intermittent guidance from the teacher.	Fully follows the action plan, independently using strategies and reflecting on their progress.

How to Use This Rubric

Self-Reflection: Think about how you handle your feelings when you feel like blurting out (pause for a breath, count, etc.).
Discussion: Share your thoughts with your teacher and together decide which category best describes your current skills.
Goal Setting: Use the scoring for each criteria to set goals. For example, if you’re in the Emerging category for using pause strategies, plan to practice taking a deep breath before speaking.
Follow-Up: Regularly review these criteria with your teacher to track how you’re improving over time.

Remember, every step you take is progress. Great job on working to understand and control your impulses!