Lesson Plan
Calm Corner Build and Test
Students will design and test a personal 2-minute regulation routine and record its effectiveness.
Learning to regulate emotions is crucial for academic success and overall well-being. This lesson provides students with practical strategies to manage stress and stay focused.
Audience
9th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Hands-on exploration and personal routine design.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Slides Build Your Routine, Do Now: What Calms You?, Strategy Stations Activity, Timer or stopwatch, Index cards or small pieces of paper for 2-Minute Routine Card, Pens/pencils, Effectiveness Notes Journal, and Exit Ticket: Keep or Swap?
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review all generated materials: Calm Corner Build and Test Lesson Plan, Slides Build Your Routine, Do Now: What Calms You?, Strategy Stations Activity, 2-Minute Routine Card, Effectiveness Notes Journal, and Exit Ticket: Keep or Swap?.
- Ensure projector/whiteboard is ready for slides.
- Prepare index cards or small pieces of paper for the routine cards.
- Set up three
Step 1
Introdu ction: What calms you?
5 minutes
- Present the lesson topic and objective using Slides Build Your Routine (Slide 1-2).
- Ask students: 'What do you do when you feel overwhelmed or stressed?'
- Distribute the Do Now: What Calms You? warm-up worksheet.
- Give students 2-3 minutes to individually brainstorm and list their current calming strategies.
- Facilitate a brief whole-class discussion, inviting students to share a few of their ideas. Emphasize that everyone has different ways of coping.
Step 2
Explore: Strategy Stations
15 minutes
- Explain that students will rotate through three 'strategy stations' to try out new regulation techniques. Each station focuses on a different sensory strategy: Breath, Grounding, and Stretching.
- Divide students into three small groups and assign each group a starting station.
- Explain that they will spend 5 minutes at each station. Use a timer to keep track of time.
- Station 1: Breath Work (Strategy Stations Activity)
- Teacher Notes: Guide students through a simple box breathing exercise (inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4). Focus on deep, slow breaths.
- Station 2: Grounding Techniques (Strategy Stations Activity)
- Teacher Notes: Lead students through the '5-4-3-2-1' grounding exercise (5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, 1 thing they can taste).
- Station 3: Gentle Stretching (Strategy Stations Activity)
- Teacher Notes: Demonstrate simple, seated stretches like neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and gentle arm stretches. Encourage mindful movement.
- After 5 minutes, signal groups to rotate to the next station. Repeat until all groups have visited all three stations.
Step 3
Build & Test: Your 2-Minute Routine
7 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Distribute index cards (2-Minute Routine Card) and the Effectiveness Notes Journal).
- Explain that students will now design their own 2-minute regulation routine using strategies they liked from the stations or their own ideas.
- Instruct them to write down 2-3 steps for their routine on the 2-Minute Routine Card. For example: '1. Take 5 deep breaths. 2. Name 3 things I see. 3. Stretch my shoulders.'
- Guide students to test their routine immediately. Set a timer for 2 minutes and have students quietly practice their routine.
- After 2 minutes, ask students to open their Effectiveness Notes Journal and quickly jot down how they felt before and after the routine, and if they would keep or swap any parts of it.
Step 4
Share & Cool Down
3 minutes
- Invite a few students to briefly share one part of their routine or an observation from testing it.
- Distribute the Exit Ticket: Keep or Swap?.
- Ask students to complete the exit ticket: 'Will you keep this routine, or swap out a strategy for next time? Why?'
- Collect exit tickets as students leave.
Slide Deck
Calm Corner: Build & Test Your Routine
Design Your Personal Self-Regulation Tool Kit!
Welcome students and introduce the lesson with an engaging hook. Ask them to think about how they manage stress or big feelings. Introduce the idea of a 'calm corner' or personal regulation techniques.
Why is this important?
Our Goal: Design and test a 2-minute personal regulation routine.
Why? Because knowing how to calm yourself down helps you:
- Focus better
- Manage stress
- Handle tough situations
- Feel more in control
Clearly state the lesson's objective and explain why learning self-regulation strategies is important for their daily lives and overall well-being. Connect it to real-life situations like tests, social stress, or feeling overwhelmed.
Do Now: What Calms You?
Take 2-3 minutes to list 3-5 things you currently do when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed.
Explain the 'Do Now' activity. Students will brainstorm individually and then share briefly. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, and everyone has different coping mechanisms.
Strategy Stations
Time to explore new ways to find calm!
You'll rotate through three stations:
- Breath Work: Learn a simple breathing technique.
- Grounding: Connect with your senses to feel present.
- Gentle Stretching: Release tension with mindful movement.
Introduce the concept of strategy stations. Explain that they will rotate through three stations, each focusing on a different type of calming strategy. Highlight the importance of trying each one mindfully.
Station 1: Breath Work
Box Breathing
- Inhale slowly for 4 counts.
- Hold your breath for 4 counts.
- Exhale slowly for 4 counts.
- Hold your breath for 4 counts.
- Repeat for 2 minutes.
Focus on the feeling of your breath moving in and out.
At this station, guide students through a simple box breathing exercise (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4). Model the technique and encourage them to close their eyes if comfortable.
Station 2: Grounding
5-4-3-2-1 Technique
- 5 things you can SEE
- 4 things you can TOUCH
- 3 things you can HEAR
- 2 things you can SMELL
- 1 thing you can TASTE
Focus on staying present in this moment.
Lead students through the '5-4-3-2-1' grounding exercise. Encourage them to really focus on their senses and verbally guide them through each step.
Station 3: Gentle Stretching
Mindful Movement
- Slow Neck Rolls
- Shoulder Shrugs
- Gentle Arm Stretches
- Seated Torso Twists
Release tension and notice how your body feels.
Demonstrate a few simple, seated stretches (neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, gentle arm stretches). Emphasize slow, gentle movements and listening to their bodies.
Build Your 2-Minute Routine
Choose 2-3 strategies that felt most helpful to you. Combine them to create your own 2-minute calming routine on your 2-Minute Routine Card.
Example Routine:
- Take 5 deep breaths.
- Name 3 things I see.
- Stretch my shoulders.
Explain that students will now create their own 2-minute routine using the 2-Minute Routine Card and then immediately test it. Distribute the cards and the Effectiveness Notes Journal at this point.
Test Your Routine!
Now, let's try it out! Find a quiet space and practice your 2-minute routine.
Afterwards, use your Effectiveness Notes Journal to reflect:
- How did you feel before and after?
- What worked well?
- What might you want to change?
Guide students to quietly practice their new routine for 2 minutes. After the timer, direct them to their Effectiveness Notes Journal to record their observations.
Share & Reflect
What did you discover about your routine?
Exit Ticket: Keep or Swap?
Will you keep this routine, or swap out a strategy for next time? Why?
Lead a brief sharing session where a few students can share one aspect of their routine or their testing experience. Then, introduce the exit ticket.
Warm Up
Do Now: What Calms You?
Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about how you respond when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. List 3-5 things you currently do (or wish you did) to help yourself feel calmer.
Bonus: Why do you think these things help you feel calmer?
Activity
Strategy Stations: Explore Your Calm
Welcome to the Strategy Stations! You will rotate through three different stations, spending 5 minutes at each. Your goal is to try out each technique and notice how your body and mind respond.
Station 1: Breath Work - Box Breathing
Instructions:
- Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor, if possible.
- Close your eyes gently or soften your gaze downwards.
- Imagine a square or a box.
- Inhale: Slowly breathe in through your nose for a count of 4 (imagine going up one side of the box).
- Hold: Hold your breath gently for a count of 4 (imagine going across the top of the box).
- Exhale: Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of 4 (imagine going down the other side of the box).
- Hold: Hold your breath gently for a count of 4 (imagine going across the bottom of the box).
- Repeat this cycle for 2-3 minutes. Focus on the feeling of your breath moving in and out.
Station 2: Grounding - 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Instructions:
- Sit comfortably and become aware of your surroundings.
- 5: See - Look around and name 5 things you can see.
- 4: Touch - Notice 4 things you can feel or touch (e.g., your clothes, the chair, the floor).
- 3: Hear - Listen for 3 sounds you can hear (e.g., voices, air conditioning, outside noises).
- 2: Smell - Identify 2 smells (e.g., your shampoo, a faint smell in the room).
- 1: Taste - Notice 1 thing you can taste (e.g., lingering taste from lunch, minty toothpaste).
Station 3: Gentle Stretching - Mindful Movement
Instructions:
- Begin by sitting or standing tall, feeling your posture.
- Neck Rolls: Gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder. Slowly roll your head forward, then to the other side. Repeat a few times, very slowly.
- Shoulder Shrugs: Inhale and lift your shoulders up towards your ears. Exhale and let them drop down. Repeat a few times.
- Arm Stretches: Extend one arm across your chest and use the other arm to gently pull it closer. Hold for a few breaths, then switch arms.
- Seated Torso Twist (Optional): Gently twist your upper body to one side, using your chair for support. Look over your shoulder. Hold, then twist to the other side. (Only if comfortable).
As you move, notice any tension releasing and how your body feels.
Worksheet
My 2-Minute Regulation Routine
Instructions: Based on the strategies you explored and your own ideas, design your personal 2-minute routine to help you calm down when you feel overwhelmed or stressed. Write down 2-3 simple steps.
My Routine:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
When I might use this routine:
Journal
My Routine: Effectiveness Notes
Instructions: After you test your 2-minute regulation routine, use this journal to reflect on how it felt and how effective it was for you.
Date: ______________
Before My Routine:
How was I feeling right before I started my 2-minute routine? (e.g., stressed, tired, distracted, calm, energized)
During My Routine:
What did I notice as I was doing my routine? Were there any specific sensations or thoughts?
After My Routine:
How was I feeling immediately after completing my 2-minute routine? Did my mood or energy shift?
Reflection:
What worked well in my routine? What parts felt most helpful?
Is there anything I would change or swap out for next time? Why?
Cool Down
Exit Ticket: Keep or Swap?
Instructions: Reflect on the 2-minute regulation routine you designed and tested today. Answer the questions below.
My 2-Minute Routine:
(Briefly list the steps you created)
Keep or Swap?
Will you keep this routine as is, or would you like to swap out one or more strategies for next time?
- Keep
- Swap
Explain your choice:
Why did you decide to keep or swap? What worked well, or what might you try differently?
One thing I learned today about self-regulation is: