Lesson Plan
Calm Under Pressure
By the end of this session, students will understand and apply key emotional regulation and distress tolerance strategies—like deep breathing and grounding—to manage intense emotions, complete practice scenarios, and create personal action plans.
Teaching these skills helps students build resilience, reduce impulsive reactions during stress, and improve peer interactions by providing concrete strategies to cope with challenging emotions, promoting a healthier classroom environment.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
Step 1
Introduction & Check-In
5 minutes
Step 2
Teach Emotional Regulation Skills
10 minutes
Step 3
Distress Tolerance Practice
10 minutes
Step 4
Reflection & Action Planning
5 minutes

Slide Deck
Calm Under Pressure
Objectives & Norms
Emotional Check-In
Key Skills Overview
Deep Breathing
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Grounding Technique
Distress Tolerance Practice
Reflection & Action Planning
Keep Practicing!

Worksheet


Reading


Activity


Rubric


Cool Down

