Expected vs. Unexpected Behavior Sort

Instructions: Cut out the picture cards below. Work with a partner or by yourself to sort the cards into two groups: "Expected Behaviors" and "Unexpected Behaviors." Be ready to share why you put each card in its group!

Expected Behaviors (Cut along this line)

Picture Card 1: A child raising their hand quietly.

Picture Card 2: Two children sharing toys peacefully.

Picture Card 3: A child walking calmly in the hallway.

Picture Card 4: A child listening to the teacher with eyes on them.

Picture Card 5: A child cleaning up their play area.

Unexpected Behaviors (Cut along this line)

Picture Card 6: A child shouting out an answer.

Picture Card 7: A child pushing another child.

Picture Card 8: A child running indoors.

Picture Card 9: A child playing with toys while the teacher is talking.

Picture Card 10: A child throwing a tantrum.

Calm Down Strategy Cards

Instructions: These cards show different ways to help you feel calm. Look at the pictures and practice the actions. You can use these when you feel big feelings or need to focus!

Card 1: Deep Breaths (Cut along this line)

Picture/Icon: A flower to smell and a candle to blow out.

Text: Smell the flower... Blow out the candle.

Card 2: Count to Five (Cut along this line)

Picture/Icon: Hands showing five fingers or numbers 1-5.

Text: Count to 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Feel calm.

Card 3: Ask for a Break (Cut along this line)

Picture/Icon: A child taking a quiet moment in a designated calm-down space or a visual cue for

Classroom Calm Crew Script

Warm-Up: What Makes a Great Classroom? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day by thinking about something super important. What does a super awesome classroom look like and sound like? What makes our classroom a great place to learn and play?"

Listen to student responses and write them down on the whiteboard or chart paper. Prompt with questions like: "What do our voices sound like?" "What are our bodies doing?"

Teacher: "Wow, those are fantastic ideas! We want our classroom to be a place where everyone feels happy, safe, and can learn so much. Today, we're going to talk about how we can all be part of the 'Classroom Calm Crew' to make our classroom even more amazing!"

(Transition to Slide 1: Welcome, Calm Crew!)

Expected vs. Unexpected (10 minutes)

Teacher: "To be a great Classroom Calm Crew, we need to know the difference between 'expected' behaviors and 'unexpected' behaviors."

(Transition to Slide 2: Expected Behaviors)

Teacher: "'Expected behaviors' are things we expect to see and hear in our classroom. These are actions that help everyone learn, make our classroom safe, and show respect. Like listening ears, quiet voices when someone else is talking, and walking feet inside."

(Transition to Slide 3: Unexpected Behaviors)

Teacher: "'Unexpected behaviors' are things that make it hard to learn. They can be noisy or unsafe and might make others feel sad or frustrated. Like shouting out, running in the classroom, or not sharing toys."

"Now, we're going to do a fun activity! I have some picture cards. Some show expected behaviors, and some show unexpected behaviors. We're going to sort them into two groups."

(Distribute Expected vs. Unexpected Behavior Sort Activity cards. Guide students through the sorting activity, discussing each card as a class or in small groups.)

Teacher: "Great job sorting, everyone! You really understand what helps our classroom be calm. One super important expected behavior is raising your hand."

(Transition to Slide 4: Raise Your Hand!)

Teacher: "When you have something to say, or you need help, what's the best way to let me know? That's right, raising your hand quietly!"

(Transition to Slide 5: Why Raise a Hand?)

Teacher: "Raising your hand means everyone gets a chance to share, I can hear you clearly, and it keeps our classroom calm. It helps everyone learn without too much noise."

Calm Down Crew Strategies (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Sometimes, even when we try our best, we might feel big feelings that make us want to shout out or act unexpectedly. That's okay! We all have big feelings. But as part of our Classroom Calm Crew, we have special tools to help ourselves calm down."

(Introduce Calm Down Strategy Cards one by one, using the following prompts and demonstrating each strategy.)

(Transition to Slide 6: Calm Down Strategy 1: Deep Breaths)

Teacher: "Our first strategy is 'Deep Breaths.' Let's pretend we're smelling a beautiful flower, taking a big breath in through our nose, and then blowing out a candle slowly through our mouth. Let's try it together!"

(Practice 2-3 times with students.)

(Transition to Slide 7: Calm Down Strategy 2: Count to Five)

Teacher: "Our next strategy is 'Count to Five.' When you feel frustrated or excited, you can quietly count to five in your head or with your fingers. Let's count to five together!"

(Practice counting slowly to five.)

(Transition to Slide 8: Calm Down Strategy 3: Ask for a Break)

Teacher: "Sometimes, we just need a quiet moment. Our last strategy is 'Ask for a Break.' If you feel like you need to calm your body or your mind, you can quietly ask me for a short break in our calm-down corner."

Practice and Pledge (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Okay, Classroom Calm Crew! Let's practice. I'm going to pretend I'm asking a question, and I want you to show me what it looks like to raise your hand quietly if you know the answer."

(Ask a simple question, e.g., "What's your favorite animal?" and prompt students to raise hands. Select a few to answer.)

Teacher: "Excellent hand-raising! You are all becoming experts! Now, let's make a promise. What is one thing you will do today to be a part of our Calm Crew and help our classroom be the best place to learn?"

Allow students to share one commitment.

Teacher: "Wonderful! Remember, we are the Classroom Calm Crew, and we help each other make our learning space calm and happy!"

(Conclude with Cool Down Check-In.)

Cool Down Check-In: My Calm Crew Promise

Instructions: Think about our lesson today. What is one thing you learned about being part of our Classroom Calm Crew? Draw a picture or write a sentence about it below.

Example Prompts:

• I will remember to raise my hand when...
• When I feel mad, I can...
• Being calm helps me to...

Circle the face that shows how you feel about being a Classroom Calm Crew member!

😊 (Happy/Excited)      😐 (Okay/Neutral)      🙁 (A little confused/Need more help)