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Coping Skills: My Calm Kit

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Melissa Premo

Tier 2

Lesson Plan

Coping Skills: My Calm Kit

Students will identify 1-2 simple coping skills and begin to create a visual or sensory "calm kit" to manage big emotions.

Learning to recognize and manage emotions is crucial for all students. This lesson provides accessible, visual strategies for students with severe learning disabilities and nonverbal autism to develop self-regulation tools, improving their well-being and classroom participation.

Audience

Small Group, Elementary School Students (2nd-5th Grade), Students with Severe Learning Disabilities, Nonverbal Autistic Students

Time

20 Minutes

Approach

Highly visual, sensory-focused, and guided practice.

Materials

Small bin or bag for each student, Visual cards of coping skills (e.g., deep breath, squeeze hands, soft blanket, favorite toy) Coping Skills Visual Cards, Calm Down Bottle (pre-made), Optional: Stress balls, fidget toys, soft fabrics, sensory items for calm kits, and My Calm Kit Slide Deck

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

  • Review the My Calm Kit Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
  • Print and cut out the Coping Skills Visual Cards.
  • Gather a small bin or bag for each student.
  • Prepare a pre-made Calm Down Bottle.
  • Collect a variety of optional sensory items (stress balls, fidget toys, soft fabrics, favorite small toys) that students might choose for their calm kits. Ensure all items are safe and appropriate for the students.
  • Set up the projector/screen for the My Calm Kit Slide Deck.

Step 1

Introduction & What Are Big Emotions? (Slides 1-2)

3 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce the topic: \

Step 2

Explore Coping Skills (Slides 3-6)

7 minutes

  • Show [Slide 3: \

Step 3

Build Your Calm Kit (Slides 7-8)

7 minutes

  • Show [Slide 7: \

Step 4

Wrap Up (Slide 9)

3 minutes

  • Show [Slide 9: \
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Slide Deck

Coping Skills: My Calm Kit

Learning to Feel Better

Welcome students. Use a calm and clear voice. Point to visuals as you speak. Acknowledge that everyone has big emotions sometimes.

What Are Big Emotions?

Sometimes we feel:
- Happy 😊
- Sad 😞
- Angry 😠
- Worried 😟

Point to each emotion picture. Model the facial expressions or body language for each emotion. Ask students, "Have you ever felt (emotion)?" Encourage nonverbal responses like nodding or pointing to the emotion they feel.

Coping Skills: Help Me Feel Better!

When big emotions come, we can:
- Take a deep breath 🌬️
* Breathe in slowly (hold hand up, trace up)
* Breathe out slowly (trace down)

Introduce coping skills as ways to help us feel better. Show the first visual card for 'Deep Breath.' Model taking a deep breath and have students imitate.

Coping Skills: Help Me Feel Better!

When big emotions come, we can:
- Squeeze my hands! 🙌
* Squeeze tight, then relax

Introduce 'Squeeze Hands.' Model squeezing hands tight and then relaxing. Explain that this can help get out some of the 'wiggly' feelings.

Coping Skills: Help Me Feel Better!

When big emotions come, we can:
- Hold a soft blanket or toy 🧸
* Feel the soft texture

Introduce 'Soft Blanket/Item.' Emphasize the comforting texture. If possible, have a soft blanket or fabric available to touch.

Coping Skills: Help Me Feel Better!

When big emotions come, we can:
- Watch a calm down bottle 💧
* Watch the glitter settle, like our feelings

Introduce 'Calm Down Bottle.' Show the pre-made calm down bottle and shake it. Point out how the glitter slowly settles. Explain that our minds can calm down like the glitter.

My Calm Kit! 📦

A special box or bag with things that help me feel calm!

Explain that a 'calm kit' is a special box or bag with things that help us feel calm. Show the empty bin/bag for the calm kit.

What will go in MY Calm Kit?

Choose things that help YOU feel calm!
- A soft toy 🧸
- A fidget spinner
- A calm down bottle 💧
- A picture of a deep breath 🌬️
- A picture of squeezing hands 🙌

Review the coping skills again. Show the Coping Skills Visual Cards. Have students choose 1-2 items (or visual cards representing items) to put into their personal calm kit. Guide them in their choices. They can choose from the sensory items provided or the visual cards. Emphasize that it's their kit.

Great Job! You have a Calm Kit!

Now you have tools to help when you have big emotions!

Reiterate that it's good to have ways to feel better. Give positive reinforcement for their participation.

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Activity

Coping Skills Visual Cards

Instructions for Teacher: Print these cards, laminate them if possible, and cut them out. Use them to introduce and reinforce coping skills, and allow students to choose cards for their personal calm kits. For nonverbal students, pointing to the card can be a way to communicate their chosen coping skill.

Card 1: Deep Breath 🌬️

(Image Placeholder: Simple line drawing of lungs or a child taking a deep breath, perhaps with an arrow showing inhale/exhale)

  • Text: Breathe In, Breathe Out
  • Action: Take a slow, deep breath.





Card 2: Squeeze Hands 🙌

(Image Placeholder: Simple drawing of two hands squeezing together tightly)

  • Text: Squeeze Hands
  • Action: Squeeze hands tight, then relax.





Card 3: Soft Item 🧸

(Image Placeholder: Simple drawing of a soft blanket, teddy bear, or a child holding a soft item)

  • Text: Touch Something Soft
  • Action: Feel a soft blanket or toy.





Card 4: Calm Down Bottle 💧

(Image Placeholder: Simple drawing of a glitter calm down bottle, with glitter settling)

  • Text: Watch Calm Bottle
  • Action: Watch the glitter settle.





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