Lesson Plan
Trigger & Tactic Toolkit
Guide a 7th grade student to recognize personal emotional triggers and practice effective coping strategies through reflection and role-play. Goals: identify triggers, explore coping options, practice techniques, and develop a personalized action plan.
Middle school students often face new stressors but lack emotional awareness and coping tools. This session builds self-awareness, resilience, and empowers the student with practical strategies to manage emotions, reducing anxiety and improving classroom engagement.
Audience
7th Grade Student
Time
45 minutes
Approach
One-on-one guided reflection, strategy review & practice
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Coping Strategy Cards slide deck and select 3–5 strategies to highlight
- Read through the Counselor Conversation Script to familiarize key questions and prompts
- Prepare a printed copy of the Trigger Tracker Journal for student use
- Ensure a quiet, comfortable space for a confidential one-on-one session
Step 1
Introduction & Rapport Building
5 minutes
- Greet the student warmly and establish a safe, confidential space
- Explain the session’s objective: understanding triggers and coping strategies
- Set ground rules (e.g., honesty, respect, confidentiality) to encourage open dialogue
Step 2
Explore Emotional Triggers
10 minutes
- Use prompts in the Trigger Tracker Journal to identify recent situations that felt challenging
- Ask open-ended questions from the Counselor Conversation Script to probe feelings and reactions
- Record 2–3 key emotional triggers in the journal for reference
Step 3
Present Coping Strategies
10 minutes
- Present the Coping Strategy Cards slide deck, briefly explaining each technique
- Highlight 3–5 strategies (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk, grounding exercises)
- Invite the student to select 2 strategies they’d like to try today
Step 4
Practice Coping Techniques
10 minutes
- Guide the student through a brief deep breathing or grounding exercise together
- Role-play a triggering scenario using prompts from the Counselor Conversation Script
- Encourage the student to apply their chosen strategies and note observations in the journal
Step 5
Reflect & Plan Next Steps
10 minutes
- Discuss which coping strategies felt most helpful and why
- Co-create a simple action plan: when and how to use selected strategies in the future
- Set a concrete goal for the week and schedule a follow-up check-in session
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Slide Deck
Coping Strategy Cards
Welcome! Select a strategy from these cards to help you manage challenging emotions and feel more in control.
Introduce the purpose of these cards: tools to use anytime you feel upset, anxious, or stressed. Invite the student to glance through and pick one to try today.
Deep Breathing
• Inhale slowly for 4 counts
• Hold your breath for 2 counts
• Exhale gently for 6 counts
• Repeat 5 times
Explain deep breathing step by step. Guide the student through one practice round: count together on each inhale/exhale.
Positive Self-Talk
• Notice negative thoughts
• Replace with encouraging phrases, e.g.:
– “I can handle this.”
– “I am calm and capable.”
• Repeat as needed
Discuss how words we say to ourselves can calm nerves. Prompt student to share a stressful thought and reframe it kindly.
Grounding: 5-4-3-2-1
• Name 5 things you can see
• Name 4 things you can touch
• Name 3 things you can hear
• Name 2 things you can smell
• Name 1 thing you can taste
Demonstrate the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method. Walk through naming items in the room or environment.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Tense a muscle group (feet, legs, arms) for 5 seconds
• Slowly release tension
• Move to the next group
• Notice the difference between tension and relaxation
Guide the student through tensing and relaxing each muscle group. Model one group (e.g., fists) then let them follow.
Visualization
• Close your eyes
• Imagine a safe, peaceful place
• Notice what you see, hear, and feel
• Stay there for 1–2 minutes
Ask the student to close their eyes and picture a calm place (beach, forest). Encourage details: sound of waves, feel of grass.
Movement Break
• Stand and stretch your arms overhead
• Roll your shoulders forward and back
• Take a short walk or march in place
• Shake out any tension
Encourage physical movement to reset energy. Lead a quick stretch routine or walk around the room together.
Mindful Observation
• Pick one object nearby
• Notice its color, shape, texture
• Listen for any sounds it makes
• Describe it in writing or out loud
Prompt the student to select a small object (pencil, leaf) and describe it in detail. Use all senses.
Gratitude Pause
• Think of 2–3 things you’re grateful for
• Reflect on why each matters
• Notice how gratitude changes your mood
Invite the student to think quietly or jot down things they appreciate in their life. Discuss why each is meaningful.
Journaling
• Write about a recent tough moment
• Describe what you felt and why
• Note which strategy you used and how it helped
Explain that journaling can help track triggers and coping success. Provide a journal or notebook.
Script
Counselor Conversation Script
Below is a word-for-word script for each phase of the one-on-one session. Use the exact language, thoughtful questions, and follow-up prompts to guide the student through identifying triggers and practicing coping strategies.
1. Introduction & Rapport Building (5 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Hi [Student Name], I’m really glad we have this time together. Before we begin, I want us both to feel safe and heard. Everything we talk about stays between us.
First, can you tell me how you’re feeling right now?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “That’s interesting—can you say more about what makes you feel that way?”
• “I appreciate you sharing. What does ‘feeling safe’ look like to you in this space?”
“I have three simple ground-rules: honesty, respect, and confidentiality. Do those make sense? Do you have any questions?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “What would honesty look like in our conversation?”
• “Is there anything else you need to feel respected today?”
2. Explore Emotional Triggers (10 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Great. I’d like you to open your Trigger Tracker Journal. On the first page, you’ll see a prompt: ‘Describe a recent moment when you felt upset, worried, or overwhelmed.’ Take a moment to think of one situation. When you’re ready, tell me about what happened.”
Allow the student to describe the event.
Teacher asks:
“Thank you for sharing. As you think back to that moment:
- What were you feeling in your body? (heart rate, sweaty palms, tense muscles)
- What thoughts were running through your mind?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “Did anything else surprise you about how you reacted?”
• “Can you rate how strong that feeling was on a scale of 1 to 5?”
Teacher says:
“Let’s write those down as your first two triggers in the journal.”
3. Present Coping Strategies (10 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Now, let’s look at some tools you can use when those triggers pop up. I’m going to show you the Coping Strategy Cards. You’ll see techniques like deep breathing, grounding, and positive self-talk. I’ll briefly explain each one.”
Quickly review 3–5 cards, using exactly the language on the slide.
Teacher asks:
“Which two strategies would you most like to try today?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “What makes you choose that one?”
• “How do you think it will help you next time you feel upset?”
Teacher says:
“Perfect. Let’s practice those now.”
4. Practice Coping Techniques (10 minutes)
Teacher says:
“First, we’ll do deep breathing together. Sit comfortably, place your hands on your belly. Breathe in slowly for four counts… 1…2…3…4. Hold for two… 1…2. Exhale gently for six… 1…2…3…4…5…6. Let’s do that five times.”
After practice:
Teacher asks:
“How did that feel? What changes did you notice in your body or mind?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “Was it easy or hard to focus on the counts?”
• “What else did you observe?”
Teacher says:
“Next, let’s role-play a trigger. Imagine you’re about to give a presentation and your stomach feels tight. I’ll play a friend asking how you’re feeling. You practice using your strategy.”
Teach and coach through the role-play, prompting the student to pause and use the coping technique.
Teacher asks:
“When you used the strategy there, what did you feel? Did it help calm you?”
5. Reflect & Plan Next Steps (10 minutes)
Teacher says:
“You did an awesome job practicing today. Let’s think back: which strategy felt most helpful, and why?”
Potential follow-up prompts:
• “What part of it worked best for you?”
• “How could you remind yourself to use it when you’re at school?”
Teacher says:
“Let’s make a simple plan. On a sticky note or in your Trigger Tracker Journal, write: ‘When I notice my stomach tighten or my thoughts race, I will take three deep breaths and say, ‘I can handle this.’ Then I’ll pause before I respond.’”
Teacher asks:
“What goal will you set for this week? For example, ‘I will use my breathing exercise once each day before class.’”
Teacher says:
“Finally, let’s pick a time to check back in. How about we meet again next Wednesday right after lunch? Does that work for you?”
“I’m proud of your effort today. You’ve got some powerful tools now, and I’ll be here to help you keep practicing.”
end of script
Activity
Trigger Tracker Journal
Use this journal to notice when you feel upset, track what’s happening, and practice your coping strategies. Fill in each section after an experience.
1. Describe the Trigger
Describe a recent moment when you felt upset, worried, or overwhelmed. What happened?
2. Physical & Emotional Signs
- What did you notice in your body? (heart rate, tense muscles, etc.)
- What thoughts were running through your mind?
3. Coping Strategy Used
- Which coping strategy did you try? (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk)
- How did you use it in that moment?
4. Reflection & Next Steps
- Did the strategy help? Why or why not?
- What will you try next time?
5. Weekly Goal
- Set a goal for when and how you'll use your strategy this week.
- When will you check in on your progress? (e.g., next session)