Emotional Superpowers: Navigating Feelings at Camp

Pattie Pultorak

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Emotional Superpowers Lesson Plan

Help a 10-year-old emotionally dysregulated child at camp identify, acknowledge, and manage emotions while using redirection techniques to foster self-regulation.

This lesson is important as it provides a focused and effective intervention to empower the child with emotional awareness, easing social interactions and overall well-being at camp.

Audience

10-Year-Old Child at Camp

Time

5 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, role-play, and a scripted emotional redirection.

Materials

Emotional Superpowers Lesson Plan

Prep

Preparation and Review

2 minutes

Review the Emotional Superpowers Lesson Plan to understand the overall structure and specific redirection strategies.
Prepare a calm, quiet space suitable for one-on-one interaction.
Briefly note key points for discussion on recognizing different emotions and simple self-regulation techniques.

Step 1

Opening Discussion

1 minute

Start by greeting the child warmly to create a safe environment.
Ask the child to describe how they're feeling and acknowledge the emotion without judgment.

Step 2

Redirection Technique

2 minutes

Explain to the child that feelings are like superpowers that help us understand our needs.
Use a simple analogy (like a traffic light: red means stop/slow, green means go) to illustrate when to pause and think before reacting.
Encourage the child to take a deep breath and count to three as a redirection technique when emotions run high.

Step 3

Scripted Interaction

2 minutes

Read a short, scripted interaction where a character identifies a strong emotion and uses the redirection strategy effectively:
• 'When I feel really upset like a storm inside, I slow down and take deep breaths, just like when I press a pause button.'
Invite the child to repeat the script and discuss how they can apply this when needed.

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Discussion

Emotional Awareness Discussion

This discussion is designed to offer a safe space where you can share and explore your feelings, understand them better, and practice ways to manage them. Remember, your feelings are like superpowers that help you know what you need. Let's talk about them!

Discussion Guidelines

Safe Space: This is a judgment-free zone. Every feeling is important and deserves to be understood.
Honesty: Share how you really feel. There are no wrong answers for feelings.
Listening: We will take turns speaking and listening. Your thoughts matter!
Openness: If you're not sure how to describe your feelings, that's okay. We'll explore different words and stories together.

Warm-Up Question

Can you tell me about a time at camp when you felt really strong emotions, like excitement, anger, or sadness? What was happening then?

Key Questions to Explore

Different Emotions:
- What are some feelings you've experienced this week?
- How did those feelings make your body feel (for example, did you feel tense, energetic, calm)?
Understanding Emotional Cues:
- Think about the traffic light analogy: when do you feel it's time to 'pause'? Can you describe a time that might be like hitting the 'red light'?
- What might help you feel 'green' (ready to go) after calming down?
Coping Strategies:
- How can taking deep breaths help when emotions feel overwhelming?
- Can you think of another fun way (like a superhero power move) to help calm down when you're feeling upset?

Follow-Up Points

Role-Play: If you feel up to it, let's try a role-play using the redirection script: "When I feel really upset like a storm inside, I slow down and take deep breaths, just like when I press a pause button." How did that feel?
Reflection: What is one thing you learned about your feelings today? How can you use that next time you need to press the pause button?
Encouragement: Remember that every time you try these strategies, you are growing your emotional superpowers!

This discussion helps us build more awareness about our inner feelings and how we can really be in control by redirecting those feelings. Thank you for sharing and being brave.

Emotional Superpowers Lesson Plan

Script

Emotional Redirection Script

Teacher Script:

"Hi there! I want to share a little story with you about a friend of mine named Jamie. Sometimes, when Jamie feels really upset, like a storm is swirling inside, they know just what to do. Jamie says, 'When I feel really upset like a storm inside, I slow down and take deep breaths, just like when I press a pause button.'

Now, let's try it together. Imagine you're feeling like a storm inside. Take a deep breath in... and a slow breath out. Great job! Now, can you repeat after me: 'When I feel really upset like a storm inside, I slow down and take deep breaths, just like when I press a pause button.'

Excellent! This is your very own emotional redirection superpower. Every time you feel overwhelmed, you can use this superpower to help you feel better and more in control."

Take a moment to reflect: How do you think using your 'pause button' can help you during a stormy feeling? Feel free to share your thoughts when you're ready!