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Focus & Feelings Quest

gaby

Tier 3
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan

Establish rapport, introduce IEP goals, and assess baseline direction-following and focus skills through a simple game, then complete an emotional check-in.

Building trust and understanding the student’s current focus abilities and feelings provides a clear starting point to measure progress on direction-following and emotional expression goals.

Audience

1st Grade Student

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive games and visuals for focus and emotion checks.

Materials

Goal and Session Overview Poster, Follow-the-Leader Activity Cards, Focus Token Set, Emotion Faces Chart, and Session 1 Reflection Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Session 1 Materials

10 minutes

  • Review all Session 1 materials to familiarize yourself with activities and discussion prompts.
  • Print and cut the Follow-the-Leader Activity Cards and the Goal and Session Overview Poster.
  • Assemble the Focus Token Set (e.g., tokens or counters) in a small container.
  • Display the Emotion Faces Chart where the student can easily see and point.
  • Prepare a clipboard or table space for the Session 1 Reflection Worksheet.

Step 1

Rapport Building & Goal Introduction

5 minutes

  • Greet the student warmly and share a fun fact to build connection.
  • Show the Goal and Session Overview Poster and explain: 1️⃣ We’ll play games to practice following directions and focus. 2️⃣ We’ll talk about feelings and ways to handle big emotions.
  • Ask the student what they’re excited about in counseling.

Step 2

Focus Assessment Activity

10 minutes

  • Explain the Follow-the-Leader game: you give simple directions (e.g., "Touch your nose," "Stand on one foot," "Clap twice").
  • Use the Follow-the-Leader Activity Cards to guide commands.
  • Give a token from the Focus Token Set each time the student follows a direction correctly.
  • Observe and note how many directions are followed without prompts as a baseline.

Step 3

Emotion Check-In

10 minutes

  • Introduce the Emotion Faces Chart and review each face (happy, angry, sad, frustrated).
  • Ask the student to point to how they feel right now and describe why.
  • Encourage them to share a recent time they felt that emotion and what happened.
  • Validate their response and praise any effort to talk about feelings.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Reflection

5 minutes

  • Hand the student the Session 1 Reflection Worksheet.
  • Read each prompt aloud (e.g., "What game did you like?", "How did you feel today?") and let the student respond verbally or draw.
  • Praise their participation and remind them of next week’s session focus.
  • Collect the worksheet and tokens for tracking progress.
lenny

Slide Deck

Welcome to Counseling!

• Hi there! I’m so glad you’re here.
• Today we’ll play games and talk about feelings.
• Let’s have fun together!

Welcome the student warmly. Smile, use a friendly tone, and share a quick fun fact about yourself. Prompt the student to share something they like.

Today’s Goals

  1. Practice following directions and build focus skills.
  2. Talk about big feelings and learn ways to cope.

Show the Goal and Session Overview Poster. Explain each goal clearly and check for understanding. Ask the student what they’re excited about.

Let’s Play Follow-the-Leader

• I will give you simple directions (e.g., “Touch your nose”).
• Follow each one and earn a token!
• Let’s see how many you can get!

Introduce the Follow-the-Leader Activity Cards and Focus Token Set. Demonstrate one or two sample directions. Explain how tokens are earned.

How Are You Feeling?

• Look at our emotion faces: happy, angry, sad, frustrated.
• Point to how you feel right now.
• Tell me about a time you felt that way.

Point to each face on the Emotion Faces Chart. Encourage the student to name and describe a time they felt that way.

Reflection Time

• What game did you like today?
• How did you feel?
• Draw or tell me more!

Hand over the Session 1 Reflection Worksheet. Read each question aloud and let the student draw or tell you their answers.

Great Job Today!

• You did awesome following directions and sharing feelings.
• I can’t wait to see you next week!
• Keep up the great work!

Praise the student’s effort. Remind them of your next session together and what you’ll do.

lenny

Activity

Session 1: Goals & Steps Poster

🎯 Today’s Goals

  1. Follow Directions & Build Focus
    • Play games to practice listening and following steps.
    • Earn tokens for each correct action.
  2. Explore & Share Feelings
    • Talk about big emotions (anger, frustration, sadness).
    • Learn simple ways to feel better.

🗺️ Our Session Steps

  1. Warm-Up & Goal Intro (5 min)
    • Say hello and share a fun fact.
    • Point to our goals for today.
  2. Follow-the-Leader Game (10 min)
    • Listen to simple commands (e.g., “Clap twice”).
    • Earn a token each time you follow correctly.
  3. Emotion Check-In (10 min)
    • Look at our emotion faces chart.
    • Point to how you feel and tell me why.
  4. Reflection & Wrap-Up (5 min)
    • Draw or say what you liked.
    • Share how you felt today.

Let’s have fun, learn, and feel great together! 🎉

lenny
lenny

Activity

Follow-the-Leader Activity Cards

Print and cut along the lines to create individual cards. Show one card at a time and have the student follow the action.

• Touch your head.
• Clap your hands twice.
• Stomp your feet.
• Spin around once.
• Jump up high.
• Pat your tummy.
• Snap your fingers twice.
• Touch your toes.
• Tilt your head left and right.
• Blink your eyes quickly.
• March in place.
• Wave your arms in the air.
• Sit down and stand up.
• Touch your nose.
• Cross your arms.
• Make a silly face.

lenny
lenny

Activity

Focus Token Set

Use small tokens (e.g., counters, stickers, or chips) as positive reinforcement. Each time the student follows a direction correctly, give them one token. At the end of the game or session, count the tokens together and celebrate their focus!

How to Use:

  1. Place tokens in a clear container where the student can see them.
  2. When the student follows a direction correctly:
    • Give verbal praise ("Great job!")
    • Hand over one token.
  3. Track progress by counting tokens after each activity.
  4. Celebrate milestones (e.g., every 5 tokens) with a high-five, sticker, or special recognition.

Materials Needed:

  • 20 focus tokens (counters, plastic chips, or small stickers)
  • A small container or pouch to hold tokens

This system helps the student visualize progress, stay motivated, and build confidence in following directions.

lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Faces Chart

Use this chart to check in with how you’re feeling. Point to or circle the face that shows your emotion right now.

😊 Happy – I feel good, excited, or proud.

😠 Angry – I feel mad or upset.

😢 Sad – I feel unhappy or hurt.

😤 Frustrated – I feel stuck or annoyed.

After you point to your face, tell me:

  1. When was the last time you felt this way?






  1. What happened that made you feel this emotion?






lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Session 1 Reflection Worksheet

Name: _________________________ Date: ____________

  1. What game did you like the most today?






  1. How many tokens did you earn in the Follow-the-Leader game?






  1. Which face shows how you felt today? (Circle one)

😊 Happy 😠 Angry 😢 Sad 😤 Frustrated



  1. Draw how you felt today or draw your favorite game activity:











  1. What is one thing you want to try or learn in our next session?






lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Lesson Plan

Strengthen listening and focus with Simon Says and indoor sequence challenges, teach “Bubble Breaths” for emotion regulation, and reflect on progress.

This session reinforces direction-following in a confined space, builds focus through fun sequencing games, and equips the student with a simple breathing tool to manage big feelings.

Audience

1st Grade Student

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Game-based sequencing and a visual coping strategy

Materials

Simon Says Activity Cards, Indoor Sequence Challenge Cards, Bubble Breaths Coping Strategy Poster, Focus Token Set, and Session 2 Reflection Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Session 2 Materials

10 minutes

  • Review all Session 2 materials and prompts.
  • Print and cut the Simon Says Activity Cards and the Indoor Sequence Challenge Cards.
  • Display the Bubble Breaths Coping Strategy Poster.
  • Set out the Focus Token Set.
  • Prepare a clipboard or table space for the Session 2 Reflection Worksheet.

Step 1

Warm-Up & Review

5 minutes

  • Greet the student and recall last week’s Follow-the-Leader game.
  • Remind them of our two goals: following directions/focus and talking about feelings.
  • Celebrate any progress they remember.

Step 2

Simon Says Listening Game

8 minutes

  • Explain Simon Says rules: only follow commands prefaced by “Simon Says.”
  • Show one card at a time from the Simon Says Activity Cards.
  • Award one token from the Focus Token Set for each correct response.
  • Gently correct mistakes and encourage focus.

Step 3

Sequence Challenge Activity

7 minutes

  • Introduce the Indoor Sequence Challenge Cards for three-step action sequences in a small space.
  • Shuffle cards face down, draw one, and read the three steps aloud.
  • Student performs each action in sequence.
  • Award one token for each correctly completed card.
  • Count total tokens earned so far.

Step 4

Teach Bubble Breaths Strategy

5 minutes

  • Show the Bubble Breaths Coping Strategy Poster.
  • Model taking deep “bubble breaths”: inhale through nose (1-2-3), hold (1), exhale slowly through mouth.
  • Practice together imagining blowing bubbles.
  • Explain how it helps calm big feelings.

Step 5

Reflection & Wrap-Up

5 minutes

  • Hand over the [Session
lenny

Activity

Simon Says Activity Cards (PDF Ready)

Print each page at 100% scale. Cut along the ✂︎ crop marks to create individual cards.

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Jump up and down

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Touch your shoulders

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Spin in a circle

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Wiggle your fingers

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Pat your head

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Stomp your feet

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
March in place

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Hop on one foot

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Wave your arms above your head

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Blink your eyes quickly

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Clap your hands three times

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Touch your toes

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Tilt your head left and right

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Sit down, then stand up

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Make a silly face

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

Simon Says:
Stretch your arms out wide

✂︎ ✂︎

lenny
lenny

Activity

Indoor Sequence Challenge Cards

Print each page at 100% scale and cut along the ✂︎ crop marks to create individual cards. Each card lists three simple actions to follow in order. These challenges can be done in a small space—no obstacle course needed!

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Clap your hands twice.
  2. Spin in a circle once.
  3. Stomp your feet one time.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Touch your shoulders.
  2. Jump up high.
  3. March in place for 3 seconds.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Blink your eyes quickly.
  2. Pat your tummy three times.
  3. Wave your arms above your head.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Tilt your head left and right.
  2. Hop on one foot.
  3. Clap under your leg once.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. March in place loudly.
  2. Touch your toes.
  3. Make a silly face.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Snap your fingers twice.
  2. Spin around twice.
  3. Stand on tiptoes for 3 seconds.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Cross your arms.
  2. Stomp your feet softly.
  3. Clap three times above your head.

✂︎ ✂︎

✂︎ ✂︎

  1. Touch your nose.
  2. Pat your head.
  3. Sit down and stand up once.

✂︎ ✂︎

How to Use:

  1. Shuffle the cards face down.
  2. Draw one card at a time and read the three steps aloud.
  3. Student performs each action in sequence.
  4. For every correctly completed card, award one token from the Focus Token Set.
  5. Celebrate after every 3 tokens with a high-five or verbal praise!
lenny
lenny

Activity

Bubble Breaths Coping Strategy Poster

Use this poster to practice a calming breathing exercise whenever you feel big feelings (anger, frustration, or sadness).

1. Find Your Bubble Wand

• Pretend you’re holding a bubble wand in front of your mouth.

2. Breathe In Slowly

• Inhale quietly through your nose while you count to 3: 1…2…3…

3. Hold for a Moment

• Pause and feel the air inside for 1 count: 1…

4. Blow a Big Bubble

• Exhale gently through your mouth like you’re blowing a bubble.
• Make a slow “puhhhh” sound and watch your imaginary bubble float away.

5. Repeat 3 Times

• Inhale 1…2…3
• Hold 1…
• Blow the bubble away.
• Notice how you feel calmer each time.

“Bubble Breaths” helps your body slow down, your mind feel quieter, and your heart beat gently. Next time you feel upset, give it a try!

lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Session 2 Reflection Worksheet

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________

  1. Which game did you like best today? (Circle one)
    Simon Says  Obstacle Course






  1. How many tokens did you earn in total?






  1. How did Bubble Breaths (see Bubble Breaths Coping Strategy Poster) make you feel?






  1. Draw or describe how you felt after doing Bubble Breaths:











  1. When could you use Bubble Breaths at school or home?






  1. What is one thing you want to try or learn in our next session?






lenny
lenny