Lesson Plan
Session 1: Spotting Your Spark
Students will identify personal impulses and reflect on situations where they arise to build self-awareness and set the foundation for thoughtful responses.
Understanding impulses helps students recognize triggers, pause before acting, and improve self-regulation and decision-making both in and out of class.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Introduction and Warm-Up
5 minutes
Step 2
Define Impulse
5 minutes
Step 3
Impulse Reflection Activity
10 minutes
Step 4
Group Discussion
5 minutes
Step 5
Personal Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
5 minutes
Worksheet
Slide Deck
Session 1: Spotting Your Spark
Warm-Up: What Excites You?
Today's Objective
What Is an Impulse?
Impulse Reflection Activity
Group Discussion
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
Next Session Preview
Script
Lesson Plan
Session 2: The Power of Pause
Students will learn and practice the Pause–Breathe–Count technique to interrupt impulsive urges and make more thoughtful choices.
Teaching a simple pause strategy empowers students to break the impulse–action cycle, improving self-control and decision-making in and out of school.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Recap & Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Teach the Pause Strategy
5 minutes
Step 3
Guided Breathing Practice
5 minutes
Step 4
Scenario Role-Play Activity
10 minutes
Step 5
Group Discussion
3 minutes
Step 6
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
2 minutes
Worksheet
Slide Deck
Session 2: The Power of Pause
Recap & Objective
Step 1: Teach the Pause Strategy
Guided Breathing Practice
Scenario Role-Play Activity
Group Discussion
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
Next Session Preview
Lesson Plan
Session 3: Catch Your Thoughts
Students will identify and label automatic thoughts that arise during impulsive moments to understand how thinking drives behavior and prepare to challenge unhelpful thoughts.
Automatic thoughts often trigger impulsive actions before we realize it. Recognizing these thoughts gives students insight into their triggers, paving the way for more intentional choices.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Recap & Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Define Automatic Thoughts
5 minutes
Step 3
Guided Thought-Catching Example
5 minutes
Step 4
Independent Worksheet Activity
8 minutes
Step 5
Pair Share & Discussion
4 minutes
Step 6
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
3 minutes
Worksheet
Slide Deck
Session 3: Catch Your Thoughts
Recap & Today’s Goal
What Are Automatic Thoughts?
Guided Thought-Catching Example
Worksheet Activity
Pair Share & Discussion
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
Next Session Preview
Lesson Plan
Session 4: Challenge the Story
Students will learn to identify common cognitive distortions in their automatic thoughts and practice reframing them into balanced, realistic thoughts to reduce impulsive reactions.
Challenging unhelpful thought patterns helps students shift from rigid, extreme thinking to more balanced perspectives, supporting better emotional regulation and intentional choices.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Recap & Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Define Cognitive Distortions
5 minutes
Step 3
Guided Reframing Example
5 minutes
Step 4
Independent Worksheet Activity
8 minutes
Step 5
Pair Share & Discussion
4 minutes
Step 6
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
3 minutes
Worksheet
Slide Deck
Session 4: Challenge the Story
Recap & Today’s Goal
What Are Cognitive Distortions?
Guided Reframing Example
Worksheet Activity
Pair Share & Discussion
Journal Entry & Wrap-Up
Next Session Preview
Lesson Plan
Session 5: Plan Your Playbook
Students will create personalized action plans (playbooks) that link their common impulse triggers to learned strategies—Pause–Breathe–Count, thought-catching, and reframing—to guide intentional choices in school and home settings.
By planning ahead, students turn abstract skills into concrete steps they can follow when impulses arise, boosting confidence, self-control, and consistent use of strategies across contexts.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Recap & Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Brainstorm Triggers & Tools
7 minutes
Step 3
Introduce Playbook Template
3 minutes
Step 4
Independent Planning
10 minutes
Step 5
Pair Share & Feedback
3 minutes
Step 6
Commit & Journal Wrap-Up
2 minutes
Worksheet
Lesson Plan
Session 6: Putting It All Together
Students will review and apply all learned self-regulation skills—spotting impulses, pausing, catching and reframing thoughts—and create a maintenance plan to sustain their progress.
Putting all strategies together helps students solidify skills, build confidence in real-life situations, and plan ongoing peer-supported accountability to manage impulsivity and make thoughtful decisions.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Recap & Warm-Up
5 minutes
Step 2
Strategy Relay Review
5 minutes
Step 3
Integration Practice Activity
10 minutes
Step 4
Peer Role Play & Feedback
5 minutes
Step 5
Group Discussion & Share-Out
3 minutes
Step 6
Personal Maintenance Plan & Wrap-Up
2 minutes
Worksheet
