Mood Meter Check

Instructions:

1. Review the Mood Meter quadrants:
   • High Energy & Pleasant (e.g., excited, happy)
   • Low Energy & Pleasant (e.g., calm, content)
   • Low Energy & Unpleasant (e.g., sad, tired)
   • High Energy & Unpleasant (e.g., anxious, angry)
2. Distribute the Mood Meter Check handout and a pen or pencil.
3. Take a moment to reflect on your current feelings and place a mark in the quadrant that best matches your mood.
4. In the space provided below the meter, write one word that describes how you feel right now.
   
   
   Word describing my mood: __________
   
   
   

Materials:

• Printed Mood Meter Check handout
• Pens or pencils

Time: 5 minutes

Trigger Timeline Creation

Time: 15 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers

Activity Overview

In small groups (3–4 students), you will create a visual timeline of your personal emotional triggers from the start of the school year until now. This helps you see patterns in what events spark strong emotions and how you’ve responded.

Steps to Follow

1. Form groups and each take a large sheet of chart paper and a set of colored markers.
2. Draw a horizontal line across the paper. Label the left end “Start of Year” and the right end “Today.”
3. Each group member will pick at least three personal trigger events. For each event, on the timeline:
   • Draw a dot at approximately where the event occurred (in time).
   • Next to the dot, write:
   • Date or Week: When it happened
   • Event Description: What actually triggered you?
   • Intensity: Rate from 1 (low) to 5 (high)
   • Context: Who was involved? Where were you?
   • Coping Response: What did you do to calm down (if anything)?
     • Use a different color for each intensity level (e.g., green = 1–2, yellow = 3, orange = 4, red = 5).
4. Once all events are plotted, connect the dots in chronological order to form a “trigger curve.” This will show peaks (high intensity) and valleys (low intensity).
   
   

Reflection & Discussion

When your timeline is complete, discuss these questions as a group and jot down a few notes next to your chart:

• What patterns do you notice in the timing or type of triggers?
• Which events had the highest intensity and why do you think that is?
• Are there similar contexts (people, places) that come up more than once?
• Which coping strategies seemed to work best? Which might you change next time?
  
  

Share-Out (Optional)

If time allows, display each group’s timeline in front of the class and share one insight you gained from this activity.

Daily Reflection Log

Name: ____________________ Date: ____________________

1. Describe the trigger event you noticed today. What happened?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Rate the intensity of your emotional reaction (1 = low, 5 = high). Why did you choose this rating?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. What thoughts or feelings did you experience in that moment?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. What coping strategy did you use? Describe your response and how effective it was.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. If you could choose a different strategy next time, what would you try and why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. What insight did you gain about your emotional triggers today?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

One-Minute Breathing

Time: 1 minute


Instructions:

1. Sit comfortably in your chair with feet flat on the floor and hands resting on your lap.
   
   
2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the floor.
   
   
3. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4 (1–2–3–4).
   
   
4. Hold your breath for a count of 1.
   
   
5. Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 4 (1–2–3–4).
   
   
6. Repeat this cycle for one full minute, letting your body relax more with each exhale.
   
   

Reflection:

After you finish, notice how your body and mind feel. Carry this calm into the rest of your day.