Lesson Plan
Zones Introduction Workshop Plan
Adult participants will be able to identify and label their current emotional and energy states using the Zones of Regulation framework.
Understanding your current emotional and energy state is the foundation for effective self-regulation. This lesson will equip adults with the tools to better understand themselves and, by extension, support others.
Audience
Adults
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive presentation, personal reflection, and group discussion.
Materials
Unlocking Your Zones Presentation (slide-deck), My Current Zone Check-In (worksheet), and Sharing Our Zones Experiences (discussion)
Prep
Review Materials
15 minutes
Review the Zones Introduction Workshop Plan, Unlocking Your Zones Presentation, My Current Zone Check-In worksheet, and Sharing Our Zones Experiences discussion guide. Ensure all necessary links are functional and content is familiar.
Step 1
Introduction to the Zones
15 minutes
Display Unlocking Your Zones Presentation slides 1-5.
Introduce the concept of the Zones of Regulation.
Explain each zone (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red) using examples relevant to adult experiences.
Emphasize that all zones are okay, and the goal is awareness, not judgment.
Facilitate a brief Q&A to clarify any initial questions.
Step 2
Personal Zone Check-In
20 minutes
Distribute the My Current Zone Check-In worksheet.
Guide participants through the worksheet, encouraging them to identify their current emotional state and corresponding zone.
Provide time for individual reflection and writing.
Assure participants that this is a personal reflection and they will only share what they are comfortable with.
Step 3
Group Discussion and Sharing
20 minutes
Transition to the Sharing Our Zones Experiences discussion.
Divide participants into small groups (3-4 people) or facilitate a whole-group discussion, depending on comfort levels.
Encourage participants to share how they identified their zone and what it feels like to be in that zone, if they are comfortable.
Facilitate a discussion about the benefits of identifying one's zone and how this awareness can impact daily life and interactions.
Summarize key takeaways from the discussion.
Step 4
Wrap-Up and Next Steps
5 minutes
Conclude the session by reiterating the importance of self-awareness and the Zones of Regulation.
Encourage participants to continue practicing identifying their zones throughout their day.
Provide information on where to find more resources on the Zones of Regulation, if applicable.
Slide Deck
Welcome: How Do I Really Feel Right Now?
Understanding Our Inner World
- Goal: To introduce the Zones of Regulation framework.
- Purpose: To help adults identify and label their emotional and energy states.
- Benefit: A crucial first step towards effective self-regulation and supporting others.
Welcome participants and introduce the workshop's purpose: understanding personal emotional states through the Zones of Regulation. Explain that this framework helps us become more aware of how we feel.
The Zones of Regulation: A Quick Overview
What Are The Zones?
- A systematic way to categorize feelings and states of alertness.
- Four colored zones: Each represents a different range of emotions and energy levels.
- Key Idea: All zones are okay! The goal is awareness and understanding, not avoiding certain zones.
Introduce the four Zones (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red) as a simple way to categorize feelings and energy levels. Emphasize that no zone is "bad"; they are all natural human experiences. Briefly mention the colors are intuitive (e.g., green for calm, red for intense).
Exploring the Blue Zone: Slow & Down
Blue Zone
- Description: Low energy states, often accompanied by feelings of sadness, tiredness, boredom, or sickness.
- Think: "Slow" or "down" feelings.
- Examples: Feeling sluggish in the morning, feeling sad after a difficult conversation, feeling unfocused due to lack of sleep.
Detail the Blue Zone. Give examples of feelings adults might experience in this zone, such as feeling tired after a long day, sad about a personal issue, or bored during a meeting. Discuss the associated energy level (low).
Exploring the Green Zone: Calm & Ready
Green Zone
- Description: A calm state of alertness, where one feels happy, focused, content, or ready to learn/engage.
- Think: "Go" or "ready" feelings.
- Examples: Feeling relaxed after a good workout, feeling focused on a task, feeling content during a pleasant conversation.
Explain the Green Zone. Highlight feelings like calm, happy, focused, and ready to learn or engage. This is often the "optimal" zone for productivity and positive interactions, but stress that it's not the only good zone.
Exploring the Yellow Zone: Wobbly & Alert
Yellow Zone
- Description: Heightened states of alertness, including feelings of stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, or nervousness.
- Think: "Caution" or "wobbly" feelings, but still in control.
- Examples: Feeling stressed about a project deadline, feeling anxious before a big presentation, feeling overly excited about good news.
Discuss the Yellow Zone. Provide examples of feelings like stress from a deadline, frustration with technology, excitement for an event, or feeling silly. Emphasize that it's about having some control, even if emotions are heightened.
Exploring the Red Zone: Out of Control
Red Zone
- Description: Extremely heightened states of alertness, often characterized by feelings of anger, rage, terror, or being completely out of control.
- Think: "Stop" or "explosion" feelings.
- Examples: Feeling overwhelmed by a conflict, experiencing extreme frustration leading to an outburst, feeling terrified in an emergency.
Introduce the Red Zone. Explain this is a highly elevated state where one might feel angry, terrified, or out of control. Stress that strategies are needed to move back to a more regulated zone.
Your Current Zone: A Personal Check-In
What Zone Are YOU In Right Now?
- Take a moment to check in with yourself.
- What emotions are you feeling?
- What is your energy level like?
- Use the My Current Zone Check-In worksheet to guide your reflection.
- There's no "right" or "wrong" zone to be in!
Transition to the personal reflection activity. Instruct participants that they will use the worksheet to privately identify their current zone and articulate what it feels like. Reassure them that there's no right or wrong answer.
Sharing Our Zones: Learning from Each Other
Discussion Guidelines:
- Listen Actively: Pay attention when others share.
- Respect Privacy: Only share what you are comfortable with.
- Focus on Feelings: Describe how you identified your zone and what it feels like.
- Voluntary Sharing: You do not have to share if you prefer not to.
Set the stage for group sharing. Remind participants about respectful listening and that sharing is voluntary. Encourage them to focus on how they identified their zone and what it feels like, rather than specific reasons if they're not comfortable.
Next Steps: Continual Awareness
Keep Practicing!
- Daily Check-Ins: Make it a habit to identify your zone throughout the day.
- Observe Others: Notice how others might be feeling (and what zone they might be in).
- Foundation for Regulation: This awareness is the first step to choosing strategies to regulate your emotions.
- Further Resources: [Link to additional resources if applicable]
Summarize the workshop and emphasize the ongoing practice of self-awareness. Encourage participants to use this framework in their daily lives. Offer where to find additional resources if they want to delve deeper.
Worksheet
My Current Zone Check-In
Take a moment to pause and check in with yourself. How are you feeling right now? What is your energy level like?
1. What emotions am I experiencing at this very moment?
Think about what's happening inside you. Are you feeling happy, sad, frustrated, calm, anxious, excited, tired, angry, focused, silly? List a few words that describe your current emotions.
2. What is my energy level like right now?
Consider your physical and mental energy. Do you feel low on energy, just right, a bit revved up, or super high energy?
3. Based on my emotions and energy, which Zone of Regulation best describes how I feel right now?
- Blue Zone: Low energy, sad, tired, bored, sick.
- Green Zone: Calm, happy, focused, content, ready.
- Yellow Zone: Wobbly, stressed, frustrated, anxious, excited, silly, nervous.
- Red Zone: Out of control, angry, enraged, terrified.
Circle or write down the zone:
4. What does it feel like to be in this zone?
Describe the sensations in your body, your thoughts, or any urges you might be experiencing. (e.g., "My shoulders feel tense," "My mind is racing," "I feel a strong desire to take a break.")
5. What (if anything) might have contributed to me being in this zone?
Think about recent events, interactions, or thoughts that might have led you to this state. (Optional reflection)
Discussion
Sharing Our Zones Experiences
This discussion is an opportunity to share and learn from each other's experiences with identifying personal Zones of Regulation. Remember to listen actively and respect everyone's comfort levels. Only share what you are comfortable sharing.
Discussion Prompts:
-
Checking In:
- For those comfortable sharing, what zone did you identify yourself in during the My Current Zone Check-In activity?
- What sensations or feelings helped you determine you were in that specific zone? (e.g., "I noticed my jaw was clenched, which usually means I'm in the Yellow Zone," or "I felt a sense of calm and focus, indicating Green Zone.")
-
The "Aha!" Moment:
- Was there anything surprising about the zone you identified? Did you expect to be in a different zone?
- How does simply labeling your zone change how you feel about it, even slightly?
-
Real-World Connections:
- Can you recall a recent situation (before this workshop) where you were clearly in one of the zones (Blue, Yellow, or Red)? How might identifying that zone in the moment have been helpful?
- How do you think being able to identify your own zone might impact your interactions with colleagues, family, or students?
-
Beyond Ourselves:
- How might understanding the Zones of Regulation framework help you better understand and support others (e.g., family members, colleagues, students) in their emotional states?
Group Activity Ideas:
- Small Group Share: Divide into groups of 3-4 people to discuss the prompts. This can create a safer space for sharing.
- Think-Pair-Share: Give participants a few minutes to reflect individually, then pair up to discuss, and finally share key insights with the larger group.
- Anonymous Questions: Provide an option for participants to write down questions or reflections anonymously if they are hesitant to speak up.