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Master Your Impulses

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Nicole LaRoche

Tier 3
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Master Your Impulses Lesson Plan

Students will identify personal impulsive triggers, learn a pause-and-plan strategy, and apply self-control techniques in realistic scenarios to improve impulse management.

Impulsive actions can lead to regrets or conflicts. Teaching impulse control helps students make thoughtful decisions, reduce behavioral issues, and enhance emotional regulation.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Identify triggers, practice pause-and-plan, and reflect.

Materials

  • Impulse Triggers Chart, - Pause-and-Plan Strategy Poster, and - Impulse Reflection Worksheet

Prep

Review Lesson Materials

5 minutes

  • Review Impulse Triggers Chart, Pause-and-Plan Strategy Poster, and Impulse Reflection Worksheet.
  • Familiarize yourself with the pause-and-plan steps to guide the student effectively.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

2 minutes

  • Ask the student to recall a recent moment when they acted on impulse.
  • Encourage sharing feelings and consequences of that moment.
  • Note any common triggers mentioned.

Step 2

Teach Pause-and-Plan

3 minutes

  • Present Impulse Triggers Chart and discuss typical triggers.
  • Introduce Pause-and-Plan Strategy Poster steps: Pause, Breathe, Think, Plan.
  • Model the strategy with a simple example.

Step 3

Scenario Practice

5 minutes

  • Provide two short real-life scenarios (e.g., blurting out in class, grabbing phone).
  • Have the student apply pause-and-plan to each scenario.
  • Offer prompts: "What would you feel? How would you pause? What plan would you choose?"

Step 4

Reflection Journaling

3 minutes

  • Use Impulse Reflection Worksheet.
  • Student writes one scenario they faced and how they could apply pause-and-plan.
  • Discuss their reflections and correct misunderstandings.

Step 5

Cool-Down Affirmation

2 minutes

  • Guide the student in a positive affirmation: "I can control my impulses."
  • Encourage deep breaths and envision using pause-and-plan in one more scenario.
  • Praise their effort and set a goal to practice throughout the day.
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Slide Deck

Master Your Impulses

A 15-minute individual session to recognize triggers, practice Pause-and-Plan, and build self-control.

Welcome the student and introduce the topic. Explain that today’s session will help them understand and manage impulses in just 15 minutes.

Learning Objectives

• Identify personal impulse triggers
• Learn the Pause-and-Plan strategy
• Apply self-control in real-life scenarios

Review the objectives aloud. Ask the student if any objectives sound especially helpful to them.

Common Impulse Triggers

• Feeling angry or frustrated
• Wanting an immediate reward
• Peer pressure or excitement
• Boredom or restlessness

(See Impulse Triggers Chart for more examples.)

Display the Impulse Triggers Chart. Ask the student to name times they’ve felt bored, frustrated, or tempted to act quickly.

Pause-and-Plan Strategy

  1. Pause: Stop before you act
  2. Breathe: Take a deep breath
  3. Think: What are my options?
  4. Plan: Choose a better response

(Refer to Pause-and-Plan Strategy Poster)

Introduce each step of Pause-and-Plan. Model with an example: wanting to blurt out in class.

Scenario Practice

Scenario 1: You’re tempted to blurt out an answer in class.
Scenario 2: You want to grab your phone during homework.

For each:
• Identify the trigger
• Describe how you’d pause and breathe
• Explain your plan

Read each scenario and guide the student through Pause-and-Plan. Ask: “What trigger is at play? How would you pause? What’s your plan?”

Reflection Time

Use your Impulse Reflection Worksheet to write:

  1. A recent impulsive moment
  2. How you’ll apply Pause-and-Plan next time

Give the Impulse Reflection Worksheet. Encourage honest writing and then discuss their response.

Affirmation & Next Steps

“I can control my impulses.”

• Take deep breaths now
• Set one goal to use Pause-and-Plan today
• Remember your strategy whenever you feel an urge

Lead the student in saying the affirmation and breathing together. Help them set one goal to practice the strategy today.

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Activity

Impulse Triggers Chart

Use this chart to notice common triggers, describe how they feel, and plan how to pause before acting.

Common TriggerHow I Feel in the MomentHow I Can Pause (Pause-and-Plan Idea)
Feeling angry or frustrated



Wanting an immediate reward



Peer pressure or excitement



Boredom or restlessness



My own trigger: ______________________



Think of another moment you acted on impulse. Write it below and plan your pause-and-plan steps:

Trigger: ________________________________



How I Felt: _____________________________



My Pause-and-Plan Steps:





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Activity

Pause-and-Plan Strategy Poster

⏸️ Step 1: Pause
Stop for a moment before you act.

🌬️ Step 2: Breathe
Take a slow, deep breath: inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

💭 Step 3: Think
Consider your options and consequences:

  • What happened?
  • What are my choices?
  • What could go right or wrong?

📝 Step 4: Plan
Choose a thoughtful response and then follow through.

Keep this poster handy to remind yourself to Pause-and-Plan whenever you feel the urge to act quickly!

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Worksheet

Impulse Reflection Worksheet

  1. Describe a recent moment when you acted on impulse. What happened?






  1. Identify the trigger in that situation. What made you feel the urge?






  1. How did you feel (emotionally and physically) in that moment?






  1. Using the Pause-and-Plan steps, write what you would do next time:
    • Pause:



    • Breathe:



    • Think (list your options):







    • Plan (choose a response):







  2. What positive outcome could result if you use Pause-and-Plan in a similar situation?






  1. Set a personal goal: Choose one impulsive situation you will manage better this week. Describe your goal and plan:






Date: ________________

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