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Mind Gym

Lesson Plan

Circuit Setup Guide

Provide teachers with a clear, step-by-step guide to quickly prepare and organize all five Mind Gym stations, assign student roles, and ensure a smooth 30-minute mental health circuit.

Efficient set-up maximizes student engagement, builds classroom routines, and minimizes downtime—helping 9th graders transition seamlessly into resilience-building activities.

Audience

9th Grade Teachers

Time

10 minutes prep

Approach

Structured station layout and role assignment.

Materials

Station Signage (5 colorful laminated station signs), Activity Cue Cards (detailed instructions for each station), Timers or Stopwatches (5), Jump Ropes (for Gratitude Jump Rope station), Soft Balls (for Affirmation Toss station), Portable Heart Rate Monitors or Smartwatches (for Positive Pulse station), Notebooks or Gratitude Journals (for Mental Warm-Up reflections), Colored Cones or Tape (to mark station boundaries), and Pens/Markers (to label roles and times)

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review all station instructions and objectives in the Circuit Setup Guide
  • Print and laminate station signage and cue cards
  • Gather equipment: jump ropes, soft balls, timers, journals
  • Use cones or tape to designate five distinct areas around the room
  • Set timers at each station to 5 minutes
  • Prepare a rotation plan (e.g., clockwise order) and write it on the board
  • Identify and assign five student station leaders (one per station)
  • Brief station leaders on their responsibilities: introducing the activity, managing time, and ensuring safety

Step 1

Arrange Station Layout

3 minutes

  • Place five station signs at designated areas evenly spaced around the room
  • At each station, set out the corresponding equipment and cue cards
  • Ensure each station has a visible timer or stopwatch ready to start
  • Confirm clear pathways between stations for safe movement

Step 2

Assign Roles & Brief Leaders

2 minutes

  • Call up the five pre-selected student leaders
  • At the board, explain each leader’s station and key tasks:
    • Welcome peers, read instructions, start/stop the timer
    • Encourage positive participation and manage supplies
  • Distribute role badges or labels to station leaders

Step 3

Review Rotation Signal

1 minute

  • Explain the rotation signal (e.g., bell chime or clapping pattern)
  • Demonstrate signal once so students recognize when to move

Step 4

Quick Equipment Check

2 minutes

  • Walk to each station with student leaders
  • Confirm jump rope knots are secure, balls are inflated, journals are accessible, timers are set
  • Resolve any missing or malfunctioning items

Step 5

Launch Mind Gym Circuit

2 minutes

  • Gather all students in center of room
  • Remind them of circuit rules:
    • Respect each other’s space
    • Follow leader instructions
    • Move promptly on rotation signal
  • Start the first activity signal and begin rotations
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Slide Deck

Station 1: Mental Warm-Up

• Calm your mind and center yourself
• Cultivate gratitude before moving on
• Grab a journal or notebook and a writing tool

Welcome students! This is the first station in our Mind Gym circuit. Explain that a quick mental warm-up helps set a positive tone for the rest of the activities. Ask students to grab their journals or notebooks and find a comfortable spot. Remind them this is a judgment-free zone—only share what you feel safe sharing.

Gratitude Journaling Prompts

  1. Name three things you’re grateful for today.
  2. Recall a recent kindness someone showed you.
  3. Identify one strength you noticed in yourself this week.

Read each prompt aloud or let students read silently. Encourage them to write freely—spelling and grammar don’t matter here. Walk around to offer support and gently prompt students who may be stuck.

Reflection Questions

• How did focusing on gratitude make you feel?
• What thoughts came up during writing?
• How can you carry this feeling into the next activities?

After journaling, ask students to pause and observe how they feel. Reinforce that noticing positive emotions builds resilience. You may invite a few volunteers to share their reflections if time allows.

Set the Timer and Begin

You have 5 minutes to complete your journal entries and reflections.

Station leader, start the timer now!

Instruct the station leader to start the timer for 5 minutes. Circulate quietly to ensure everyone is writing. Give a 30-second and 10-second heads-up before time is up.

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Activity

Station 2: Gratitude Jump Rope

Objective: Combine physical movement with gratitude practice to boost mood and reinforce positive thinking.

Materials:

  • Jump ropes (one per pair or small group)
  • Timer or stopwatch
  • Station cue card detailing prompts

Time: 5 minutes total

Instructions:

  1. Introduction (30 seconds)
    • Station leader greets the group and briefly explains the activity: “We’ll jump rope together and each time you land a jump, name something you’re grateful for.”
    • Demonstrate one or two practice jumps with a sample gratitude statement.
  2. Jump & Gratitude Round (3 minutes)
    • Students form pairs or small groups, each with a rope.
    • Start the timer for 3 minutes.
    • As students jump, each time their foot hits the ground they say one gratitude item (aloud or quietly).
    • Encourage a steady rhythm—if someone pauses, group members can offer a suggestion (e.g., “I’m grateful for… sunshine!”).
    • Station leader circulates, cheers on participants, and gently prompts anyone who gets stuck.
  3. Quick Reflection Cool-Down (1 minute)
    • After 3 minutes, ring the timer.
    • Invite students to stand still, close their eyes, and take three deep breaths.
    • Ask two reflection questions aloud:
    1. How did moving your body while focusing on gratitude make you feel?
    2. Did pairing gratitude with jumping make it easier or harder to recall items?
  4. Transition (30 seconds)
    • Station leader gives a 10-second warning before the rotation signal.
    • Encourage students to grab a quick sip of water if needed and move to the next station when they hear the signal.

Return to Circuit Setup Guide to confirm rotation order and prepare for the next station.

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Activity

Station 3: Affirmation Toss

Objective: Foster positive self-talk and peer encouragement through a cooperative ball-toss activity.

Materials:

  • Soft balls or beanbags (one per small group of 4–5 students)
  • Index cards or slips of paper with affirmations written on them (or blank cards and markers)
  • Timer or stopwatch

Time: 5 minutes total

Instructions:

  1. Setup & Explanation (30 seconds)
    • Station leader greets the group and explains: “We’ll toss the ball around, and whoever catches it will read or share an affirmation.”
    • Demonstrate by tossing a ball to one student, who reads an affirmation aloud.
  2. Affirmation Toss Game (3 minutes)
    • Distribute one soft ball to each group and ensure each group has a stack of affirmation cards (pre-written or students can create quick ones).
    • Start the timer for 3 minutes.
    • Students stand in a circle. The leader tosses the ball to a peer;
    • The catcher picks or reads the top affirmation card (e.g., “I am capable of overcoming challenges”).
    • The catcher then tosses the ball to someone else, and that student reads the next affirmation.
      • Encourage students to smile, maintain eye contact, and offer verbal praise (e.g., “Great affirmation!”).
      • Station leader circulates to nudge quieter students and model energy.
  3. Reflection & Debrief (1 minute)
    • After 3 minutes, ring the timer and ask everyone to stand still.
    • Prompt two reflection questions aloud:
    1. Which affirmation resonated with you the most and why?
    2. How did hearing peers share positives affect your mood?
  4. Transition (30 seconds)
    • Station leader gives a 10-second heads-up before the rotation signal.
    • Remind students to gather any cards they used and move on when they hear the signal.

Return to Circuit Setup Guide to confirm rotation order and prepare for the next station.

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Cool Down

Station 5: Positive Pulse

Objective: Ground students in their bodies, notice physical changes from the circuit, and set a positive intention for the rest of the day.

Materials:

  • Heart rate monitors or devices (smartwatches, portable monitors) or pulse-check instruction cards
  • Comfortable mats or chairs
  • Journals, index cards, or small sticky notes
  • Timer or stopwatch

Time: 5 minutes total

Instructions:

  1. Introduction & Baseline Pulse (1 minute)
    • Station leader invites students to sit or lie comfortably on mats or chairs.
    • Distribute monitors or explain how to manually check pulse on wrist/neck.
    • Ask students to take their resting heart rate and note it in their journal or on a sticky note.
  2. Guided Breathing & Movement (2 minutes)
    • Lead students through 5 cycles of deep inhalation through the nose (count to 4), hold (count to 2), and exhale through the mouth (count to 6).
    • Encourage students to place one hand on their chest or belly to feel the breath.
    • After the breathing sequence, have them re-check their pulse and record the new rate.
  3. Reflection & Intention Setting (1 minute)
    • Prompt: “Notice any changes in your heartbeat or how you feel in your body.”
    • Ask: “What positive feeling or mindset will you carry with you after today’s Mind Gym?”
    • Students write one-word or short-phrase intentions on index cards or sticky notes.











  4. Group Share & Closing (1 minute)
    • Invite a few volunteers to share their intention and one observation about their pulse change.
    • Reinforce that small, mindful moments can help regulate emotions and build resilience.
  5. Transition & Clean-Up (30 seconds)
    • Station leader thanks everyone for participating and signals the end of the circuit (bell or clap).
    • Remind students to return monitors, mats, and journals to their original stations.

Return to Circuit Setup Guide to reset or debrief as needed.

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