Lesson Plan
Mindful Moment Monsters
Equip K-4th grade students with practical mindfulness tools for calming their minds and bodies, using friendly monster guides.
This lesson is important because it provides young students with essential coping mechanisms for stress and improves their ability to focus, setting a foundation for emotional regulation and well-being.
Audience
K-4th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive monster-themed exercises and guided practice.
Materials
Friendly Monster Slide Deck, Mindful Moment Monsters Script, and Mindful Monster Activity Cards
Prep
Review Materials and Set Up
15 minutes
- Review the Friendly Monster Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
- Read through the Mindful Moment Monsters Script to prepare talking points and instructions.
- Print and cut out the Mindful Monster Activity Cards if using physical cards, or prepare to display them digitally.
- Ensure your projection equipment is ready for the slide deck.
Step 1
Introduction: Meet the Mindful Monsters
5 minutes
- Greet students and introduce the concept of mindful moment monsters using the Friendly Monster Slide Deck.
- Explain that these friendly monsters will teach them special ways to calm their bodies and minds. (Refer to Mindful Moment Monsters Script for specific language.)
Step 2
Monster Breathing Exercise
10 minutes
- Guide students through a simple breathing exercise, perhaps imagining their bellies as a monster expanding and contracting. (Refer to Mindful Moment Monsters Script for detailed instructions and prompts.)
- Use a slide from the Friendly Monster Slide Deck to illustrate the breathing technique.
Step 3
Sensory Monster Scan
10 minutes
- Lead a brief sensory awareness activity, asking students to notice what they see, hear, or feel, like a curious monster exploring its surroundings. (Refer to Mindful Moment Monsters Script for prompts.)
- Use the Mindful Monster Activity Cards or a relevant slide from the Friendly Monster Slide Deck to guide this part of the activity.
Step 4
Wrap-Up & Monster High-Fives
5 minutes
- Ask students to share one thing they noticed or how they feel after the exercises.
- Conclude by emphasizing that they can use these mindful monster tools anytime they need to feel calm and focused.
- Offer "monster high-fives" (or a similar gesture) as a fun way to end the lesson.
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Slide Deck
Meet the Mindful Moment Monsters!
Get ready to learn some super cool ways to feel calm and focused with our friendly monster guides!
Welcome students and set an exciting tone for meeting our mindfulness guides. Explain that these monsters are here to help them learn about calming their minds and bodies.
Belly Breath Bob: Our Breathing Buddy!
Belly Breath Bob helps us breathe deeply.
- Imagine your belly is a balloon.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose, watch your balloon grow.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth, feel your balloon shrink.
Let's try it together!
Introduce the first monster, focused on breathing. Explain that breathing is a powerful tool to calm down, just like a monster filling up with happy air.
Let's Breathe with Bob!
Place your hands on your belly.
- Inhale: Belly grows big!
- Exhale: Belly gets small!
Feel your calm grow with each breath.
Guide students through the belly breathing exercise. Emphasize slow, gentle breaths. Provide positive reinforcement.
Curious Senses Sue: Our Sensing Pal!
Curious Senses Sue loves to notice everything around her.
- What do you see right now?
- What do you hear?
- What do you feel?
Introduce the second monster, focused on sensory awareness. Explain that this monster helps us notice the world around us using our senses.
Let's Explore with Sue!
Quietly look around.
- What colors do you see?
- What sounds can you hear (even very quiet ones)?
- What do you feel on your skin or in your chair?
Just notice, no need to judge.
Guide students through a brief sensory scan. Encourage them to quietly observe their surroundings using their senses.
You're a Mindful Monster, Too!
You now have special mindful monster tools!
- Use Belly Breath Bob to calm your body.
- Use Curious Senses Sue to focus your mind.
Practice these anytime you need a mindful moment!
Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the idea that these 'monster tools' are always available. Encourage students to use them whenever they feel stressed or need to focus.
Script
Mindful Moment Monsters Script
Introduction: Meet the Mindful Monsters (5 minutes)
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going on a super fun adventure to meet some very special friends: our Mindful Moment Monsters! (Pause for excitement) These aren't scary monsters at all. In fact, they're here to help us learn some amazing tricks to calm our bodies and make our brains feel super focused, especially when we feel a little wobbly or too busy inside. Are you ready to meet our first monster?"
(Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 1)
Monster Breathing Exercise (10 minutes)
"Our first friend is Belly Breath Bob! (Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 2) Look at his big, round belly. Belly Breath Bob knows a secret: when we feel wiggly or worried, we can make our bellies big like a balloon and then let the air out slowly to feel calm. Let's all find our bellies. You can put one hand on your belly if you like. (Demonstrate placing hand on belly.)"
"Now, imagine your belly is a soft, squishy balloon. When you breathe in slowly through your nose, let your belly balloon get big, big, BIG! (Inhale, expand belly visibly) And when you breathe out slowly through your mouth, let all the air out, and your belly balloon gets small, small, SMALL. (Exhale, contract belly visibly)"
(Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 3)
"Let's try that a few more times together. Inhale, belly big! Exhale, belly small. Feel how your hand moves up and down. This is Belly Breath Bob helping you find your calm. Doesn't that feel nice?"
(Guide 3-5 more breaths, offering gentle reminders and positive reinforcement.)
Sensory Monster Scan (10 minutes)
"Our next mindful monster friend is Curious Senses Sue! (Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 4) Curious Senses Sue has super-duper senses, and she loves to notice everything around her. Sometimes our minds are racing, thinking about a million things. Curious Senses Sue teaches us how to gently bring our attention to what we can see, hear, and feel right now, to help our minds slow down."
"Let's try being like Curious Senses Sue. You can sit comfortably, maybe with your feet on the floor. Take a gentle breath. Now, let's notice what we can see with our eyes. Without talking, just look around the room. What colors do you notice? What shapes? Are there any interesting patterns? Just notice, like a curious monster exploring."
(Pause for 30-60 seconds, encouraging quiet observation.)
"Now, let's use our monster ears! What can you hear? Are there sounds inside our classroom? Sounds outside? Maybe the hum of the lights, or a quiet voice. Just listen, like Curious Senses Sue trying to hear the smallest sounds."
(Pause for 30-60 seconds, encouraging quiet listening.)
"Finally, let's notice what we can feel. What do you feel on your skin? Maybe your clothes, or the air on your face. What do you feel where you are sitting? The chair under you, or your feet on the floor. Just notice the feelings in your body."
(Pause for 30-60 seconds, encouraging quiet feeling.)
(Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 5)
Wrap-Up & Monster High-Fives (5 minutes)
"Wow! You all did such a fantastic job being mindful moment monsters! You used Belly Breath Bob to calm your breath, and Curious Senses Sue to notice what was around you. How do your bodies and minds feel now? (Allow a few student responses if time permits, or ask for a thumbs up/down.)"
"Remember, you now have your very own mindful monster tools! Anytime you feel overwhelmed, or super excited, or just need to focus, you can use Belly Breath Bob for calm breathing, and Curious Senses Sue to notice your senses. These friendly monsters are always here to help you. Give yourselves a big, quiet monster cheer! Or a monster high-five! (Demonstrate a high-five gesture.) Excellent work, mindful monsters!"
(Advance to Friendly Monster Slide Deck - Slide 6)
Activity
Mindful Monster Activity Cards
These cards feature Curious Senses Sue, who loves to explore the world with her five amazing senses. Each card has a prompt to help you notice something specific around you. You can use these cards anytime you need a mindful moment!
Card 1: See It Like Sue!
Look around you right now. What are 3 things you can see that have your favorite color?
Card 2: Hear It Like Sue!
Close your eyes gently if you feel comfortable. What are 2 sounds you can hear right now? One close by, and one far away.
Card 3: Feel It Like Sue!
Notice your body. What are 2 things you can feel touching you right now? (e.g., your clothes, the floor, your chair, the air).
Card 4: Imagine Like Sue!
If you could have a snack right now, what is one food you would eat? Imagine how it smells and tastes!
Card 5: Move Like Sue!
Take a gentle stretch, like a happy monster waking up. What does it feel like to stretch your arms up high or wiggle your toes?
Teacher Note: These cards can be used individually, as a class, or in small groups. Encourage students to share their observations if they feel comfortable. The