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Mindful Moments

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Elizabeth Kuehne

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Mindful Moments

Students will learn and practice practical mindfulness techniques, including mindful breathing and body scan, to improve emotional regulation and reduce impulsive reactions.

Developing self-management skills, especially emotional regulation, is crucial for students to navigate challenging situations, build positive relationships, and succeed academically. Mindfulness offers concrete tools to foster these essential life skills.

Audience

4th Grade Group

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Hands-on activities and guided practices.

Materials

  • Calm Your Storm Presentation, - Mind Jar Creation Activity, - Body Scan Check-In Warm-Up, - Clear jars (one per student), - Glitter (various colors), - Water, - Glue (clear liquid glue works best), and - Optional: Food coloring

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review the entire lesson plan and all generated materials, including the Calm Your Storm Presentation, Mind Jar Creation Activity, and Body Scan Check-In Warm-Up.
  • Gather materials for the Mind Jar Creation: clear jars, glitter, water, and clear liquid glue. Optional: food coloring.
  • Set up the projector/screen for the Calm Your Storm Presentation.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Body Scan Check-In

5 minutes

  1. Begin with the Body Scan Check-In Warm-Up.
  2. Guide students through a brief body scan to bring awareness to their physical sensations and current feelings.
  3. Ask students to silently note how they are feeling without judgment.

Step 2

Introduction to Mindfulness

10 minutes

  1. Introduce the concept of mindfulness using the Calm Your Storm Presentation (Slides 1-3).
  2. Explain that mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judgment.
  3. Discuss how mindfulness can help us manage our emotions and reactions, especially when we feel overwhelmed.

Step 3

Mindful Breathing Practice

10 minutes

  1. Guide students through a mindful breathing exercise using the Calm Your Storm Presentation (Slides 4-5).
  2. Instruct them to place a hand on their belly and feel it rise and fall with each breath.
  3. Encourage them to focus on the sensation of their breath for a few minutes.

Step 4

Activity: Mind Jar Creation

15 minutes

  1. Introduce the Mind Jar Creation Activity using the instructions provided.
  2. Explain that the swirling glitter represents our thoughts and feelings when we are upset, and watching it settle represents our minds becoming calm.
  3. Guide students through creating their own mind jars.

Step 5

Cool Down & Reflection

5 minutes

  1. Lead a brief cool-down where students reflect on the activity and what they learned.
  2. Ask students to share one thing they learned about mindfulness or one way they might use their mind jar.


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Slide Deck

Calm Your Storm

Have you ever felt like a storm inside?

Big feelings can make us feel cloudy, rainy, or even thunder-stormy!

Today, we'll learn how to find our calm.

Welcome students and introduce the idea of big feelings. Ask a question to get them thinking about how their body feels when they have big feelings.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment.

It's like being a feelings detective!

We notice what's happening right now, without trying to change it.

It helps us understand our feelings better and calm our storm.

Explain what mindfulness is in simple terms. Emphasize 'paying attention' and 'on purpose' without judgment. Use an analogy if helpful, like a detective noticing clues.

Mindfulness for Self-Management

Mindfulness helps us:

  • Notice our feelings before they get too big.
  • Choose how we react instead of just blurting things out or acting without thinking.
  • Stay in control of our own actions, even when things are tough.

Connect mindfulness to self-management. Explain that by being mindful, they can choose how to react instead of just reacting impulsively. Give examples.

Mindful Breathing: Your Anchor

When a storm is raging, an anchor helps a boat stay steady.

Your breath can be your anchor!

Put one hand on your belly.

Feel it rise when you breathe in...

And fall when you breathe out.

Let's try it!

Introduce mindful breathing. Guide them to put a hand on their belly. Model the breathing.

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Close your eyes gently or look down at your hands.

Breathe in slowly through your nose, feeling your belly expand.

Breathe out slowly through your mouth, letting your belly soften.

Focus on the feeling of your breath.

If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.

Let's do this for 1 minute.

Lead a short guided breathing exercise. Encourage them to close their eyes if comfortable or focus on a spot. Remind them it's okay if their mind wanders.

The Mind Jar: Watching Your Storm Settle

Our minds can be like a jar of glitter.

When we're upset, the glitter swirls around, and everything feels messy.

When we're calm, the glitter settles, and we can see clearly again.

We're going to make our own mind jars to help us find calm!

Explain the concept of a mind jar as a visual metaphor for a calm mind. Transition to the activity.

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Activity

Mind Jar Creation

Objective

To create a visual tool that helps students understand emotional regulation and practice calming techniques.

Materials

  • Clear jars (one per student)
  • Glitter (various colors, fine glitter works best)
  • Warm water
  • Clear liquid glue (glitter glue or clear school glue)
  • Optional: Food coloring

Instructions

  1. Introduce the concept: Explain that the jar represents our minds. When we have big feelings, our minds can feel shaken, like glitter swirling in a jar.
  2. Add warm water: Fill jars about 3/4 full with warm water. This helps the glitter disperse.
  3. Add glue: Add 2-3 tablespoons of clear liquid glue. This makes the glitter settle slowly, like our emotions.
  4. Add glitter: Students add glitter. Explain that the glitter represents thoughts and feelings.
  5. Add food coloring (optional): A drop of food coloring can add to the visual effect.
  6. Seal the jar: Securely close the lid on each jar. You may want to reinforce with glue.
  7. Shake and Observe: Instruct students to shake their jars vigorously when they feel overwhelmed. Then, they should watch the glitter slowly settle. As the glitter settles, encourage them to take slow, deep breaths and feel their own minds calm down.
  8. Reflection: Discuss how watching the glitter settle is like waiting for strong emotions to pass and finding clarity. This mindful observation helps reduce impulsive reactions.
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Warm Up

Body Scan Check-In

Objective

To bring students' attention to their physical sensations and current emotional state in a non-judgmental way, fostering self-awareness.

Instructions

  1. Comfortable Position: Sit upright, feet flat on the floor, hands in lap. Eyes can be closed or gently focused downward.
  2. Deep Breaths: Take three slow, deep breaths. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.
  3. Body Scan - Toes: Bring your attention to your toes. Notice any sensations. Wiggle them if you like.
  4. Body Scan - Feet: Move your attention to your feet. How do they feel resting on the floor?
  5. Body Scan - Legs: Notice your legs. Are they tense or relaxed?
  6. Body Scan - Stomach: Feel your stomach. Does it rise and fall with your breath?
  7. Body Scan - Arms/Hands: Bring awareness to your arms and hands. How do they feel?
  8. Body Scan - Shoulders/Neck: Notice your shoulders and neck. Are there any tight spots? Gently relax them.
  9. Body Scan - Face: Soften your jaw and facial muscles.
  10. Overall Feeling: Now, notice your whole body. What is your overall feeling right now? Just observe without judgment. Take one more deep breath.
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