Mindful Moments

Jill Covington

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Mindful Guide for One

Guide a 2nd-grade student through a 15-minute mindfulness routine to practice deep breathing, self-reflection, and a simple exit activity, fostering impulse control and calm.

Short, individualized mindfulness sessions help students build self-management skills, reduce impulsivity, and improve focus by practicing structured breathing and reflection.

Audience

2nd Grade Student

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Step-by-step guided breathing, check-ins, and a quick exit activity.

Materials

Breathing Break Visuals, - Coach’s Guided Breathing Script, and - Mini Mindfulness Exit Activity

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Load or print Breathing Break Visuals.
Review the flow of the Coach’s Guided Breathing Script.
Gather any props for the Mini Mindfulness Exit Activity.
Familiarize yourself with the session goals and pacing.

Step 1

Welcome & Explain

2 minutes

Greet the student warmly and invite them to sit comfortably.
Briefly explain that today’s focus is practicing calm breathing to help control impulses.
Show the first slide of Breathing Break Visuals and introduce the visual cues.

Step 2

Guided Breathing with Visuals

6 minutes

Display each breathing visual and read the corresponding prompts from the Coach’s Guided Breathing Script.
Encourage the student to follow the inhale-exhale pattern, pausing at each cue.
Offer gentle reminders and praise to maintain focus on the breath.

Step 3

Reflection Check-In

3 minutes

Ask the student how they feel on a simple 1–5 calmness scale.
Prompt them to describe any changes they notice in their body or thoughts.
Acknowledge their effort and note progress toward impulse control.

Step 4

Mini Mindfulness Exit Activity

3 minutes

Guide the student through a quick activity from Mini Mindfulness Exit Activity (e.g., tracing a finger flower breath or five-finger count).
Encourage them to use this tool independently when they feel restless.

Step 5

Closing & Next Steps

1 minute

Praise the student for their participation and calm effort.
Set a simple goal for the next session (e.g., try three breaths before speaking).
Remind them they can use today’s activities whenever they need a calm moment.

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Slide Deck

INHALE

[●○○○] Breathe in slowly through your nose.
Watch the balloon expand.

Set the slide background to #C8E3D4. Introduce the “Inhale” phase. Point out the expanding balloon icon and invite the student to follow along.

HOLD

[●●○○] Gently hold your breath for 2 slow counts.
Let the calm fill you.

Switch background to #A5D8B3. Explain that we’re pausing to let the air fill us up. Count gently with the student.

EXHALE

[●●●○] Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
Feel the balloon deflate.

Use background #C8E3D4 again. Show the deflating balloon. Guide the student to empty their lungs.

HOLD

[●●●●] Hold your breath out for 2 slow counts.
Enjoy the quiet.

Apply background #A5D8B3. Invite the student to pause with empty lungs. Count slowly.

CALM

[○○○○] Rest for a moment.
Notice how calm and still you feel.

Set slide background to #84CE92. Conclude the cycle. Encourage the student to notice their calm state.

Script

Coach’s Guided Breathing Script

Slide 1: INHALE

Teacher: “Okay, let’s begin our breathing practice. Look at the screen—do you see the word INHALE and the little balloon? We’re going to fill it up. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Count with me: 1…2…3…4. Wonderful—you’re doing great!”

Slide 2: HOLD

Teacher: “Now keep that air in for just a moment. The slide says HOLD, and you’ll see two dots filled. Let’s hold for 1…2 slow counts. Feel how calm you are? Excellent job!”

Slide 3: EXHALE

Teacher: “Next, the slide shows EXHALE. Gently breathe out through your mouth, like you’re blowing out birthday candles. Watch our balloon deflate. Let’s count: 1…2…3. Fantastic—see how the dots disappear?”

Slide 4: HOLD

Teacher: “Great work! Now the slide says HOLD again, but this time with your lungs empty. Pause for 1…2 slow counts. Notice the quiet—nice and still.”

Slide 5: CALM

Teacher: “Finally, we see CALM and all the dots are empty. Rest here for a moment—breathe normally and notice how peaceful you feel. You just completed one full cycle!”

Repeat the Cycle

Teacher: “We’re going to do that two more times. Ready? Let’s go back to INHALE and breathe in… 1…2…3…4. Very nice!”
(Use the same words and counting for HOLD, EXHALE, HOLD, and CALM.)

Encouraging Prompts & Reminders

After each inhale: “Feel your belly get bigger, like a balloon.”
After each exhale: “Feel the air leaving your body—good job.”
Midway through (after cycle 2): “You’re doing amazing. Notice how calm and focused you are getting.”

Closing Breaths

Once three cycles are done, say:
Teacher: “Beautiful breathing! You did three calm breaths in a row. Take one last natural breath in and out. Notice how relaxed you feel. Well done!”

Cool Down

Mini Mindfulness Exit Activity

A quick, 3-minute independent exercise to wrap up your mindfulness session. Choose one activity below and finish with a calmness check.

### 1. Finger Flower Breathing
• Spread one hand wide, like a flower.
• Use the index finger of your other hand to trace up each “petal”: inhale slowly as you trace up, exhale as you trace down.
• Continue until you’ve traced all five petals.

### 2. Five-Finger Gratitude Count
• Hold up one hand with fingers spread.
• For each finger, think (or say) one thing you’re grateful for.
• Move thumb to pinky—counting five things that make you feel happy or calm.

### 3. Calmness Check & Goal
• Rate how calm you feel right now on a scale of 1–5.
• Set a tiny goal: “Next time I feel restless, I will take three deep breaths.”
• Keep this goal in mind or jot it down for future practice.

Use this tool anytime you feel you need a quick moment of calm. You did great today!