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Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks

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Lesson Plan

Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks

Students will learn and practice simple mindfulness techniques, including breathing exercises and sensory awareness activities, to manage stress, improve concentration, and cultivate a sense of calm.

Learning mindfulness techniques provides students with essential tools to navigate daily challenges, reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and promote overall well-being in and out of the classroom.

Audience

3rd-6th Grade Students

Time

45-55 minutes

Approach

Interactive instruction, guided practice, and reflective activities.

Materials

Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks Slide Deck, Mindful Breathing Activity Cards, and Sensory Scavenger Hunt Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Are Mindful Moments?

10 minutes

  • Begin with a quick check-in: "How are we feeling today?" (2 minutes)
    - Introduce the concept of 'Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks' using the Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks Slide Deck (Slides 1-3). (3 minutes)
    - Explain that these are short, simple ways to calm our bodies and minds. (2 minutes)
    - Ask students for their initial thoughts on what mindfulness might mean. (3 minutes)

Step 2

Mindful Breathing Practice

15 minutes

  • Transition to Slide 4 on mindful breathing.
    - Lead a guided 'Balloon Breath' exercise (inhale slowly, imagine a balloon expanding in your belly; exhale slowly, imagine it deflating). (5 minutes)
    - Distribute Mindful Breathing Activity Cards. Have students pair up and practice one breathing exercise from the cards with their partner. (10 minutes)

Step 3

Sensory Awareness Activity

15 minutes

  • Introduce sensory awareness using Slide 5. (3 minutes)
    - Explain the '5 Senses Check-in': What 5 things can you see? 4 things you can hear? 3 things you can feel? 2 things you can smell? 1 thing you can taste (or imagine tasting)? (5 minutes)
    - Distribute the Sensory Scavenger Hunt Worksheet. Guide students to complete the worksheet individually or in small groups. (7 minutes)

Step 4

Reflection and Wrap-Up

10 minutes

  • Facilitate a brief class discussion: What did you notice during these mindful moments? How did they make you feel? (5 minutes)
    - Show Slide 6 and emphasize that mindful moments can be used anytime, anywhere. (2 minutes)
    - Ask students to share one mindful moment they might try using later today. (3 minutes)
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Slide Deck

Mindful Moments Mini-Breaks

Quick ways to find calm and focus!

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them what comes to mind when they hear 'mindful' or 'calm'.

What is Mindfulness?

• Paying attention to the present moment
• Noticing your thoughts and feelings without judgment
• Being aware of your body and surroundings
• It's like pressing the 'pause' button for your brain!

Explain mindfulness in simple terms: paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Use an analogy if helpful, like focusing on a single ingredient in a meal.

Why Take Mini-Breaks?

• Helps you feel calm
• Improves your focus
• Reduces stress or worry
• Gives your brain a chance to rest and recharge
• Makes you feel more in control

Discuss why it's useful to take 'mini-breaks' during a busy day. Connect it to managing feelings, doing better in school, and feeling good.

Mindful Breathing: Your Inner Calm

• Our breath is always with us!
• It's a natural way to calm your body.
• Let's try the 'Balloon Breath' together!
• Inhale slowly, imagine a balloon expanding in your belly.
• Exhale slowly, imagine it deflating.

Introduce mindful breathing. Explain that breathing is always with us and can be a powerful tool. Lead the 'Balloon Breath' exercise mentioned in the lesson plan.

Sensory Awareness: Hello, World!

• Use your five senses to notice what's around you.
• It helps you connect to the present moment.
• Let's try a '5 Senses Check-in':
• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can hear
• 3 things you can feel
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste (or imagine tasting)

Introduce sensory awareness. Explain how focusing on our senses can bring us into the present moment and away from distracting thoughts. Introduce the '5 Senses Check-in' activity.

Mindful Moments Everyday

• You can take a mindful mini-break anytime, anywhere!
• Use your breath to find calm.
• Use your senses to connect with the present.
• How will YOU use your mindful moments today?

Conclude by reiterating the benefits and encouraging students to use these techniques. Ask for their favorite technique or a situation where they might use it.

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Activity

Mindful Breathing Activity Cards

Cut out these cards and try the breathing exercises with a partner or on your own!

Card 1: Starfish Breath

  1. Hold one hand up like a starfish.
  2. Use the pointer finger of your other hand to trace up and down each finger.
  3. Inhale as you trace up a finger.
  4. Exhale as you trace down a finger.
  5. Repeat for all five fingers.

Card 2: Bunny Breath

  1. Take three quick, short sniffs through your nose, like a bunny.
  2. Exhale slowly through your mouth.
  3. Repeat 3-5 times.

Card 3: Drain Away Breath

  1. Sit up tall or stand with your arms raised high, hands open like you're holding something.
  2. Take a deep breath in, imagining you're squeezing all your worries into your hands.
  3. As you exhale, slowly lower your arms, letting your hands relax and imagining the worries draining away from your fingertips.
  4. Repeat 3 times.

Card 4: Figure 8 Breath

  1. Imagine a lazy number 8 (infinity symbol) in front of you.
  2. Trace the shape with your finger.
  3. Inhale as your finger goes up one side of the 8.
  4. Exhale as your finger goes down the other side.
  5. Repeat a few times, letting your breath follow the movement.
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Worksheet

Sensory Scavenger Hunt

Take a mindful moment to notice the world around you using your five senses. Look, listen, feel, smell, and even imagine a taste!

Instructions: In each box below, write down what you notice using that sense. Try to find things you haven't paid attention to before!

See (5 things you can see)
















Hear (4 things you can hear)













Feel (3 things you can feel)










Smell (2 things you can smell)







Taste (1 thing you can taste, or imagine tasting)




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