My Calm Superpowers Lesson Script

1. Welcome & Emotion Check-In (5 minutes)

Teacher: (Show Slide 1: My Calm Superpowers) ‘Good morning, calm champions! Today we are going to discover our Calm Superpowers. Who can tell me what a superpower is?’
(Pause for answers. If needed: ‘A superpower is something special we can do!’)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 2: How Are You Feeling?) ‘Let’s show me our feelings with our faces. Can you make a happy face?’
(Pause)
Teacher: ‘Now show me a sad face.’
(Pause)
Teacher: ‘Can you show me a mad face?’
(Pause)
Teacher: ‘And a surprised face?’
(Pause)
Teacher: ‘Wonderful job noticing your feelings! Sometimes feelings can feel very big. Today, we’re going to learn two superpowers that help us calm down when our feelings feel big.’

2. Introduce Calm Superpowers (2 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 3: Our Calm Superpowers and hold up Calm-Down Strategy Cards) ‘These are our two calm superpowers: deep breaths and the calm spot. Deep breaths help us slow our bodies down. The calm spot is a special place where we can go when we need a break.’

3. Video & Guided Discussion (7 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 4: Let’s Breathe Together!) ‘Let’s watch a short video that shows how deep breathing works. Watch carefully!’
(Play Calm Breathing Animation Video. Pause twice—once after an inhale and once after an exhale.)

Teacher: ‘What did you notice happening to the chest when we breathed in?’
(Listen for responses: ‘It goes up!’ etc.)
Teacher: ‘Yes, our chest lifts like a balloon filling with air. And what happens when we breathe out?’
(Students: ‘It goes down!’)
Teacher: ‘Exactly—breathing slowly can make our bodies feel calm.’

4. Practice Activity: Calm Strategy Cards (8 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 5: Practice Deep Breathing) ‘Now let’s practice together. Place your hands on your belly. Breathe in…1…2…3. Breathe out…1…2…3. Ready?’
(Model and guide three full breaths.)

Teacher: ‘How did your belly feel? Did it go up and down?’
(Pause)
Teacher: ‘Great! That is your deep-breathing superpower.’

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 6: Visit the Calm Spot) ‘Our second superpower is the calm spot. It’s a quiet, cozy corner where we can go when we feel big feelings.’
(Point to calm spot area.)
Teacher: ‘Leo, would you like to show us how you use the calm spot?’
(If Leo agrees, let him sit, take three deep breaths, then return.)
Teacher: ‘Thank you, Leo! You used your calm superpower perfectly.’

5. Game: Keep Calm Relay (7 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 7: Keep Calm Relay) ‘Time for a fun relay! We’ll split into two teams.’
(Divide class.)
Teacher: ‘Each team lines up here. When I say “Go,” the first person runs to the pile of My Calm Superpowers Game Cards, flips one over, shows the superpower on the card (either deep breaths or calm spot), practices it, then runs back and tags the next friend.’
Teacher: ‘Ready…set…GO!’
(Cheer each child on: “Great breathing, Mia!” “Awesome calm spot, Jayden!”)

6. Cool Down & Share (3 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 8: Cool Down & Share) ‘Let’s sit back in our circle and calm down one more time.’
(Hand out Cool Down Reflection Cards.)
Teacher: ‘Hold up your card and tell us which superpower it shows and how it helps you.’
(Call on 3–4 students: “Sara, what does your card show?”)
Teacher: ‘Thank you for sharing, Sara!’

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 9: Great Job, Calm Champions!) ‘Now let’s all take three deep breaths together.’
(Lead group: inhale…1…2…3, exhale…1…2…3, repeat.)
Teacher: ‘Wonderful work today, calm champions. You all have amazing calm superpowers!’

Feelings Chat

Objective

Help children recognize and name their emotions, practice turn-taking, and begin to share times when they’ve felt big feelings.

Guidelines for Teacher

• Arrange students in a circle so everyone can see each other.
• Have a set of simple feeling-face cards or point to the slide (😀 😢 😡 😲).
• Encourage one student at a time to share and use their “big listening ears.”
• Validate each response: “Thank you for sharing, ___!”

Discussion Prompts

1. Let’s look at our feeling faces: 😀 😢 😡 😲
   • Teacher: “Can you show me a happy face?”
   • Student Response Space
     
     
     
   • Teacher: “Who else can show me a happy face?”
2. Which face looks sad?
   • Teacher: “Show me your best sad face.”
   • Student Response Space
     
     
     
3. When do you feel happy?
   • Teacher: “Tell us something that makes you feel happy and show us your happy face.”
   • Student Response Space
     
     
     
     
     
     
4. What makes you feel mad or frustrated?
   • Teacher: “You can show your mad face and tell us a time you felt mad.”
   • Student Response Space
     
     
     
     
     
     
5. When we have big feelings—like feeling mad or sad—what can we do to help ourselves feel calm?
   • (Guide students toward deep breaths and using the calm spot.)
   • Student Response Space
     
     
     

Follow-Up Points

• Remind students: “It’s OK to have big feelings.”
• Highlight strategies: “Taking deep breaths makes our bodies feel softer.”
• Reinforce turn-taking: “Thank you, ___, for waiting and listening!”

This short chat builds emotional vocabulary and prepares learners to practice their calm superpowers in our next activities.

Calm Strategy Cards

Objective

Students will practice self-management by using visual cards to guide deep breathing, visiting the calm spot, and counting to calm themselves.

Materials

• Printed Calm Strategy Cards: one each of Deep Breathing, Calm Spot, and Counting cards
• Calm spot area set up with a soft cushion or chair

Teacher Guidelines

• Place all strategy cards face up in the center of the circle.
• Introduce one card at a time: hold it up, name the strategy, and read the simple prompt.
• Model the strategy yourself before asking students to join in.
• Offer praise and encouragement for any effort.

Card Descriptions

• Deep Breathing
  • Visual: Child with hands on belly and arrows showing inhale/exhale
  • Prompt: “Place hands on your belly. Breathe in…1…2…3. Breathe out…1…2…3.”
• Calm Spot
  • Visual: Cozy corner with a cushion and a small plant or soft toy
  • Prompt: “Go to the calm spot. Sit quietly and take three deep breaths.”
• Counting
  • Visual: Numbers 1–5 in bubbles
  • Prompt: “Slowly count: 1…2…3…4…5. Take one gentle breath between each number.”

Activity Steps

1. Show the Deep Breathing card and model three belly breaths.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
2. Invite students to practice together with your count.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
3. Present the Calm Spot card and demonstrate going to the calm spot and taking breaths.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
4. Ask a volunteer to show the class how they use the calm spot.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
5. Display the Counting card. Count aloud slowly with students.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
6. Shuffle the three cards. Invite each student to pick one card, name the strategy, and lead the class in practicing it.
   Student Response Space
   
   
   
   
   
   

Use these cards throughout the day whenever a student needs a quick reminder of their calm superpowers!

Keep Calm Relay

Objective

Students will reinforce their calm-down strategies (deep breathing, calm spot, counting) through a fun team relay that practices identifying and using each superpower quickly and mindfully.

Materials

• My Calm Superpowers Game Cards (cards showing Deep Breaths, Calm Spot, Counting)
• Calm spot markers (e.g., small cushion or mat for each team)
• Cones or tape lines to mark start and finish

Setup

1. Divide students into two even teams and have them line up behind a start line.
2. At the far end of the room, place a stack of shuffled game cards face down next to each team’s calm spot marker.
3. Ensure each calm spot marker is clearly visible and has enough space for one child to sit or stand.

How to Play

1. On “Go,” the first student from each team runs to their team’s pile of game cards.
2. The student flips over the top card and reads or identifies the strategy shown:
   • Deep Breaths → practice three belly breaths at the calm spot
   • Calm Spot → sit or stand quietly at the calm spot and take three gentle breaths
   • Counting → count slowly 1…2…3…4…5, taking one breath between numbers
3. After practicing the strategy, the student places the card at the bottom of the pile, runs back, and tags the next teammate.
4. The relay continues until every student has had a turn.
5. The first team to finish all turns is celebrated—but emphasize that everyone is a winner for practicing calm superpowers!

Teacher Tips

• Cheer each child on by naming the strategy they practice: “Great deep breaths, Ava!” “Awesome counting, Luis!”
• Encourage calm voices and mindful movement even while racing.
• If time allows, reshuffle and play a second round, challenging teams to go “extra calm” (slower, quieter).

Cool-Down Reflection

After the relay, gather students in a circle and ask:

• Which strategy felt most calming when you practiced it?
• How did your body feel after using your calm superpower?

Close by leading three slow breaths together and affirming: “We are calm champions!”

Cool Down Reflection Cards

Use these cards at the end of the lesson to prompt students to reflect and share how the calm superpowers helped them.

1. Deep Breaths
How did your body feel after taking three deep breaths?

2. Calm Spot
What did you notice about your thoughts or feelings when you sat in the calm spot?

3. Counting
Which number helped you feel the calmest? Why?

4. Favorite Superpower
Which calm superpower is your favorite and when will you use it next?

5. Big Feelings
Think of a time you felt a big feeling today. What calm superpower did you try?

6. I’m Proud Because
Name one thing you did really well while practicing your calm superpowers.