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My Calm Kit

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Lesson Plan

My Calm Kit

Students will learn to identify and utilize a sensory tool to help calm themselves when feeling dysregulated, developing self-regulation skills.

Teaching students to use sensory tools provides them with concrete strategies to manage strong emotions, fostering independence and emotional well-being.

Audience

K-2nd Grade (Individual)

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Interactive exploration and discussion

Materials

  • My Calm Kit Slide Deck, and - Various sensory tools (e.g., fidget toys, stress balls, weighted lap pad, soft blanket, visual timer, noise-canceling headphones, scent diffuser)

Prep

Gather Materials & Review

5 minutes

  • Gather a selection of age-appropriate sensory tools that are available (e.g., fidget toys, stress balls, weighted lap pad, soft blanket, visual timer, noise-canceling headphones, scent diffuser).
    - Review the My Calm Kit Slide Deck and the Sensory Tools Discussion Guide to familiarize yourself with the content and discussion points.
    - Ensure a quiet and comfortable space for the individual lesson.

Step 1

Introduction & Hook

1 minute

  • Greet the student and briefly introduce the idea of 'My Calm Kit.'
    - Ask: "Have you ever felt super wiggly, frustrated, or a little overwhelmed? What helps you feel better?" (Allow for a brief response).

Step 2

Introduce Sensory Tools

3 minutes

  • Use the My Calm Kit Slide Deck (Slide 1-2) to introduce what sensory tools are and why they can help.
    - Show the student a few different sensory tools you've gathered. Explain that different tools help different people feel calm.
    - "Sometimes our bodies and brains need a little help to feel calm. These are called sensory tools, and they can help us feel just right."

Step 3

Explore & Connect

4 minutes

  • Let the student explore 2-3 sensory tools. Encourage them to touch, feel, and try out each one.
    - Engage them in a brief discussion using the Sensory Tools Discussion Guide prompts, focusing on how each tool feels and if it could help them feel calm.
    - "How does this feel in your hands? Does it make you feel more calm or more focused?"

Step 4

Choose a Calm Tool

1 minute

  • Guide the student to choose one or two sensory tools that they think would best help them when they feel dysregulated.
    - "Which one feels like it would be your best calm-down helper?"

Step 5

Wrap-Up & Reinforce

1 minute

  • Briefly recap the chosen tool and its purpose.
    - "Remember, you have a special calm kit inside you, and these tools can help you use it when you need to feel just right!"
    - Reinforce that they can ask for or use this tool when they feel overwhelmed.
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Slide Deck

My Calm Kit: What Helps You Feel Just Right?

What makes you feel calm and happy? Sometimes our bodies need a little help to feel just right!

Welcome the student and explain that today we're going to talk about special helpers to make us feel calm. Ask them about times they've felt wiggly or frustrated. This sets the stage for introducing sensory tools.

What Are Sensory Tools?

Sensory tools are things we can use with our senses to help us calm down.

  • Touch: Squeezing a stress ball
  • Sight: Looking at a glitter jar
  • Sound: Listening to quiet music
  • Smell: Smelling something nice

They help our bodies feel just right!

Introduce the concept of sensory tools simply. Emphasize that these are things we can touch, see, hear, or smell that help our bodies and brains calm down. Give a few examples and ask if they've ever used something like this before.

Exploring My Calm Tools

Let's explore some tools!

  • How does it feel?
  • Does it make you feel more calm or focused?
  • Could this be a helper for you?

This slide is for the hands-on exploration. Encourage the student to pick up, touch, and interact with the various sensory tools. Use the discussion guide to prompt their thoughts and feelings about each one.

My Super Calm Tool!

You've found your special calm tool!

This tool can help you:

  • Feel focused
  • Feel peaceful
  • Feel just right!

When you feel wiggly or upset, you can use your calm tool!

Once the student has chosen their preferred tool(s), this slide reinforces their choice. Remind them that this tool is now part of their personal 'calm kit' and they can use it when needed. Empower them to ask for it or use it when they feel dysregulated.

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Discussion

Sensory Tools Discussion Guide

This guide provides prompts for the teacher to use during the individual session with the student to explore and discuss sensory tools.

Introduction

  • "Hi [Student's Name]! Today we're going to talk about special helpers that can make us feel calm when our bodies feel a little too much or a little too wiggly. Have you ever felt that way? What helps you usually?"

Exploring Different Sensory Tools

(As the student explores each tool)

  • "How does this feel when you touch it? Is it squishy, bumpy, smooth, or something else?"
  • "What happens when you use this tool? Does it make you want to squeeze, look closely, or move?"
  • "When you use this, how does your body feel? Does it make you feel more calm, more focused, or does it make you feel a different way?"
  • "Could this tool be a helper for you when you feel [mention student's earlier feeling, e.g., 'super wiggly' or 'frustrated']? Why or why not?"

Choosing Your Calm Tool

  • "Out of all the tools we tried, which one felt the most helpful for your body and your brain?"
  • "Why do you think that particular tool would be a good helper for you?"
  • "Where could we keep this tool so it's easy for you to find when you need it?"

Reinforcement

  • "That's a great choice! Remember, it's okay to feel big emotions, and it's super smart to know what helps you feel better. Your [Chosen Tool] is here to help you get back to feeling just right."
  • "If you ever feel [mention feeling again], you can think about your calm kit and use your [Chosen Tool]."
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