Teacher Script: My Thoughts, My Superpower!

Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling Today? (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Let's start our day with a quick check-in. On your desk, or in your mind, can you think of one word that describes how you are feeling right now?"



"Great! Does anyone want to share their word and maybe why they feel that way? No pressure at all, but if you're comfortable, I'd love to hear."

Listen to a few student responses, affirming their feelings without judgment. Transition to the lesson.

Introduction to Thoughts, Feelings, Actions (7 minutes)

"Today, we're going to talk about something super important: our brains! Our brains are incredible, and they do so much for us. One of the coolest things they do is help us think, feel, and act. And guess what? These three things are all connected!"



"Let's look at our first slide. [Refer to Slide 2: Thoughts, Feelings, Actions: The Connection!]. See here? We have Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions. Your thoughts are what you think in your head. Your feelings are how your body and heart react – like being happy, sad, or angry. And your actions are what you do because of your thoughts and feelings."


"Let's think of an example. Imagine you're playing outside, and you see someone drop their ice cream. Your thought might be, 'Oh no, that's so sad!' That thought might make you feel sympathetic or sad (that's a feeling). And because you feel that way, your action might be to go over and ask if they're okay, or offer to help. See how one thing leads to another?"



"Now, let's look at another example on our next slide. [Refer to Slide 3: Let's See It In Action!]. Here, the thought is 'My friend didn't invite me to play at recess.' How do you think that thought might make someone feel?"

Pause for student responses like 'sad,' 'lonely,' 'left out.'

"Exactly! They might feel sad or lonely. And if they feel sad and lonely, what action might they take?"

Pause for student responses like 'stand alone,' 'not ask anyone else to play,' 'sit by themselves.'

"You've got it! It's like a chain reaction. Our thoughts can really impact how we feel and what we do. Can anyone think of an example from their own life where a thought led to a feeling and then an action? Keep it simple, like 'I thought about my favorite food, then I felt hungry, then I went to get a snack.'"

Allow a couple of students to share brief, simple examples.

Introducing the 'Thought Challenger' (8 minutes)

"Now, here's the really cool part! [Refer to Slide 4: Your Superpower: Challenging Thoughts!]. Sometimes, our thoughts can be a little bit tricky. They might make us feel bad or do things we don't really want to do. But you have a superpower! You can be a 'Thought Challenger!'"


"What does it mean to challenge something? It means to question it, to ask if it's really true. You can ask yourself: 'Is this thought really 100% true?' or 'Is there another way to look at this?'"


"Let's see how we can use this superpower. [Refer to Slide 5: How to Challenge a Thought:]. It's like being a detective for your brain!"


"First, you Catch the Thought. What exactly are you thinking? Then, you Check the Feeling. How does that thought make you feel? Next, you Find the Evidence. Is there proof that your thought is 100% true? Or is there other evidence that might tell a different story? And finally, you Change the Thought. What's a more helpful or true thought you could think instead?"


"Let's use the example from the slide: 'I'm going to fail this test!' (Thought). That thought makes me feel worried (Feeling). But then I remember, 'I studied for 30 minutes last night!' (Evidence). So, a better, more helpful thought could be: 'I studied, I can do my best!' Does that make sense?"


Pause for understanding and brief questions.

Independent Practice & Share (7 minutes)

"Alright, my fellow thought detectives! It's time to put your superpower to the test! [Refer to Slide 6: Time to Practice Your Superpower!]. I'm going to hand out a worksheet called the Thought Tracker Worksheet."


Distribute the worksheets.


"We'll work through the first example together. Look at the first box. The situation is 'You accidentally spill milk at lunch.' What's a common thought someone might have?"

Guide them to something like 'I'm so clumsy!' or 'Everyone is looking at me!'

"Okay, let's write that down under 'Thought.' Now, how might that thought make you feel?"

Guide them to 'embarrassed,' 'sad,' 'mad at myself.'

"Write that down under 'Feeling.' And what action might you take if you feel that way?"

Guide them to 'hide,' 'cry,' 'get angry.'

"Now, for your superpower! Let's challenge that thought: 'I'm so clumsy!' Is that 100% true? Does spilling milk ONE time mean you are ALWAYS clumsy? Probably not! What's some evidence against that thought? Maybe 'I usually don't spill things' or 'Everyone makes mistakes.' So, what's a more helpful, kinder new thought?"

Guide them to 'It was an accident,' 'I can clean it up,' 'Everyone spills sometimes.'

"Great job! Now, you're going to work on one or two more examples on your own. I'll be walking around to help if you get stuck. Remember to really think about the evidence!"


Circulate and assist students. If time allows, invite a couple of volunteers to share one of their challenged thoughts (optional, focus on participation over perfection). Refer to the Thought Tracker Answer Key for guidance if needed.

Cool-Down: My Superpower Takeaway (3 minutes)

"Wow, you all did an amazing job being Thought Challengers today! To wrap up our lesson, let's do a quick cool-down. [Refer to the Cool-Down: My Superpower Takeaway activity]. On your paper, or in your mind, think about one important thing you learned today about your thoughts, feelings, or actions. What's your 'superpower takeaway?'"


Allow a moment for reflection.


"Thank you for being such thoughtful and brave learners today! Remember, you have the superpower to challenge your thoughts!"

Thought Tracker Worksheet

Name: _________________________ Date: _____________

Your Brain Superpower: Challenge Your Thoughts!

Sometimes our thoughts can be a bit tricky and make us feel bad. But you have a superpower! You can challenge those thoughts and find new, more helpful ones. Follow these steps for each situation!

Situation 1: You accidentally spill milk at lunch.

My Thought:

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling?

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

My NEW, more helpful Thought:

Situation 2: You get a question wrong on a homework assignment.

My Thought:

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling?

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

My NEW, more helpful Thought:

Situation 3: Someone doesn't pick you for their team during a game.

My Thought:

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling?

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

My NEW, more helpful Thought:

Situation 4: You try a new drawing technique, and it doesn't look perfect right away.

My Thought:

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling?

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

My NEW, more helpful Thought:

Thought Tracker Answer Key

Your Brain Superpower: Challenge Your Thoughts!

This answer key provides possible responses. Encourage students to think critically and come up with their own relevant thoughts, feelings, actions, and challenges. The goal is the process, not a single "right" answer.

Situation 1: You accidentally spill milk at lunch.

Possible My Thought: "I'm so clumsy! Everyone is looking at me."

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling? Hide, cry, get angry, avoid eye contact, feel like running away.

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

• Against: I usually don't spill things. Everyone makes mistakes. It was an accident. My friends probably aren't judging me that much.

Possible My NEW, more helpful Thought: "It was an accident. I can clean it up. It's okay to make mistakes."

Situation 2: You get a question wrong on a homework assignment.

Possible My Thought: "I'm dumb. I'll never understand this. I'm bad at this subject."

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling? Give up, rip up the paper, not try on the next question, get upset.

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

• Against: I got many other questions right. I tried my best. Everyone makes mistakes. I can ask for help or review my notes. Learning takes practice.

Possible My NEW, more helpful Thought: "It's okay to get one wrong. I can learn from my mistakes. I'll try harder next time or ask for help."

Situation 3: Someone doesn't pick you for their team during a game.

Possible My Thought: "Nobody likes me. I'm not good enough. I'll never get to play."

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Lonely, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling? Sit out, get angry, walk away, not try to join another group, feel left out.

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

• Against: Maybe they already had enough players. Maybe they thought I wanted to play with someone else. I have other friends. There will be other games. I can ask someone else to play.

Possible My NEW, more helpful Thought: "It's okay, maybe next time. I can find another game or activity. My friends still like me."

Situation 4: You try a new drawing technique, and it doesn't look perfect right away.

Possible My Thought: "I'm a terrible artist. I can't do this. I should just give up."

How does this thought make me FEEL? (Circle one or more: Sad, Angry, Embarrassed, Frustrated, Calm, Happy, Proud)

What ACTION might I take because of this feeling? Crumple up the paper, stop drawing, get discouraged, avoid trying new things.

CHALLENGE THE THOUGHT! Is it 100% true? What's the evidence FOR or AGAINST it?

• Against: This is my first time trying it. Practice makes perfect. Even great artists had to learn. I can ask for tips or watch a tutorial.

Possible My NEW, more helpful Thought: "This is a new skill, it takes practice. I'm learning! I'll keep trying, and it will get better."

How Are You Feeling Today?

Take a moment to check in with yourself. How are you feeling right now?

In one word, describe your feeling:

If you want to, share why you are feeling that way:

My Superpower Takeaway

Think about what we learned today about thoughts, feelings, and actions.

What is one important thing you learned about your