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Pause Power!

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Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan: Pause Power!

Students will identify and practice strategies to improve impulse control, enabling them to make more thoughtful decisions and manage their emotions effectively.

Developing impulse control is crucial for 6th graders as it directly impacts their decision-making, social interactions, and academic success. Learning these strategies helps students avoid hasty actions and navigate complex situations with greater self-awareness.

Audience

6th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and hands-on activity.

Materials

Slide Deck: Pause Power! Master Your Choices, Warm-Up: Stop and Think, Activity: The Impulse Challenge, Discussion: Reflect and Share, and Cool Down: My Pause Plan

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Begin by welcoming the students.
  • Distribute and facilitate the Warm-Up: Stop and Think activity. Encourage students to share their initial thoughts on acting quickly versus pausing.
  • Briefly introduce the concept of impulse control using the Pause Power! Master Your Choices (Slide 1-2).

Step 2

Exploring Impulse Control Strategies

10 minutes

  • Guide students through the 'Why' of impulse control, using examples relevant to their lives (Slide 3 of the Pause Power! Master Your Choices).
  • Introduce and explain the 'STOP' strategy (Stop, Think, Observe, Proceed) or similar mnemonic from the Pause Power! Master Your Choices (Slides 4-7).
  • Encourage students to share situations where these strategies might be useful.

Step 3

Activity: The Impulse Challenge

10 minutes

  • Introduce Activity: The Impulse Challenge.
  • Present scenarios (from the activity) where students need to practice impulse control.
  • Divide students into pairs or small groups to discuss how they would apply the learned strategies.
  • Bring the group back together to share their chosen strategies and reasoning.

Step 4

Discussion & Wrap-Up

5 minutes

  • Facilitate a brief discussion using prompts from Discussion: Reflect and Share, encouraging personal connection to the topic.
  • Distribute and have students complete the Cool Down: My Pause Plan.
  • Conclude by emphasizing the importance of practicing impulse control in daily life.
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Slide Deck

Pause Power! Master Your Choices

Strategies for Smart Decisions

(Image: A light switch with 'On' and 'Off' positions, with 'Off' labeled 'Pause')

Sixth Grade Life Skills
Tier 2 Group Support
30 Minutes

Welcome students and introduce the topic of impulse control. Ask them what comes to mind when they hear 'impulse control'.

What is Impulse Control?

It's your ability to:

  • Stop before you act.
  • Think about the consequences.
  • Choose the best way to respond.

It's like having a 'pause button' for your brain!

Define impulse control in simple terms. Emphasize that it's about making a choice, not just stopping.

Why Does Impulse Control Matter?

  • Better Decisions: Avoid doing things you'll regret.
  • Stronger Friendships: Respond thoughtfully, not impulsively.
  • School Success: Focus and manage tasks.
  • Calmer You: Control emotions, not let them control you.
  • Future You: Practice now for big decisions later!

Discuss why impulse control is important for 6th graders. Use relatable examples like blurting out answers, reacting quickly to teasing, or making snap decisions about homework.

Your Impulse Control Toolkit: The S.T.O.P. Strategy

A simple way to remember how to take control:

S - Stop
T - Think
O - Observe
P - Proceed

Introduce the 'STOP' strategy as a memorable mnemonic for impulse control. Explain each letter.

S - Stop: The Pause Button

When you feel an impulse, press your mental 'pause button'.

  • Take a deep breath.
  • Count to 5 (or 10!).
  • Give yourself a moment before reacting.

Elaborate on the 'Stop' step. Encourage a physical action like taking a deep breath or counting to three.

T - Think: Play it Forward

Ask yourself:

  • What will happen if I do this?
  • What are the possible good and bad outcomes?
  • Are there other ways I could respond?

Explain the 'Think' step. Guide students to consider immediate and long-term consequences.

O - Observe: Look Around and Within

Notice:

  • How am I feeling right now? (Angry? Excited? Frustrated?)
  • What's happening around me?
  • What do others involved seem to be feeling?

Describe the 'Observe' step. This involves noticing their own feelings and the situation around them.

P - Proceed: Make Your Best Choice

Based on your 'Stop', 'Think', and 'Observe' steps, choose the action that is:

  • Safe
  • Respectful
  • Responsible
  • Helpful to you and others

Conclude with the 'Proceed' step, emphasizing making an intentional and thoughtful choice.

Let's Practice! The Impulse Challenge

Now it's your turn to use your 'Pause Power' toolkit!

We'll look at some situations and decide how to respond using the S.T.O.P. strategy.

Transition to the activity. Explain that they will get a chance to practice these strategies.

You've Got Pause Power!

Remember:

  • Impulse control helps you make better choices.
  • The S.T.O.P. strategy is your secret weapon.
  • Practice makes perfect!

What's one way you'll use your 'Pause Power' today?

Summarize the key takeaway and encourage them to use their new skills.

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Warm Up

Stop and Think: Quick Choices

Instructions: Read the situations below and write down your very first thought about what you would do. Then, take a moment to consider if that's the best choice and why.

  1. Situation: You are working on a group project, and one of your teammates keeps interrupting you. Your first thought is to yell at them.

    • My First Impulse:


    • Is this the best choice? Why or why not?





  2. Situation: You see a friend struggling to carry a heavy stack of books, and you have a sudden urge to make a joke about them tripping.

    • My First Impulse:


    • Is this the best choice? Why or why not?





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Activity

The Impulse Challenge: S.T.O.P. and Respond

Instructions: In your small groups, read each scenario. Then, use the S.T.O.P. strategy (Stop, Think, Observe, Proceed) to come up with the best way to respond. Be ready to share your group's plan!

Scenario 1: The Frustrating Game

You are playing a video game with a friend, and they keep beating you. You're getting really frustrated, and you feel a strong urge to throw your controller across the room.

  • S - Stop: What does your mental pause button look like here?



  • T - Think: What are the consequences if you throw the controller? What are other possible outcomes if you don't?






  • O - Observe: How are you feeling? How might your friend feel if you throw the controller? What's the overall situation?






  • P - Proceed: What's the best choice you can make now, given everything you've considered?









Scenario 2: The Online Comment

You see a post online where someone says something negative about a classmate you know. Your first reaction is to type an angry comment defending your friend, or even to join in and make fun of the classmate yourself.

  • S - Stop: What does your mental pause button look like here?



  • T - Think: What are the consequences of posting an angry or negative comment? What could happen online?






  • O - Observe: How are you feeling (e.g., protective, angry, entertained)? How might your comment affect your classmate or the person who posted the original comment?






  • P - Proceed: What's the best, most responsible choice you can make in this online situation?









Scenario 3: The Untidy Room

You get home from school, and your parent/guardian immediately tells you to clean your very messy room before you can do anything else. You feel a surge of annoyance and want to argue or stomp off to your room without cleaning it.

  • S - Stop: What does your mental pause button look like here?



  • T - Think: What are the consequences of arguing or refusing to clean? What might happen if you comply or try a different approach?






  • O - Observe: How are you feeling (e.g., annoyed, tired, rebellious)? What is your parent/guardian trying to achieve? What is the atmosphere at home?






  • P - Proceed: What's the most respectful and effective way to handle this situation?









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Discussion

Reflect and Share: Mastering Your Pause Power

Instructions: Let's discuss as a group. Share your thoughts and experiences with impulse control.

  1. Personal Experience: Can you think of a time when you acted impulsively and later wished you had paused? What happened?





  2. Using S.T.O.P.: From our activity, which scenario was the most challenging for you to apply the S.T.O.P. strategy to? Why?





  3. Real-World Application: How do you think practicing the S.T.O.P. strategy can help you in your daily life, specifically at school or with friends?





  4. One Small Step: What is one small step you can take this week to practice better impulse control? It could be in a specific situation or just a general habit.





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Cool Down

My Pause Plan: One Step Forward

Instructions: Take a moment to think about what we discussed today. What's one impulse control strategy you'll commit to trying out, and when or where will you try it?

My Chosen Strategy:


When/Where I'll Try It:


Why I think this strategy will help me:





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Pause Power! • Lenny Learning