Lesson Plan
Pause & Process
Students will define impulse control, identify its benefits, and practice strategies to improve it, leading to more thoughtful decision-making.
Developing impulse control is crucial for managing emotions, making informed choices, and achieving personal and academic goals. This lesson provides practical strategies that students can immediately apply to improve their decision-making in everyday situations.
Audience
9th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, real-life scenario analysis, and practical strategy application.
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Slide Deck: Pause & Process, Activity: Impulse Scenarios, and Worksheet: My Impulse Toolkit
Prep
Review Materials & Setup
10 minutes
- Review the Pause & Process Lesson Plan and all linked materials to ensure familiarity with the content and flow.
- Prepare the projector or whiteboard for displaying the Slide Deck: Pause & Process.
- Print copies of the Activity: Impulse Scenarios (one per small group) and Worksheet: My Impulse Toolkit (one per student).
- Arrange the seating for small group collaboration, if possible, for the 'Impulse Scenarios' activity.
- Ensure markers or pens are available for students.
Step 1
Introduction: What's the Rush?
5 minutes
- Hook: Begin with a quick question to engage students: "What's the fastest decision you've ever made that you later regretted?" Allow a few students to share briefly.
* Introduce Impulse Control: Explain that today's lesson is about "Impulse Control," and how learning to pause before acting can lead to better outcomes. Use Slide 1: Pause & Process and Slide 2: What's the Rush? to guide the discussion.
Step 2
Understanding Impulse Control
5 minutes
- Define: Present the definition of impulse control using Slide 3: What is Impulse Control?. Discuss the difference between a quick reaction and a thoughtful response.
* Why it Matters: Use Slide 4: Why Does It Matter? to highlight the benefits: better relationships, achieving goals, avoiding regret. Ask students for examples where good impulse control would have been helpful.
Step 3
Impulse Scenarios Activity
10 minutes
- Instructions: Divide students into small groups (2-3 students). Distribute the Activity: Impulse Scenarios.
* Task: Each group will read a scenario and discuss how a character could use impulse control strategies to respond more effectively. Emphasize thinking about the 'pause' before the 'process.'
* Share Out: After 7 minutes, bring the groups back together. Have each group briefly share one scenario and their proposed impulse control strategy. Use Slide 5: Scenario Challenge! to introduce the activity.
Step 4
Building Your Impulse Toolkit
5 minutes
- Introduce Strategies: Briefly present a few key strategies for impulse control using Slide 6: Your Impulse Toolkit (e.g., Stop-Think-Act, Count to 10, Deep Breathing, Walk Away).
* Worksheet: Distribute the Worksheet: My Impulse Toolkit. Instruct students to choose 2-3 strategies that resonate with them and jot down how they could apply them in their own lives. Encourage them to personalize it.
Step 5
Wrap-Up & Reflection
5 minutes
- Quick Share: Ask a few students to share one strategy from their toolkit and why they chose it.
* Reinforce Learning: Reiterate the power of pausing. Use Slide 7: Practice Makes Progress! for a final thought.
* Cool Down: Conclude with the Cool Down: My Pause Plan to encourage immediate application and reflection.
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Slide Deck
Pause & Process: Impulse Control
Navigating choices with a calm mind.
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask a quick engaging question to get them thinking about quick decisions.
What's the Rush?
Think about a time you made a quick decision you later regretted. What happened?
Prompt students to reflect on times they acted quickly and regretted it. This helps set the stage for why impulse control is important.
What Is Impulse Control?
Impulse Control: The ability to resist acting on sudden urges, desires, or emotions without first thinking about the potential consequences.
It's about making thoughtful choices, not just reacting!
Provide a clear, simple definition of impulse control. Emphasize the 'pause' before the 'action.'
Why Does It Matter?
- Better Decisions: Thinking before acting leads to smarter choices.
- Stronger Relationships: Avoiding hasty words or actions improves how you interact with others.
- Achieving Goals: Staying focused and resisting distractions helps you reach your objectives.
- Less Regret: Fewer "I wish I hadn't done that" moments.
Discuss the various benefits of having good impulse control, relating them to students' lives (e.g., school, friendships, personal goals).
Scenario Challenge!
Work in small groups to explore real-life situations.
How can understanding impulse control help the characters make better choices?
Explain the upcoming group activity. Introduce the idea of working through scenarios to apply what they've learned.
Your Impulse Toolkit
Here are some strategies to help you pause and process:
- Stop-Think-Act: Stop what you're doing, think about consequences, then choose your action.
- Count to 10 (or 20!): Give yourself a moment to calm down and think.
- Deep Breathing: A few slow breaths can help clear your head.
- Walk Away: If possible, remove yourself from the situation temporarily.
- Talk it Out: Discuss with a trusted adult or friend.
Introduce concrete strategies students can use. Keep them actionable and easy to remember.
Practice Makes Progress!
Impulse control is a skill that gets stronger with practice.
Every time you choose to pause, you're building a more thoughtful, powerful you!
End with an encouraging message about the importance of consistent effort in developing impulse control.
Activity
Impulse Scenarios: Pause & Process
Instructions: Read each scenario with your group. Discuss how the character could use impulse control strategies to make a better choice. Be ready to share your ideas!
Scenario 1: The Frustrated Gamer
Alex is playing an online game and keeps losing. They're getting really angry and are about to send a mean message to another player. Alex's hand hovers over the 'send' button.
Discussion Questions:
- What's Alex's impulse in this situation?
- What could be the negative consequences of acting on this impulse?
- What impulse control strategy could Alex use before sending the message? How would it help?
Scenario 2: The Social Media Scroll
Maria has a big history project due tomorrow, and she's barely started. She told herself she'd work on it, but she just saw a notification from her favorite social media app. It's tempting to just check it for a minute...
Discussion Questions:
- What's Maria's impulse?
- What are the potential negative consequences if Maria gives in to her impulse?
- What strategy could Maria use to control this impulse and focus on her project?
Scenario 3: The Group Project Pressure
In a group project, one of your teammates isn't pulling their weight. You're feeling annoyed and are about to confront them loudly in front of the whole class. You feel your heart rate increasing and your face getting hot.
Discussion Questions:
- What's your impulse in this situation?
- What might happen if you act on that impulse?
- What impulse control strategy could you use to handle the situation more constructively?
Scenario 4: The Snack Attack
It's late at night, and you know you shouldn't eat a huge, sugary snack right before bed. You're trying to eat healthier, but there's a box of your favorite cookies calling your name from the kitchen.
Discussion Questions:
- What's your impulse here?
- What are the short-term and long-term consequences of giving in to this impulse?
- What impulse control strategy could you use to resist the urge and stick to your goal?
Worksheet
My Impulse Toolkit
Instructions: Review the impulse control strategies we discussed. Choose 2-3 strategies that you think would be most helpful for you in your daily life. Write down the strategy and how you plan to use it.
Strategy 1:
How I will use this strategy (be specific!):
Strategy 2:
How I will use this strategy (be specific!):
Strategy 3:
How I will use this strategy (be specific!):
Bonus Reflection: What's one specific situation where you plan to try using one of these strategies this week?
Cool Down
My Pause Plan: A Cool Down
Instructions: Take a moment to reflect on what we discussed today about impulse control.
-
What is one new thing you learned or realized about impulse control today?
-
What is one specific situation in your life where you want to try practicing impulse control in the next few days?
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Which strategy from our "Impulse Toolkit" do you think will be most helpful for you in that situation?