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Positive Pulse

Lesson Plan

Pulse Check Protocol

Students will quickly gauge their mood and record a positive moment each day, providing data to guide Tier 1 behavior supports and reinforce school-wide expectations.

Regular pulse checks build self-awareness, celebrate daily positives, and deliver real-time data to refine reinforcement strategies, boosting overall morale.

Audience

K–5 School-Wide

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive check-in using visuals, emojis, and trackers.

Materials

Prep

Materials Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

  • Greet students and explain that today’s ‘Positive Pulse’ gauges our mood and highlights good moments.
  • Briefly review school-wide behavior expectations.
  • Outline today’s flow: Warm-up, pulse check, record, reflect.

Step 2

Warm-Up: Emoji Express

3 minutes

  • Display Emoji Express Warm-Up Cards.
  • Invite each student to select the emoji that best matches their current feeling.
  • Ask 2–3 volunteers to share why they picked their emoji.

Step 3

Pulse Check Activity

7 minutes

  • Distribute Daily Pulse Tracker to each student.
  • Using the posted Mood Meter Visuals, review the mood categories.
  • Students circle their current mood and write one positive moment from their day.
  • Teacher circulates to support and prompt as needed.

Step 4

Reflection and Closing

3 minutes

  • Collect trackers or record summary data on a class chart.
  • Invite 2–3 students to share their positive moment aloud.
  • Reinforce how these moments align with our school-wide expectations.
  • Explain how today’s data will inform future positive reinforcement strategies.
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Slide Deck

Mood Meter Visuals

Our Mood Meter has four colored zones, each with an emoji and feeling label:

• Green Zone 😊 — Excited, joyful, energetic
• Blue Zone 😌 — Calm, content, relaxed
• Yellow Zone 😕 — Worried, nervous, puzzled
• Red Zone 😢 — Sad, frustrated, upset

Welcome, everyone! Today we’re going to learn how to use our Mood Meter. This chart will help you quickly pick and share how you’re feeling during our Positive Pulse check-in. Point out the title and the four colored zones.

Quadrant Examples

Green Zone 😊
• Feeling: Excited, joyful
• Example: “I can’t wait for recess!”

Blue Zone 😌
• Feeling: Calm, relaxed
• Example: “I enjoy reading quietly.”

Yellow Zone 😕
• Feeling: Worried, puzzled
• Example: “I’m nervous about the spelling test.”

Red Zone 😢
• Feeling: Upset, frustrated
• Example: “I feel sad when I miss my friend.”

Guide students through each quadrant in turn. Ask them to think of a time they felt in each zone. Use the room display or projector to highlight each color and emoji.

Using the Mood Meter

  1. Look at the four zones and emojis on our Mood Meter.
  2. Pick the face that best matches your feeling right now.
  3. On your Daily Pulse Tracker, circle that emoji and zone color.
  4. Write one positive moment to go with your mood.

Explain how students will use this during the Pulse Check. Remind them to circle the emoji that matches and then write one positive moment.

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Warm Up

Emoji Express Warm-Up

Instructions:

  1. Shuffle the Emoji Express Warm-Up Cards and lay them face-up on a table or desk.
  2. Invite each student to pick the card whose emoji best matches their current feeling.
  3. Ask volunteers to share why they chose that emoji and finish the sentence prompt on their card.

Cards (emoji + prompt):

😊 I feel excited when…


😌 I feel calm when…


😕 I feel a little worried when…


😢 I feel upset when…


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Worksheet

Daily Pulse Tracker

Date: ________________

Use the Mood Meter Visuals to help you circle your mood below:

🍏 Green Zone 😊 (Excited, joyful, energetic)

💧 Blue Zone 😌 (Calm, content, relaxed)

🌟 Yellow Zone 😕 (Worried, nervous, puzzled)

🔥 Red Zone 😢 (Sad, frustrated, upset)

Circle one emoji above.

My Positive Moment

Write one positive moment from your day:















(Teacher: Collect trackers and record data for tomorrow’s reinforcement!)

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