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Sensory Power-Up

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Slide Deck

Sensory Power-Up!

Using the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method to stay calm and focused

Welcome everyone! Today we're going to learn a fun way to calm our minds and sharpen our focus. Introduce yourself and explain that this technique uses all five senses to help us feel grounded. Ask: "Has anyone heard of grounding before?"

Why Grounding?

When we feel worried, excited, or distracted, grounding helps us feel calm by focusing on our five senses.

Explain that grounding is like an anchor for our mind when we feel anxious or distracted. Ask students to share a time when they felt nervous or overwhelmed.

Meet the 5-4-3-2-1 Method

• 5 things you SEE
• 4 things you TOUCH
• 3 things you HEAR
• 2 things you SMELL
• 1 thing you TASTE

Go through each line slowly, pointing to the bullets. Emphasize that we will work through each sense one at a time.

Step 1: SEE

Look around and name 5 things you can see. Write them on your worksheet.

Ask students to look around the classroom and name 5 different items they can see. Encourage them to pick both big and small items.

Step 2: TOUCH

Focus on 4 things you can touch. What textures do you feel? List them on your worksheet.

Invite students to touch their desk, clothes, or hair and notice the textures. Help any student who’s unsure what counts as a touchable item.

Step 3: HEAR

Listen for 3 sounds around you. Note them down on your worksheet.

Have students close their eyes quietly for 10 seconds to listen. Then ask for examples: clock ticking, chairs moving, birds outside.

Step 4: SMELL

Notice 2 smells around you. It could be a snack, pencil, or fresh air. Write them down.

Remind students to choose smells that are safe and not too strong. If needed, let them sniff their snack or a pencil.

Step 5: TASTE

Focus on 1 thing you can taste. Jot it on your worksheet.

Suggest students take a small bite of a snack or a sip of water to help them focus on taste. If they don’t have anything, ask them to notice the taste in their mouth.

Your Turn!

Take 3 minutes to complete your worksheet using the steps: SEE, TOUCH, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE.

Set a 3-minute timer. Walk around to offer guidance and praise. Encourage quiet focus as they work.

Review & Takeaway

• Remember the 5-4-3-2-1 steps
• Use this method when you feel stressed or distracted
• Practice making grounding a habit!

Ask two or three volunteers to share one thing they noticed in each step. Emphasize that they can use this anytime they feel stressed or distracted.

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Worksheet

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Worksheet

Use this worksheet alongside the Sensory Power-Up Slides to practice the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method. Take your time with each step and focus your attention on the present moment.

1. 👀 SEE (5 things)

Look around and write down five different things you can see:











2. ✋ TOUCH (4 things)

Focus on four textures or objects you can touch and describe how they feel:









3. 👂 HEAR (3 sounds)

Close your eyes for a moment and note three sounds you hear around you:







4. 👃 SMELL (2 scents)

Notice two smells in your environment and write them down:






5. 👅 TASTE (1 taste)

Take a small taste of something or notice a flavor in your mouth and describe it:




Great job! Keep this worksheet handy and use the 5-4-3-2-1 method anytime you need to feel calm and focused.

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Lesson Plan

Sensory Power-Up Plan

Students will learn and practice the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method to manage stress and improve focus by engaging each of their five senses through guided instruction and independent work.

Grounding is a simple, research-backed self-regulation tool that helps students calm their minds, reduce anxiety, and sharpen attention—skills that support both emotional well-being and academic success.

Audience

5th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Teach mind-body technique through slides, guided demo, and hands-on practice.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and introduce yourself
  • Explain today’s objective: learning a quick way to manage stress and stay focused
  • Ask: “Has anyone ever felt nervous or distracted? What did you do?”

Step 2

Why Grounding?

5 minutes

  • Display Slide 2: “Why Grounding?”
  • Discuss how grounding acts like an anchor when we feel worried or unfocused
  • Invite students to share a moment they felt overwhelmed or inattentive

Step 3

Teach 5-4-3-2-1 Method

5 minutes

  • Show Slide 3: “Meet the 5-4-3-2-1 Method”
  • Explain each sense step (SEE, TOUCH, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE)
  • Pause after each bullet to check for understanding and answer questions

Step 4

Guided Practice

3 minutes

  • Advance through Slides 4–8 (Steps 1–5)
  • After each slide, have students write their examples in the corresponding section on their worksheet
  • Offer prompts or examples if students need help getting started

Step 5

Independent Practice

3 minutes

  • Set a 3-minute timer and ask students to finish their worksheet silently
  • Circulate to support:
    • Provide sentence starters or one-on-one prompts for students needing extra help
    • Encourage advanced students to add rich details for each sense

Step 6

Share & Discussion

5 minutes

  • Display Slide 10: “Review & Takeaway”
  • Invite 2–3 volunteers to share one thing they noticed in any step
  • Highlight strong observations and connect them back to focus and calm
  • Remind students they can use this method anytime they feel stressed or distracted

Step 7

Closure & Reflection

4 minutes

  • Summarize the 5-4-3-2-1 steps and their benefits
  • Ask students to write on the back of their worksheet when they plan to use this strategy next
  • Teacher reflection: note which steps engaged students most, identify any challenges, and adjust for next time
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