Stop, Think, Choose

rachelreynolds

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Impulse Control Plan

Teach the student to use the Stop–Think–Choose strategy to manage impulses by guiding them through modeling, practice, and self-reflection within a 25-minute individual session.

Developing impulse control helps the student make thoughtful decisions, reduces disruptive behavior, and builds self-regulation skills across academic and social contexts.

Audience

6th Grade Student

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Model, guide, and reinforce the Stop–Think–Choose steps.

Materials

Stop–Think–Choose Dialogue, Decision Tree Worksheet, and Impulse-Control Checklist

Prep

Review Generated Materials

5 minutes

Review Stop–Think–Choose Dialogue.
Familiarize yourself with the steps on the Decision Tree Worksheet.
Understand the criteria in the Impulse-Control Checklist.
Print copies of each material as needed.

Step 1

Introduction

3 minutes

Briefly review the concept of impulse control and its importance.
Introduce the Stop–Think–Choose strategy and its three steps.
Show the student the Decision Tree Worksheet as a tool for applying the strategy.

Step 2

Modeling the Strategy

5 minutes

Use a real or hypothetical scenario to demonstrate each step.
Read through the Stop–Think–Choose Dialogue, thinking aloud to highlight 'Stop', 'Think', and 'Choose'.
Encourage the student to ask questions about each part.

Step 3

Guided Practice

7 minutes

Present two brief scenarios and work through them together.
Have the student fill out the top section of the Decision Tree Worksheet with your guidance.
Provide prompts to help identify impulses, possible outcomes, and thoughtful choices.

Step 4

Independent Practice

7 minutes

Ask the student to complete a new scenario independently on the Decision Tree Worksheet.
Observe the student's process and use the Impulse-Control Checklist to note adherence to the steps.
Offer corrective feedback as needed.

Step 5

Reflection & Wrap-Up

3 minutes

Review the completed worksheet and highlight the student's correct use of Stop–Think–Choose steps.
Provide positive reinforcement based on the Impulse-Control Checklist.
Set a goal for applying the strategy outside the session and plan the next meeting.

0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Script

Stop–Think–Choose Dialogue Script

Teacher (speaking aloud, using a calm, clear voice):
“Okay, today I’m going to model how I use Stop–Think–Choose in my head. Imagine I’m in class working on a project, and I notice my classmate takes a part of my paper without asking. I start to feel annoyed.”

Teacher (thinking aloud):
“Stop! Wait a second. I’m feeling upset.”

Teacher (pausing, then continuing):
“Next, I’m going to Think about what might happen if I react right away.”

Teacher (thinking aloud):
“If I jump up and yell at my classmate, they might get mad, I could get in trouble, and I still wouldn’t get my paper back.”

Teacher (smiling, then speaking):
“Finally, I Choose the best option.”

Teacher (thinking aloud):
“I can calmly say, ‘Hey, can I have my paper back? I need it to finish my work.’”

Teacher (addressing student directly):
“That is how I use Stop–Think–Choose. First I Stop and notice my feeling. Then I Think about what could happen next. Then I Choose a response that helps me and others. Let’s do one together!”

Worksheet

Decision Tree Worksheet

Use the Stop–Think–Choose strategy to work through each scenario below. Fill in each section with your thoughts and choices.

Scenario 1 (Guided Practice)

Scenario description:

Stop: What impulse or feeling did you notice?
Think: List possible outcomes if you acted on your impulse:

a. _______________________________________

b. _______________________________________

c. _______________________________________
Choose: What is the best choice you can make? Why?

Scenario 2 (Guided Practice)

Scenario description:

Stop: What impulse or feeling did you notice?
Think: List possible outcomes if you acted on your impulse:

a. _______________________________________

b. _______________________________________

c. _______________________________________
Choose: What is the best choice you can make? Why?

Scenario 3 (Independent Practice)

Scenario description:

Stop: What impulse or feeling did you notice?
Think: List possible outcomes if you acted on your impulse:

a. _______________________________________

b. _______________________________________

c. _______________________________________
Choose: What is the best choice you can make? Why?

Rubric

Impulse–Control Checklist Rubric

Use this checklist during the independent practice to observe and record the student’s use of each Stop–Think–Choose step.

Criterion	Met (✓)	Notes
1. Stop: Pauses and notices their feeling or impulse
2. Think: Lists at least two possible outcomes
3. Choose: Selects the most appropriate response
4. Reflect: Explains why the chosen response is beneficial