Lesson Plan
Stop, Think, Go! Lesson Plan
Students will learn and practice a "Stop, Think, Go!" strategy to improve impulse control, enabling them to make more thoughtful decisions.
This lesson helps students develop self-regulation skills, leading to better classroom behavior, improved social interactions, and greater academic success.
Audience
1st Grade Students (Small Group, all on IEPs)
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, and interactive discussion.
Materials
Whiteboard or Chart Paper, Markers, Impulse Control Scenarios, Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck, and Stop, Think, Go! Worksheet
Prep
Materials and Setup
5 minutes
- Review the Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print or prepare the Impulse Control Scenarios cards.
- Print enough copies of the Stop, Think, Go! Worksheet for each student.
- Ensure you have markers and whiteboard/chart paper available.
- Arrange seating for a small group discussion.
- Review all generated materials as needed.
Step 1
Introduction (2 minutes)
2 minutes
- Greet students and introduce the topic of making smart choices.
- Ask students if they've ever done something quickly and then wished they had thought about it first. (Brief discussion)
- Introduce the idea of a special strategy to help them make good choices: "Stop, Think, Go!"
Step 2
Introduce "Stop, Think, Go!" (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Use the Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck to explain each step:
- STOP: Pause, take a deep breath.
- THINK: What are my choices? What might happen?
- GO: Choose the best option and do it.
- Model the strategy with a simple, relatable example (e.g., wanting to blurt out an answer).
Step 3
Guided Practice with Scenarios (8 minutes)
8 minutes
- Present one Impulse Control Scenarios card at a time.
- Read the scenario aloud.
- Guide students through the "Stop, Think, Go!" steps for each scenario.
- STOP:
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Slide Deck
Welcome! 👋
Have you ever done something super fast and then wished you had waited? It happens to everyone! Today, we're learning a secret trick to make great choices!
Welcome students and introduce the idea that sometimes we do things without thinking, and that's okay, but we can learn a helpful trick.
Step 1: STOP!
When you feel like doing something quickly...
🛑 STOP!
Take a deep breath.
Freeze like a statue for a moment.
Introduce the 'Stop' step. Emphasize taking a deep breath and freezing like a statue.
Step 2: THINK 🤔
After you STOP...
🤔 THINK!
What are my choices?
What could happen if I do this?
What could happen if I do that?
Introduce the 'Think' step. Explain that thinking means asking ourselves questions about what we want to do.
Step 3: GO! ✨
After you STOP and THINK...
✨ GO!
Choose the best choice.
Do it!
Introduce the 'Go' step. Explain that 'Go' means choosing the best option and doing it.
Stop, Think, Go! Together!
🛑 STOP!
🤔 THINK!
✨ GO!
We'll practice this together to become Super Thinkers!
Summarize the three steps and emphasize that practice makes perfect.
Activity
Impulse Control Scenarios
Instructions: For each scenario, use the "Stop, Think, Go!" strategy to decide what to do.
Scenario 1: The Exciting Answer
Your teacher asks a question, and you know the answer! You really, really want to shout it out right away!
STOP!
THINK!
GO!
Scenario 2: Playtime Trouble
You are playing with a toy, and your friend grabs it from you. You feel really angry and want to grab it back right away!
STOP!
THINK!
GO!
Scenario 3: Delicious Snack
It's snack time, and you see your favorite cookies. You want to eat them all before anyone else gets one!
STOP!
THINK!
GO!
Scenario 4: Interrupting Story Time
The teacher is reading a really interesting story, but you just remembered something super important you want to tell her.
STOP!
THINK!
GO!
Worksheet
Stop, Think, Go! Worksheet
Name: ________________________
Date: ________________________
Sometimes we want to do things super fast! But waiting a little bit can help us make a really good choice.
Your Turn: Practice "Stop, Think, Go!"
Scenario 1: You want to talk!
Your friend is talking, and you have something exciting to say! You want to interrupt right away!
1. STOP! What do you do? (Hint: Take a breath, freeze)
2. THINK! What are your choices? What could happen?
3. GO! What is the best choice you can make?
Scenario 2: You see something cool!
You are walking in the hallway, and you see a cool toy on the floor. You want to pick it up and play with it right away!
1. STOP! What do you do?
2. THINK! What are your choices? What could happen?
3. GO! What is the best choice you can make?
Script
Stop, Think, Go! Script
Introduction (2 minutes)
Teacher: "Hi everyone! Welcome! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: making smart choices. Has anyone ever done something really, really fast, and then right after, you thought, 'Oh no, maybe I should have thought about that first?'"
(Pause for brief student responses/acknowledgements. Keep it light and relatable.)
Teacher: "It happens to all of us! Sometimes our brains work so fast, we just do things. But guess what? We have a secret trick, a special power, to help us make really good choices. It's called 'Stop, Think, Go!'."
Introduce "Stop, Think, Go!" (5 minutes)
Teacher: (Transition to the Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck - Slide: Step 1: STOP!)
Teacher: "Our first step is STOP! When you feel like doing something quickly, like shouting out an answer or grabbing a toy, what do you do? You literally STOP! Like a statue! You freeze. You can even take a big, deep breath. Let's try it together! When I say 'STOP!', everyone freeze and take a deep breath. Ready? STOP!"
(Model freezing and taking a deep breath. Praise students for participating.)
Teacher: (Transition to Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck - Slide: Step 2: THINK 🤔)
Teacher: "Great job stopping! Now, once you've stopped, the next step is THINK! This is where your super-smart brain comes in. You ask yourself:
- 'What are my choices right now?'
- 'What could happen if I do this thing I want to do?'
- 'What else could I do instead?'
Let's pretend I really want to shout out an answer. If I just shout it out, what might happen? (Pause for answers: my friend might get sad, teacher might be upset, etc.) What if I raise my hand instead? (Pause for answers: teacher calls on me, I get to share, etc.) This is the 'Think' step – thinking about the good and not-so-good things that could happen."
Teacher: (Transition to Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck - Slide: Step 3: GO! ✨)
Teacher: "You've stopped, you've thought about your choices, and now it's time to GO! This means you pick the best choice, the one that makes everyone happy or is the safest, and you do it! So, if I thought raising my hand was the best choice, then I would GO! and raise my hand quietly."
Teacher: (Transition to Stop, Think, Go! Slide Deck - Slide: Stop, Think, Go! Together!)
Teacher: "So, our secret trick is: STOP, THINK, GO! Let's say it together!" (Lead students in saying "Stop, Think, Go!")
Guided Practice with Scenarios (8 minutes)
Teacher: "Now we're going to practice being 'Super Thinkers' with some real-life situations. I have some Impulse Control Scenarios for us. We'll read one, and then we'll use our 'Stop, Think, Go!' power."
(Hold up or display a Impulse Control Scenarios card, e.g., Scenario 1: The Exciting Answer)
Teacher: "Alright, listen to this: 'Your teacher asks a question, and you know the answer! You really, really want to shout it out right away!'
Teacher: "First step? Everyone! STOP! What do you do?"
(Encourage students to physically stop, take a breath. Guide responses like: "I stop my body," "I take a deep breath.")
Teacher: "Great stopping! Now, for step two, THINK! What are your choices here? If you shout out, what happens? If you raise your hand, what happens?"
(Facilitate discussion, prompting for different choices and consequences.)
Teacher: "Excellent thinking! So, what's the best choice here? What should we GO! and do?"
(Guide students to identify the best action.)
(Repeat this process for 1-2 more scenarios from the Impulse Control Scenarios as time allows, ensuring each student gets a chance to contribute.)
Independent Practice/Cool Down (5 minutes)
Teacher: "You are all becoming such amazing 'Super Thinkers'! To help you remember this special trick, I have a Stop, Think, Go! Worksheet for each of you. On this worksheet, you'll get to read two new situations and write or draw what you would do for each step: Stop, Think, and Go!"
(Distribute the Stop, Think, Go! Worksheet. Provide support as needed while students begin working.)
Teacher: "We will keep practicing 'Stop, Think, Go!' in our classroom, and soon it will be a habit to help you make great choices all the time! Give yourselves a pat on the back for being such thoughtful learners!"