What Would You Do?

Instructions: I will read a few quick scenarios. Think about what you would do first, without stopping to think. Then, consider if there's another choice you could make after a quick pause.

1. You see your friend has a really cool toy that you want to play with right now! What's the first thing you want to do?



2. Someone bumps into you in the hallway and you almost drop your books. What's your immediate reaction?



3. It's snack time and there's only one cookie left. You really, really want it! What's your first instinct?

Stop, Think, Go! Script

Warm-Up: What Would You Do? (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really important: making smart choices, especially when we feel like doing something quickly without thinking. To start, we're going to do a quick activity called What Would You Do? Warm Up. I'm going to read a few short situations, and I want you to first think about what your very first reaction would be, without stopping to think. Then, I'll ask you to think about what you might do if you paused for a moment."

"Ready? Let's go!"

• Scenario 1: "You see your friend has a really cool toy that you want to play with right now! What's the first thing you want to do?" (Pause for quick, honest answers. Acknowledge all responses without judgment.)
  
  
  
  
  "Okay, now, if you stopped for a second, what else could you do?"
  
  
  
  

• Scenario 2: "Someone bumps into you in the hallway and you almost drop your books. What's your immediate reaction?"
  
  
  
  
  "And if you took a breath and thought, what might be another way to react?"
  
  
  
  

• Scenario 3: "It's snack time and there's only one cookie left. You really, really want it! What's your first instinct?"
  
  
  
  
  "After a quick pause, what other choice could you make?"
  
  
  
  

Teacher: "Great job! Those quick feelings or thoughts that make us want to do something right away? We call those impulses. Sometimes our impulses are helpful, but other times, they can lead to choices we might regret. Today, we're going to learn a superpower to help us with those tricky impulses!"

Introduce 'Stop, Think, Go!' (5 minutes)

Teacher: (Advance to Slide 1: Welcome! Today's Mission: Smart Choices!)

"As our slide says, today's mission is 'Smart Choices!' We're going to learn how to be the boss of our brains and make good decisions."

(Advance to Slide 2: What's an Impulse?)

Teacher: "So, as we just talked about, an impulse is a quick feeling or thought that makes you want to do something right away. It's like your brain's 'fast' button. Can anyone give me another example of an impulse they've felt or seen?"

(Acknowledge student examples.)

Teacher: "Exactly! Sometimes, impulses lead to great things, like sharing a happy secret. But other times, they can lead to choices that aren't so great, like blurting out an answer when someone else is talking."

(Advance to Slide 3: Our Secret Power: Stop, Think, Go!)

Teacher: "But guess what? We have a secret power to control our impulses! It's called Stop, Think, Go! It's like a traffic light for our brains, helping us make good choices. Let's break it down."

(Advance to Slide 4: Step 1: STOP!)

Teacher: "The first step is STOP! Just like a traffic light turning red. When you feel that impulse building, you freeze for a moment. You can take a deep breath, count to three in your head, or even imagine a stop sign in front of you. Why do you think it's important to STOP first? What does it give our brains?"

Discussion: Why Is Stopping Important? (Link to Discussion: Why Is Stopping Important?)

Teacher: "(Engage students in the Discussion: Why Is Stopping Important? for a few minutes, focusing on giving your brain time and avoiding mistakes.)"

(Advance to Slide 5: Step 2: THINK!)

Teacher: "Excellent points! After you STOP, the next step is THINK! This is where your brain gets to do some important work. You ask yourself: 'What are my different choices? What might happen if I do my first idea? How will my choice make others feel? How will my choice make me feel?' It's like weighing your options on a mental scale."

(Advance to Slide 6: Step 3: GO!)

Teacher: "Finally, after you've stopped and thought, you GO! This means you choose the best choice. The one that is safe, the one that is kind, the one that helps you and others. Sometimes it's still hard, but practicing 'Stop, Think, Go!' makes it easier and easier."

Practice with Scenarios (7 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 7: Time to Practice!)

Teacher: "Alright, now it's time to put our superpower into action! I have some scenario cards here from our Impulse Control Scenarios Activity. I'm going to give one to each of you. Your job is to read your scenario and then silently, or with a partner if you prefer, apply Stop, Think, Go! to it. Think through each step. I'll be walking around to help and listen to your amazing thinking."

(Distribute scenario cards. Circulate, providing prompts like: "What would be your immediate impulse here? What does 'stop' look like for you in this situation? What are three different ways you could 'go' after thinking?")

Teacher: "Let's come back together. Can a few brave volunteers share one of their scenarios and how they used 'Stop, Think, Go!'?"

(Facilitate sharing, reinforcing the steps of the strategy.)

Worksheet: My Smart Choices (5 minutes)

Teacher: "You are doing so well! Now we're going to put our thoughts down on paper with the My Smart Choices Worksheet. On this worksheet, you'll write down a situation where you might need to use 'Stop, Think, Go!' It can be one we discussed or a new one you think of. Then, write or draw how you would use the strategy to make a smart choice."

(Distribute worksheets and allow students to work. Circulate to assist and encourage.)

Role-Play Game (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Let's try a quick Role Play Game to really feel what 'Stop, Think, Go!' is like. I'll give you a super quick scenario, and I want you to act out the 'Stop,' 'Think,' and 'Go' steps. For 'Stop,' maybe you freeze or take a big breath. For 'Think,' maybe you tap your chin. For 'Go,' you act out your smart choice!"

"Okay, scenario: You're playing a game, and your friend accidentally knocks over your carefully built block tower. What do you do? Show me 'Stop, Think, Go!'"

(Encourage students to act it out quickly. Repeat with one more scenario if time permits, such as 'You see a friend struggling with a heavy backpack.')

Cool Down: Exit Ticket (2 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 8: You've Got This!)

Teacher: "Fantastic work today, everyone! You've learned a powerful tool. To wrap up, I'm going to give you a Cool Down Exit Ticket. On this ticket, I want you to write down one thing you learned today about impulse control, or one time you will try to use the 'Stop, Think, Go!' strategy. Think about how this can help you in school, at home, or with your friends."

(Distribute exit tickets. Collect as students complete them.)

Teacher: "Remember, practicing 'Stop, Think, Go!' will help you make excellent choices every day. You've got this!"

My Smart Choices Worksheet

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Stop, Think, Go! Putting it into Practice

Think about a time when you might feel an impulse to do something quickly, without thinking. Or, imagine a situation where using "Stop, Think, Go!" would be really helpful.

My Scenario:

Describe the situation where you feel an impulse. What happens? What do you want to do first?

Step 1: STOP!

What does it look like when you stop? (e.g., take a deep breath, count to 3, freeze)

Step 2: THINK!

What are your choices? What might happen if you choose your first idea? What might happen if you choose a different idea? How will others feel? How will you feel?

Step 3: GO!

What is the smart choice you will make? Explain why it's a good choice.

Draw your Smart Choice!

Draw a picture of yourself making the smart choice in your scenario!

Why Is Stopping Important?

Introduction

We've learned about impulses, those quick feelings that make us want to act right away. We also know our secret power is "Stop, Think, Go!" Let's focus on the first part: STOP!

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think it's important to STOP before you do something, especially when you feel a strong impulse?

   • What happens if we don't stop? Can you think of an example?
   • What does stopping give our brains time to do?
     
     
     
     

2. What are some ways you can physically or mentally tell yourself to "STOP" when you feel an impulse?

   • (Examples: Take a deep breath, count to three, close your eyes for a second, imagine a stop sign.)
   • Does stopping always mean you won't do the thing you first wanted to do? Why or why not?
     
     
     
     

3. Think about a time when you did stop before acting on an impulse. What was the result? How did it feel?

   • What if you had not stopped? What might have happened differently?
     
     
     
     

Wrap-Up

"Stopping" is the first and often hardest step, but it's like creating a little space for our brains to catch up and make smarter choices. It's a powerful tool!

Impulse Control Scenarios Activity

Instructions: Read each scenario below. For each one, think about the three steps: STOP!, THINK!, and GO!. What would your immediate impulse be? What would you think about during the "Think" step? What would be your smart choice for the "Go" step?

Scenario Card 1: The Ripped Drawing

You spent a long time drawing a beautiful picture. Your classmate accidentally bumps your desk, and their elbow rips your drawing a little bit. Your first feeling is anger, and you want to yell at them.

Stop!

Think!

Go!

Scenario Card 2: The Last Swing

It's recess, and you've been waiting for a long time for your turn on the swings. Finally, one is open! But just as you run to it, another student rushes in front of you and jumps on the swing. Your impulse is to push them off.

Stop!

Think!

Go!

Scenario Card 3: The Exciting News

Your teacher is explaining an important math problem. You suddenly remember something really exciting that happened at home this morning, and you really want to share it with the class right now!

Stop!

Think!

Go!

Scenario Card 4: The Game Controller

You and your friend are playing a video game. You are losing, and your friend is gloating a little. You get really frustrated and feel like throwing the controller down.

Stop!

Think!

Go!

Scenario Card 5: The Loud Group

You are trying to read quietly during independent reading time. The group next to you is talking and laughing loudly, and you can't concentrate. Your impulse is to shout at them to be quiet.

Stop!

Think!

Go!

Role Play Game: Stop, Think, Go!

Instructions: In this game, we are going to act out the "Stop, Think, Go!" strategy. When I give you a scenario, first show me what STOP! looks like, then show me what THINK! looks like, and finally, act out your GO! (your smart choice).

How to Play:

• Teacher: Will read a scenario aloud.
• Students: Will quickly act out the three steps.
  • STOP!: Freeze, take a deep breath, or hold up a hand like a stop sign.
  • THINK!: Tap your chin, look up like you're thinking, or whisper choices to yourself.
  • GO!: Act out the positive, smart choice you would make.

Scenarios to Role Play:

1. Scenario: You are walking in line, and someone accidentally steps on your heel. Your first instinct is to kick them back.

   • Act it out! (Stop, Think, Go!)
     
     
     
     

2. Scenario: You see a friend with a delicious-looking snack that you really want. Your first thought is to grab a piece.

   • Act it out! (Stop, Think, Go!)
     
     
     
     

3. Scenario: You are building something awesome with blocks, and another student runs by and bumps your creation, making a few blocks fall. You want to shout at them.

   • Act it out! (Stop, Think, Go!)
     
     
     
     

4. Scenario: You are asked to clean up, but you are in the middle of a fun activity. You want to ignore the request.

   • Act it out! (Stop, Think, Go!)
     
     
     
     

Reminders:

• Have fun with it!
• Exaggerate your "Stop" and "Think" to really feel the pause.
• Show your best, smart "Go"!

Cool Down: My Smart Choice Power

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Reflect and Share!

1. One thing I learned today about impulse control is:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. I will try to use the "Stop, Think, Go!" strategy when...
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Bonus thought (if you have time!): How do you think using "Stop, Think, Go!" can help you be a better friend or a better learner in school?