Session 1 Teacher Script

Total Time: 30 minutes

1. Warm-Up: Feelings Check-In (5 minutes)

1. Teacher holds up the Feelings Check-In Cards spread on the table.
   Teacher says: "Good morning, friends! Today we’re going to begin by checking in with how we feel. Everyone, please come up one at a time, choose a feelings card, and bring it back to your seat."
2. When a student returns, Teacher says: "Thanks, [Name]! You chose °(student names feeling)°. Can you tell us why you think having a self-care routine might help when you feel that way?"
   • If a student hesitates, Teacher offers a sentence starter: "I feel …, so a routine might help me by …"
   • Provide visual supports or gestures as needed for autistic learners.
3. After each share, Teacher says: "Great thinking! Routines can help us feel more … (repeat a word from the student’s answer, e.g., calm, focused)."

Transition: "Thank you for sharing. Let’s move to our learning goal for today!"

2. Introduction and Objective (5 minutes)

1. Teacher advances to Slide 1 of the Intro Slides.
   Teacher says: "Slide 1: Welcome to Self-Care Routines! Today, we will: define self-care routines, discover why they matter, and look at examples of routines we do every day."
2. Teacher moves to Slide 2.
   Teacher reads: "What Is a Self-Care Routine? These are daily habits we do to take care of ourselves—activities that support our health, our mood, and our focus. For example, brushing our teeth, stretching, or planning our day."
3. Teacher moves to Slide 3.
   Teacher reads: "Why Self-Care Routines Matter. Routines give us structure and predictability, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost our confidence and independence."
4. Teacher checks understanding:
   Teacher says: "Can someone restate our goal? What are we learning today?"
   • Wait for 1–2 volunteers.
   • Praise: "Exactly—defining routines and setting a goal for ourselves!"

3. Teach Self-Care Routines (8 minutes)

1. Teacher advances to Slide 4: "Example: Morning Routine."
   Teacher reads each step:
   • Wake up and stretch
   • Brush your teeth
   • Eat a healthy breakfast
   • Check your plannerTeacher says: "Raise your hand if you do one of these steps in the morning. Which one?"
   • Invite 2–3 students to share.
2. Teacher moves to Slide 5: "Example: Evening Routine."
   Teacher reads:
   • Pack your school bag
   • Shower or wash up
   • Read for 10 minutes
   • Lay out clothes for tomorrowTeacher says: "Who here reads before bed? What do you like to read?"
   • Accept any answer and say, "Nice! Reading can help us relax."
3. Teacher advances to Slide 6: "Key Components of a Good Routine."
   Teacher reads:
   • Keep steps simple and clear
   • Do them at the same time every day
   • Use reminders or checklistsTeacher says: "Why do you think it helps to keep steps simple?"
   • Follow-up if needed: "Simple steps are easier to remember and do every day."
4. Teacher says: "Now we’ll see how well you can match routine names with images!"
5. Distribute the Routine Matching Game Cards to each pair of students.
   Teacher instructions: "Work with your partner to match the routine name card with the correct picture card. You have three minutes—go!"
   • Circulate, offering cues: "Look at the picture—what happens first?"
   • Give extra support for autistic learners by pointing out key details.
6. After three minutes, Teacher reconvenes the class:
   Teacher says: "Great job! Let’s check one match together. [Pick a pair and hold up their match.] Does this look right? Yes? Awesome!"

4. Worksheet Activity: Goal Setting (7 minutes)

1. Teacher hands out the Self-Care Goals Worksheet.
   Teacher says: "On this worksheet, pick one routine you already do or want to do—like brushing your teeth or stretching. Then write a simple, achievable goal."
2. Teacher models on the board:
   Teacher writes: “My goal is to stretch for two minutes every morning.”
   Teacher says: "Notice how the sentence starts with ‘My goal is to …’ and names exactly what I’ll do."
3. Students work independently for five minutes.
   • Provide sentence starters: “My goal is to …” or “I will do … every day.”
   • Offer one-on-one support to any student who needs help expressing their idea.
4. Teacher circulates, quietly checking each student’s plan and giving praise: "Great goal, [Name]! Stretching for two minutes sounds perfect."

5. Game: Routine Relay Race (3 minutes)

1. Teacher says: "Time for a quick game! We’ll form two lines for our Routine Relay Race. Each student will act out one step of a routine, then tag the next teammate. Ready?"
2. Using the Routine Relay Race Instructions, Teacher guides students through:
   • Step 1: Pretend to wake up and stretch
   • Step 2: Brush teeth (mime holding a toothbrush)
   • Step 3: Eat breakfast (mime spoon or fork)
   • Step 4: Check planner (hold hand to ear like a phone checking list)
3. Teacher gives lots of positive feedback: "Fantastic stretching, [Name]! Awesome brushing, [Name]!"
   • Celebrate every attempt: "Way to go!" or "Nice job!"

6. Cool Down: Reflection Circle (2 minutes)

1. Teacher invites students to sit in a circle with their worksheets and feelings cards still visible.
   Teacher reads a prompt from the Reflection Prompts:
   • “What’s one thing you learned today about routines?”
   • “What’s one action you’ll try at home?”
2. Teacher says: "Let’s go around the circle. Share one insight and one action you’ll try at home. I’ll start: I learned that simple steps help me remember, and I’ll try stretching each morning for two minutes."
3. Each student shares briefly. Teacher affirms each: "Thank you, [Name]! That’s an excellent plan."
4. Teacher concludes: "Great work today, everyone! Next time, we’ll learn how to schedule our day. Have a wonderful rest of your day!"

End of Session 1 Script

Self-Care Goals Worksheet

Name: ________________________ Date: _______________

Directions: Think about a self-care routine you already do or one you’d like to start. Use the spaces below to plan your goal.

1. Brainstorm: List Three Routines You Know or Do

1. Routine 1: ____________________________________________

1. Routine 2: ____________________________________________

1. Routine 3: ____________________________________________

2. Choose One Routine to Focus On

My chosen routine is:

3. Write Your Goal

Use the sentence starter.

“My goal is to _____________________________________________________________.”

Example:
“My goal is to stretch for two minutes every morning.”

4. Plan When and How You’ll Do It

1. When will I do this?
   (e.g., time of day, after a class, before bed)

1. How will I remember?
   (e.g., set an alarm, use a sticker chart, ask a family member)

5. Success Check

How will I know I did it?
(e.g., I’ll feel more relaxed, I’ll check it off my planner)

Great job! Keep this worksheet somewhere you can see it every day.

Next time, we’ll look at scheduling our day!

Routine Matching Game Cards

Materials: Print and cut into individual cards. You’ll have 4 routine name cards and 4 matching picture cards.
Directions for Students: In pairs, spread all cards face up. Match each routine name card with the correct picture card.

Routine Name Cards (4 cards)

• Card A: Wake up and stretch
• Card B: Brush your teeth
• Card C: Eat a healthy breakfast
• Card D: Check your planner

Routine Picture Cards (4 cards)

• Card 1: Illustration of a person stretching in bed (Wake up and stretch)
• Card 2: Illustration of someone brushing their teeth (Brush your teeth)
• Card 3: Illustration of a bowl of cereal with a spoon (Eat a healthy breakfast)
• Card 4: Illustration of a planner with a pen and checkmark (Check your planner)

Teacher Instructions

• Review each pair after students complete the matching.
• For autistic learners, offer prompts: “Which picture shows brushing? What label goes with it?”
• Celebrate correct matches and gently correct any mismatches.

Feelings Check-In Cards

Materials:
Print and cut into individual cards. Each card shows a feeling word paired with an emoji or simple illustration.

Card List (6 cards)

• Happy 😊
• Sad 😢
• Anxious 😟
• Excited 😃
• Tired 😴
• Calm 🧘‍♂️

Student Instructions

1. Spread all cards face down on a table or the floor.
2. One at a time, come up, choose a card, and bring it back to your seat.
3. Look at the feeling on your card and say: “I feel ___.”
4. Finish the sentence: “I feel ___, so a routine might help me by ___.”

Teacher Supports for Autistic Learners

• Provide visual sentence strips:
  “I feel ____, so a routine might help me by ____.”
• Use gestures or modeling to demonstrate picking a card and sharing.
• Offer extra think time or repeat the question as needed.

Reflection Prompts

Use these questions during the Cool Down Reflection Circle:

1. What’s one thing you learned today about self-care routines?
2. What’s one action you’ll try at home to practice your routine?

Supports for Autistic Learners:

• Display each question visually on a board or chart.
• Provide a simple sentence starter on a card:
  • “I learned …”
  • “At home, I will …”
• Allow extra think time and offer to scribe responses if needed.

Routine Relay Race Instructions

Materials:

• A clear, open space in the classroom or hallway
• Four visual cue cards (one per routine step) with simple illustrations or words
• Tape or a table to hold the cue cards for each team

Setup:

1. Divide students into two (or more) teams and have each team form a single-file line.
2. At the far end of the room, place a set of four cue cards in order:
   1. Wake up and stretch
   2. Brush your teeth
   3. Eat breakfast
   4. Check your planner
3. Ensure each student can see the cards clearly and has space to move.

How to Play:

1. On “Go,” the first student in each line runs to their team’s cue cards.
2. They pick up the first card (Wake up and stretch), return to their line, and act out that step (e.g., mime stretching).
3. Once back, they tag the next teammate, who then runs to pick up the second card (Brush your teeth) and acts it out.
4. The relay continues until all four steps have been acted out in order.
5. The first team to complete all steps and have their last student cross the finish line wins.

Teacher Tips & Supports for Autistic Learners:

• Model each action briefly before starting so all students know what to do.
• Use clear, simple visuals on each cue card to illustrate the routine step.
• Offer extra processing time: call the student’s name and point to the cue card if needed.
• Celebrate every effort with verbal praise: “Great brushing!” or “Nice planning pose!”
• Emphasize cooperation over competition: encourage teams to cheer for each other.