Session 1 Leader Script

Warm-Up: Superhero Greetings (5 minutes)

Teacher (stand in a circle, big smile):
"Welcome, heroes, to our very first Superhero Squad session! I’m your Squad Leader, [Your Name]. Today we’re learning about how superheroes stay calm and kind, even when things get tricky. Let’s start by introducing ourselves."

Teacher (click to Slide 2 of Session 1 Slide Deck):
"Here’s how it works:

1. You share your superhero name.
2. You tell us your special power.
3. Watch your name and power appear on our slide wall!"

Teacher (invite one student at a time):
"Who wants to go first?"
Student shares name and power.
Teacher types/display: "Awesome, " + [Student’s power] + "!"
Follow-up: "That’s a great power—how might [Student’s power] help you stay calm or help a friend?"

(Repeat until all have shared.)

Lesson: What Are Coping Skills? (7 minutes)

Teacher (click to Slide 3 of Session 1 Slide Deck):
"Heroes, coping skills are simple strategies we use when we feel big emotions—like anger, sadness, or worry. Even superheroes have to manage their feelings to save the day!"

Teacher (point to examples on slide):
"Look at these ideas: deep breathing, counting to five, and positive self-talk."

Teacher (ask whole group):
"Why might a superhero need coping skills?"
Possible responses: “To stay focused,” “To be kind to others,” “So we don’t make mistakes.”
Teacher (praise + extend):
"Yes! If we learn to calm ourselves, we can think clearly when challenges come. Let’s practice one right now."

Teacher (demonstrate deep breaths):
"Superhero Breaths: Inhale arms up like you’re lifting the sky… hold… exhale arms down like you’re landing softly. Ready? Let’s do three together."

Activity: Emotion Charades (8 minutes)

Teacher:
"Time for Emotion Charades! I’ll shuffle our Session 1 Emotion Cards and volunteers will act out an emotion without words. The rest of us will guess and then suggest a coping skill our superhero could use."

Teacher (shuffle and show cards):
"Who wants to go first?"
Volunteer acts out emotion.
Group guesses: "Sad? Angry? Excited?"
Teacher (when correct):
"Great guess! If our hero is [Emotion], what coping skill could help?"
Prompt responses: “Deep breaths,” “Count to five,” “Tell myself, ‘I’m okay.’”
Teacher (praise):
"Fantastic idea—Superhero Strategist right there!"
(Play until ~3–4 volunteers have gone.)

Discussion: Group Norms Brainstorm (5 minutes)

Teacher:
"Every super team needs rules so everyone feels safe and respected. Let’s brainstorm how heroes treat each other."

Teacher (distribute Session 1 Group Norms Worksheet):
"On your worksheet, draw or write one norm—a rule for our squad. Think: How do heroes listen and use kind words?"

Teacher (record student ideas on chart paper or whiteboard):
"Share your norm idea with the group."
Examples: “Listen when someone’s talking,” “Use kind words,” “Respect personal space.”

Teacher:
"Let’s agree on our top 4–5 norms."

Teacher (once norms chosen):
"These are our Superhero Squad Norms. We’ll post them right here so we all see them every session!"

Game: Norms “Superhero Signal” (3 minutes)

Teacher (demonstrate signal):
"When someone forgets a norm, we’ll use our silent signal—arms crossed in an ‘X’—to remind each other kindly."

Teacher:
"I’ll call out a scenario. Show me the Superhero Signal quickly if you spot a norm broken, okay?"

Teacher (scenarios):
"Two heroes talk at once."
Pause for signal.
"Someone uses unkind words."
Pause.

Teacher:
"Great job! Our signal helps us stay on track without stopping the fun."

Cool-Down: Deep Breathing & Reflection (2 minutes)

Teacher (click to Slide 7 of Session 1 Slide Deck):
"Let’s finish with three Superhero Breaths together."
(Inhale arms up—exhale arms down ×3.)

Teacher:
"One more thing—share one word or phrase about what you liked today."

Teacher (click to last slide):
"Heroes, you’ve earned your first Superhero Squad badge! Fantastic work today. Next time we’ll explore how to lead like real superheroes. See you then!"

Session 1 Emotion Cards

These cards are used for the Emotion Charades activity. Print, cut apart, and shuffle before the session. Each card lists a feeling for students to act out silently.

Emotions Included:

• Happy
  
  
  
• Sad
  
  
  
• Angry
  
  
  
• Excited
  
  
  
• Scared
  
  
  
• Surprised
  
  
  
• Frustrated
  
  
  
• Proud
  
  
  
• Nervous
  
  
  
• Calm

Teacher Prep Notes:

• Print one emotion per card (blank backs).
• Cut cards so each emotion is on a separate slip.
• Place cards face down in a stack for students to draw.
• Encourage students to exaggerate facial expressions and body language.
• After each charade, guide the group to suggest a coping skill for that feeling.

Session 1 Group Norms Worksheet

Today in our Superhero Squad, we’ll create the rules that help us work together as a team.
Follow the steps below:

1. Think about how superheroes should treat each other to keep everyone safe, respected, and ready to save the day.
2. On the lines below, write or draw your idea for one group norm.
3. We will share our ideas and choose the top 4–5 norms to post in the room.

My Superhero Squad Norm #1:

My Superhero Squad Norm #2:

My Superhero Squad Norm #3:

My Superhero Squad Norm #4:

My Superhero Squad Norm #5 (optional):

Great work, hero!
Get ready to share your norms with the group and help decide our team’s top rules.

Session 1 Discussion: Establishing Our Superhero Squad Norms

Purpose

Today’s discussion helps us reflect on how coping skills support our feelings and co-create the rules that will keep our group safe, respectful, and superhero-strong.

Materials

• Session 1 Slide Deck
• Session 1 Group Norms Worksheet
• Chart paper or whiteboard and markers

Discussion Steps

1. Coping Skills Reflection (5 minutes)

1. Remind heroes of our Superhero Breaths activity.
2. Ask: “How did deep breathing help you feel calmer just now?”
   • Possible follow-up: “When else could you use this skill at school or home?”
3. Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their ideas.

2. Superhero Kindness Recall (5 minutes)

1. Pose the prompt: “Think of a time someone treated you like a hero. What did they do, and how did it make you feel?”
2. Partners turn and talk for 1 minute, then share highlights with the whole group.

3. Brainstorming Group Norms (10 minutes)

1. Distribute the Session 1 Group Norms Worksheet.
2. Ask: “What rules should our squad follow so everyone feels safe, respected, and ready to save the day?”
3. On chart paper/whiteboard, record each hero’s idea as they share.
4. Encourage concrete examples (“Use kind words,” “Listen when others talk,” “Keep hands to yourself”).

4. Choosing Our Top Norms (5 minutes)

1. Review the list together.
2. Ask: “Which 4–5 rules are most important for our squad?”
3. Use a simple voting method (e.g., raise a hand, place a sticker) to select final norms.
4. Post the agreed-upon norms in the room for all sessions.

Wrap-Up Reflection (5 minutes)

Ask each hero to write or draw on their worksheet:

“One new squad norm I’m excited about is…”

Finally, celebrate: “Great teamwork! These norms will help us use our coping skills, show empathy, and lead like true heroes.”

Warm-Up: Superhero Greetings (5 minutes)

Objective: Help students feel welcome and build group identity by choosing and sharing superhero names and powers.

Materials:

• Session 1 Slide Deck

Steps:

1. Have all heroes gather in a circle where everyone can see the screen.
2. Introduce yourself as their Squad Leader and explain: “Today we’re forming our Superhero Squad! To start, everyone will choose a superhero name and a special power.”
3. Model first:
   • Say, “I’m Captain Calm, and my power is helping everyone take deep breaths when we feel big emotions.”
   • Show how you will type the name and power on the slide.
4. Invite one student at a time to share:
   • Prompt: “What’s your superhero name?”
   • Prompt: “What special power do you have?”
   • As they speak, type or display their name and power on the slide deck.
5. After each share, ask a quick follow-up:
   • “How could your power help you or a friend when feelings get big?”
6. Provide enthusiastic praise for each hero’s contribution (e.g., “Amazing power—Superhero Problem-Solver!”).
7. Once all have shared, highlight how together they’ve formed a diverse team of superheroes ready to learn coping skills.

Transition: “Great work, heroes! Now that we know each other’s strengths, let’s learn how real superheroes manage big feelings.”

Session 1 Cool-Down: Deep Breathing & Reflection

Objective:
Guide students to practice a calming coping skill and reflect briefly on their experience.

Materials:

• Session 1 Slide Deck

Steps (2 minutes):

1. Gather students in a circle or seated comfortably.
2. Display the “Cool-Down: Deep Breathing & Reflection” slide from the Session 1 Slide Deck.
3. Lead three “Superhero Breaths”:
   • Inhale deeply, arms lifting up like you’re gathering superpowers.
   • Pause for a moment at the top.
   • Exhale slowly, arms lowering as if landing softly.
   • Repeat ×3, counting each breath out loud to help students keep pace.
4. After the breaths, prompt reflection:
   • Ask, “What’s one thing you liked about today’s session?”
   • Invite each hero to share a single word or phrase.

1. Conclude by reinforcing the coping skill:
   • Say, “Great work, heroes! Remember you can use these Superhero Breaths anytime you feel big emotions. I can’t wait to see you next time for Session 2!”

Session 1 Game: Norms “Superhero Signal”

Objective:
Reinforce our group norms by practicing a fun, silent signal that keeps everyone on track without interrupting the flow of our session.

Materials:

• None (just open space for students to see each other)

Steps:

1. Explain the Signal (1 minute)
   • Teacher demonstrates the silent signal: cross both arms in front of your chest, forming an “X.”
   • Say: “This is our Superhero Signal. When you see a norm being forgotten—like talking out of turn or not listening—you can use this signal to remind your teammate kindly.”
2. Model Scenarios (1 minute)
   • Teacher calls out a brief scenario and models the signal:
     • “Imagine someone blurts out while another hero is speaking.” → Teacher crosses arms.
     • “A hero forgets to use kind words.” → Teacher crosses arms.
   • Ask: “What norm is being forgotten in each scenario?”
     • Students respond verbally (e.g., “We need to listen,” “Use kind words”).
3. Partner Practice (1 minute)
   • Have students pair up.
   • Teacher names a norm-breaking action (e.g., “A hero’s feet are on the chair,” “Someone isn’t respecting personal space”).
   • Partners take turns calling out the scenario and signaling when they spot the break.
4. Group Check (30 seconds)
   • Reconvene as a whole group.
   • Teacher asks: “How did using the silent Superhero Signal feel? Was it easy to remind a friend kindly?”
   • Invite 1–2 quick responses.
5. Transition
   • Teacher concludes: “Great work using our Superhero Signal! Now we know how to help each other follow our norms without stopping the fun. Let’s move on to our cool-down!”