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Take the Space: Designing Micro-Breaks

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Lesson Plan

Micro-Break Routine Lesson Plan

Students will design a 3-step micro-break routine and identify two settings where they will request and use it appropriately.

This lesson helps students proactively manage stress, improve focus, and develop self-advocacy skills for their well-being in academic and personal settings.

Audience

11th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Learn, Create, Practice, Commit

Materials

Strategic Breaks Slides, 3-Step Break Builder, Role-Play Ask for a Break, Peer Feedback Protocol, and Exit Ticket Where I’ll Use It

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Do Now: Quick Poll

5 minutes

  • Display Slide 2: Quick Poll. Ask students: "When do you find that taking a quick break helps you most? (e.g., after a challenging task, when feeling overwhelmed, to re-focus)."
  • Have students do a quick show of hands or use a digital poll if available to gauge responses.
  • Briefly discuss a few responses, highlighting the variety of situations where breaks can be beneficial.
  • Transition by saying: "Today, we're going to learn how to intentionally 'take the space' for ourselves by designing effective micro-breaks and practicing how to ask for them appropriately."

Step 2

Mini-Lesson: Micro-Breaks & Self-Advocacy

10 minutes

  • Display Slide 3: What's a Micro-Break? Introduce the concept of micro-breaks – short, intentional breaks (1-5 minutes) to reset and refocus.
  • Display Slide 4: Why Micro-Breaks? Discuss the benefits (e.g., reduced stress, improved concentration, increased productivity).
  • Display Slide 5: When & How to Ask. Explain the importance of appropriate timing and language for requesting a micro-break, especially in settings like class or work. Model simple, clear phrases students can use (e.g., "May I take a quick 1-minute break to reset?", "I'd like to step away for a moment to refocus, I'll be right back."). Emphasize scanning the environment for appropriate times.
  • Distribute 3-Step Break Builder. Guide students to begin designing their own 3-step micro-break routines (e.g., 1. Deep breath, 2. Quick stretch, 3. Drink water). Give them 3-5 minutes to brainstorm and write down their ideas.

Step 3

Activity: Role-Play & Peer Feedback

10 minutes

  • Introduce Role-Play Ask for a Break. Explain that students will practice asking for their micro-break in different scenarios.
  • Pair students up. Assign roles: one student practices asking for a break, the other acts as the teacher/supervisor.
  • Display Slide 6: Role-Play Scenarios. Provide a few scenarios (e.g., during a challenging group project, before a test, when feeling restless in class).
  • After the role-play, have pairs use the Peer Feedback Protocol to give constructive feedback on clarity, appropriateness, and confidence.
  • Encourage students to revise their micro-break routine or their 'ask' based on the feedback.
  • Briefly bring the class back together to share one or two positive feedback examples or insights gained.
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Slide Deck

Take the Space: Designing Micro-Breaks

Empowering You to Reset and Refocus

Welcome students to the lesson. Introduce the idea that taking small, intentional breaks can significantly improve their focus and well-being. Briefly explain the lesson's goal: to design personal micro-breaks and learn to advocate for them.

Quick Poll: When do breaks help most?

  • After a challenging task?
  • When feeling overwhelmed?
  • To re-focus during a long activity?
  • When you feel restless or distracted?

Display this slide. Ask students the question directly. Encourage a quick show of hands or a verbal share out. Emphasize that there are no wrong answers and that everyone experiences the need for breaks differently. This activates prior knowledge and sets the stage for the importance of breaks.

What's a Micro-Break?

  • Short, Intentional Pause: Usually 1-5 minutes.
  • Purpose: To reset your mind and body.
  • Goal: Re-focus, reduce stress, and improve concentration.

Define what a micro-break is: a short, intentional pause (1-5 minutes) to reset and refocus. Distinguish it from longer breaks. Provide examples like deep breathing, quick stretches, or looking away from a screen.

Why Micro-Breaks?

  • Reduce Stress & Overwhelm: Step away before you hit a wall.
  • Improve Focus & Concentration: Reset your attention.
  • Boost Productivity: Come back refreshed and ready.
  • Enhance Well-being: Small moments for self-care.

Discuss the benefits of incorporating micro-breaks. Connect these benefits to real-life student experiences, such as improved academic performance, better stress management during tests, or increased productivity during homework sessions.

When & How to Ask

  • Environmental Scanning: Look for appropriate moments (e.g., transition times, independent work, when a teacher isn't actively lecturing).
  • Be Respectful & Concise:
    • "May I take a quick 1-minute break to reset?"
    • "I need to step away for a moment to refocus, I'll be right back."
    • "Could I get up for a quick stretch?"
  • It's About Self-Advocacy!

This is a key slide for self-advocacy. Explain that not all times are appropriate for breaks. Discuss 'environmental scanning' – looking for cues that indicate a good time to ask. Model concise, respectful language for requesting a break. Provide sentence starters. Emphasize that it's about being strategic, not disruptive.

Role-Play Scenarios

  • During a long class lecture where you're losing focus.
  • When working on a challenging group project.
  • Before starting a big test.
  • Feeling restless during independent study time.

Introduce the role-play activity. Explain that students will practice their 'ask' and their micro-break in various scenarios. This slide can list a few examples to get them started, encouraging them to think of their own as well.

Commit & Reflect

Where will you take your space?

Transition to the commitment and cool-down. Explain that the next step is to actually try out their breaks. Distribute the exit ticket.

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Worksheet

3-Step Break Builder

Name: ____________________________

Taking a micro-break can help you reset, re-focus, and reduce stress. It's a short, intentional pause that you design for yourself!

My Micro-Break Routine: Design Your 3 Steps

Think about what helps you feel calm, energized, or more focused in a short amount of time (1-3 minutes). Fill in the steps below.

Step 1: Reset Your Body (e.g., gentle stretch, deep breaths, adjust posture)







Step 2: Engage Your Senses (e.g., look out a window, sip water, listen to a specific sound, doodle for 30 seconds)







Step 3: Clear Your Mind (e.g., quick visualization, positive affirmation, jot down one distracting thought)







When and Where to Use It?

Think about two specific situations or places where you often feel you need a break. How would you ask for it?

Setting 1:

  • Where:


  • Why would you need a break here?





  • How would you ask for your micro-break in this setting? (What specific words would you use?)





Setting 2:

  • Where:


  • Why would you need a break here?





  • How would you ask for your micro-break in this setting? (What specific words would you use?)





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Activity

Role-Play: Asking for Your Micro-Break

Objective

Practice asking for and implementing your 3-step micro-break routine in different scenarios.

Instructions

  1. Pair Up: Find a partner for this activity.
  2. Assign Roles:
    • One person will be the Student/Employee (practicing the micro-break request).
    • The other person will be the Teacher/Supervisor (responding to the request).
  3. Choose a Scenario: Look at the scenarios on Strategic Breaks Slides or come up with your own.
  4. Role-Play Your Ask:
    • The Student/Employee will clearly and politely ask the Teacher/Supervisor for a micro-break, explaining briefly why they need it and what they will do (e.g., "May I take a quick 1-minute break to do my 3-step routine? I need to reset my focus.").
    • The Teacher/Supervisor should respond realistically – they might grant the break, ask for clarification, or suggest a slightly different time.
  5. Practice Your Routine: If the break is granted, the Student/Employee should briefly demonstrate their 3-step micro-break routine (e.g., take deep breaths, do a quick stretch, look out a window). It doesn't need to be long, just a quick enactment.
  6. Switch Roles: After one round, switch roles so both partners get to practice being the Student/Employee.
  7. Give Feedback: After both partners have had a turn as the Student/Employee, use the Peer Feedback Protocol to discuss how it went.
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Discussion

Peer Feedback Protocol: Asking for a Micro-Break

Instructions: After completing the role-play activity, use the questions below to give constructive feedback to your partner. Remember to be supportive and specific!

For the Teacher/Supervisor (giving feedback to the Student/Employee):

  1. Clarity of the Ask:

    • Was your partner's request for a micro-break clear and easy to understand? What specific words did they use that were effective?


  2. Appropriateness of Timing/Tone:

    • Did their request feel respectful and well-timed within the scenario? How was their tone of voice?


  3. Confidence:

    • How confident did your partner seem when making the request? What could they do to sound even more confident?


  4. Effectiveness of Micro-Break Routine:

    • Did their 3-step routine seem quick and effective for resetting? Were there any steps that stood out as particularly good?


  5. Suggestions for Improvement:

    • What is one specific suggestion you have for your partner to improve their 'ask' or their micro-break routine?


For the Student/Employee (receiving feedback):

  1. Self-Reflection:

    • How did you feel when you were asking for your break? What went well?


  2. Learning from Feedback:

    • What was the most helpful piece of feedback your partner gave you? How might you incorporate it?


  3. Revision:

    • Based on this feedback, would you change anything about your 3-step micro-break routine or how you would ask for it? If so, what?


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Cool Down

Exit Ticket: Where I’ll Use It

Name: ____________________________

Reflect and Commit

  1. My 3-step micro-break routine is:







  2. Thinking about your daily life (school, home, after-school activities), identify two specific settings or situations where you will try to use your new micro-break routine this week. For each, briefly explain when and why you chose that setting.

    Setting 1:

    • Where/When:


    • Why this setting?





    Setting 2:

    • Where/When:


    • Why this setting?





  3. What is one thing you learned today about self-advocacy or managing your well-being that you think will be most helpful?





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