Teacher Script: Tame Your Impulse Monster!

I. Meet the Impulse Monster (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start with a quick question. Have any of you ever done something really fast, without even thinking, and then right after, you wished you hadn't? Maybe you blurted out an answer, or grabbed a toy, or ran without looking? What happened?"

(Allow a few students to share brief, age-appropriate examples. Validate their feelings.)

Teacher: "That feeling, that urge to do something really, really fast without taking a moment to think, is what we call an impulse. And sometimes, it feels like there's a little 'Impulse Monster' inside us that just wants to go, go, go!"

(Display Slide 1: Tame Your Impulse Monster! and Slide 2: Meet Your Impulse Monster from the Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Look at this slide. Your Impulse Monster is that super-fast feeling. It makes you want to DO something right away! Sometimes it can be fun, like when you see your favorite snack and grab it. But sometimes, it can be tricky, like when you get angry and yell without thinking, or push a friend when you're frustrated. Today, we're going to learn how to be the boss of our Impulse Monster, not the other way around!"

II. Story/Video Time (10 minutes)

Teacher: "To help us understand our Impulse Monster better, we're going to watch a short video called The Impulse Monster Story Video. As you watch, pay close attention to what the characters do when they feel a strong impulse. Do they act right away, or do they find a way to stop and think?"

(Display Slide 3: Watch and Learn! from the Slide Deck and play the video (7 minutes).)

Teacher: "What did you notice in the video? What did the characters do when they felt an impulse? Did they always act on it? What happened when they didn't act right away? What was the 'Stop and Think' strategy they used?"

(Facilitate a short discussion (3 minutes), guiding students to identify characters using strategies like counting to ten, taking a deep breath, or asking for help before reacting impulsively.)

III. Taming the Monster Craft (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Great observations! Now, it's your turn to create and tame your own Impulse Monster!"

(Display Slide 4: Tame Your Monster Craft! from the Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Each of you has a Tame Your Monster Craft Kit. You're going to use the materials to create your own unique Impulse Monster. Give it a name, make it look however you imagine an impulse might feel or look!"

(Distribute craft materials (e.g., paper plates, markers, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, glue sticks, pre-cut shapes). Give students about 7-8 minutes to create their monsters. Circulate and encourage creativity.)

Teacher: "Now that you've created your monsters, let's think about how to tame them. Just like in the video, we can use 'Stop and Think' strategies. On your monster, or on a separate piece of paper, write or draw one way you can 'Stop and Think' before acting on an impulse. For example, you might write 'Count to 5' or draw someone taking a deep breath. This is your monster's 'taming tool'!"

(Allow 2-3 minutes for students to add their 'taming tool' to their craft.)

IV. Strategy Practice (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent work, everyone! Your monsters look amazing, and you've given them some powerful taming tools. Now let's practice! I have a few Stop-and-Think Scenarios for us."

(Display Slide 5: You've Got This! from the Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "I'll read a scenario, and I want you to tell me how you would use your 'Stop and Think' strategy to tame your Impulse Monster in that situation. Be ready to share!"

(Read one or two scenarios from the Stop-and-Think Scenarios Discussion Prompts. Encourage students to share their strategies and reasoning.)

Teacher: "Fantastic job today! Remember, your Impulse Monster might try to make you act fast, but you are in charge. When you feel that urge, remember to STOP and THINK before you ACT. You've got this!"

Tame Your Monster Craft!

What You'll Need:

• Paper plate (or construction paper for the monster's body)
• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Googly eyes (or draw your own!)
• Pipe cleaners (for arms, legs, or horns)
• Pre-cut shapes (for ears, teeth, wings, etc.)
• Glue stick

Instructions:

1. Design Your Monster: Use the paper plate or construction paper as the body of your Impulse Monster. What does your monster look like when it's making you want to act fast? Is it fuzzy? Spiky? Does it have big eyes? Little legs? Use your markers, crayons, and pre-cut shapes to bring your monster to life!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Add Features: Glue on googly eyes. Use pipe cleaners to create arms, legs, silly horns, or a tail. Be creative! This is your Impulse Monster.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Name Your Monster: Think of a fun or silly name for your Impulse Monster. Write its name somewhere on its body.
   
   
   
   
4. Give It a Taming Tool: Now for the most important part! What is one "Stop and Think" strategy you can use to tame your Impulse Monster? Write or draw your strategy on your monster, or on a small piece of paper that you can glue onto your monster.
   (Examples: Count to 5, Take a deep breath, Ask for help, Think of the consequences)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Stop-and-Think Scenarios

Practice Taming Your Impulse Monster!

Here are some situations where your Impulse Monster might try to make you act fast. Read each one and think about how you would use your "Stop and Think" strategy to make a good choice.

Scenario 1:

Your friend has a really cool new toy car, and you desperately want to play with it. Your Impulse Monster tells you to grab it right out of their hands!

What is your "Stop and Think" strategy?

What would you do instead of grabbing the toy?

Scenario 2:

The teacher asks a question, and you know the answer! Your Impulse Monster tells you to shout it out right away, even though others are still thinking.

What is your "Stop and Think" strategy?

What would you do instead of shouting out the answer?

Scenario 3:

You are working on a drawing, and you accidentally spill paint on it. You feel super frustrated, and your Impulse Monster tells you to crumple up the paper and throw it across the room!

What is your "Stop and Think" strategy?

What would you do instead of throwing your drawing?

Scenario 4:

It's snack time, and there's only one cookie left! Your Impulse Monster tells you to quickly snatch it before anyone else can.

What is your "Stop and Think" strategy?

What would you do instead of snatching the last cookie?