lenny

Think First!

Lesson Plan

Think First Strategy Session

Students will learn to identify personal triggers for impulsive actions and develop individualized coping mechanisms to manage these impulses effectively.

This lesson is important because understanding and managing impulses helps students make thoughtful choices, improve their relationships, and achieve their goals. It empowers them with essential self-regulation skills for everyday life.

Audience

Middle School Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive learning and reflective practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or Chart Paper, Markers, Impulse Control Toolbox, Trigger Talk Circle, and My Reaction Reflection Log

Prep

Preparation Steps

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What is Impulse?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What does it mean to be 'impulsive'?" Encourage a brief group share.
    - Introduce the concept of impulse control and why it's a valuable skill using the first slide of the Impulse Control Toolbox.

Step 2

Identifying Triggers

15 minutes

  • Transition to discussing 'triggers' using slides from the Impulse Control Toolbox.
    - Facilitate the Trigger Talk Circle activity. Guide students to anonymously share common triggers or scenarios where they've acted impulsively. Discuss patterns and common themes.

Step 3

Developing Coping Mechanisms

15 minutes

  • Introduce various coping mechanisms for managing impulses using the Impulse Control Toolbox slides.
    - Brainstorm as a group additional healthy coping strategies specific to the triggers identified in the previous activity. Write these on the whiteboard/chart paper.
    - Guide students to select 1-2 strategies they want to try and personalize them.

Step 4

Reflection and Application

10 minutes

  • Distribute the My Reaction Reflection Log.
    - Explain how to use the log to track triggers, reactions, and the effectiveness of their chosen coping mechanisms.
    - Conclude by emphasizing that developing impulse control is a continuous process and encourages them to practice their new strategies.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Think First! The Impulse Control Toolbox

What does it mean to be impulsive?

  • Acting without thinking
  • Making quick decisions
  • Sometimes leading to unintended results

Today, we're building our own toolbox to help us 'Think First!' before we act!

Greet students and start with a quick question to gauge their understanding of 'impulse.' This sets the stage for the lesson.

What's Your Trigger?

What are 'triggers'?

  • Situations, feelings, or thoughts that make us want to react quickly.
  • They are like signals that an impulsive action might be coming.

Identifying our triggers is the first step to taking control!

Explain that 'triggers' are like warning signs. Ask students to think about what situations or feelings might make them act impulsively.

Coping Mechanisms: Your Tools!

What can we do when we feel a trigger?

  • Pause & Breathe: Take a deep breath.
  • Count: Count to 10 (or even 20!).
  • Walk Away: Give yourself space.
  • Talk it Out: Share your feelings with a trusted adult or friend.
  • Distract Yourself: Do something else for a moment.

These are your personal tools to help you 'Think First!'

Introduce the idea of coping mechanisms. Emphasize that these are tools, and different tools work for different situations. Encourage brainstorming with the Trigger Talk Circle activity.

Practice Makes Progress!

Remember:

  • Knowing your triggers helps you prepare.
  • Using your coping mechanisms helps you respond thoughtfully.
  • It's okay to make mistakes; learning is a process!

We'll use our My Reaction Reflection Log to keep practicing these skills!

Summarize the key takeaways and introduce the My Reaction Reflection Log as a way to practice these new skills.

lenny

Discussion

Trigger Talk Circle

Guidelines for Our Discussion:

  • Everyone gets a chance to share, but no one is forced to.
  • Listen respectfully to others.
  • What is shared here, stays here (confidentiality).
  • We are focusing on situations or feelings, not naming people.

Discussion Prompts:

  1. Think about a time when you reacted quickly without thinking it all the way through. What was happening right before that moment?





  2. What kinds of things (situations, words, feelings, or even hunger/tiredness) make it hard for you to pause and think before you act?





  3. Imagine you are feeling one of these triggers. What is the very first thing you feel like doing?





  4. How might recognizing these triggers before you act help you make a different choice next time?





lenny
lenny

Journal

My Reaction Reflection Log

Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________

This log is a tool to help you understand your impulses and practice new ways of responding. Try to fill it out after a situation where you felt impulsive, or even when you successfully used a coping strategy!

Section 1: The Situation

  1. What was the situation? (What happened? Who was there? Where were you?)










  2. What was your trigger? (What feeling, thought, or event made you want to react impulsively?)




  3. What was your immediate impulsive thought or feeling? (What did you want to do or say right away?)




Section 2: My Response

  1. What coping mechanism(s) did you try to use? (e.g., Pause & Breathe, Count, Walk Away, Talk it Out, Distract Myself)




  2. What did you actually do or say?










Section 3: Reflection

  1. How effective was your coping mechanism? (Circle one)

    • Very Effective
    • Somewhat Effective
    • Not Effective

  2. What was the outcome of your action/reaction? (How did things turn out? How did you feel afterward?)










  3. What did you learn from this situation? What might you do differently next time, or what will you continue to do?










lenny
lenny
Think First! • Lenny Learning