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Want to Feel Calmer?

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Lesson Plan

Grounding Session Blueprint

Enable the 8th grade student to learn and practice a quick deep-breathing technique and a 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise to reduce anxiety immediately and build self-regulation.

Equipping the student with on-the-spot coping tools fosters emotional resilience, reduces crisis moments in school, and boosts confidence in managing stress.

Audience

8th Grade Student

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided practice, modeling, and reflection

Materials

Prep

Review Session Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Check-In and Session Introduction

3 minutes

  • Greet the student warmly and engage in a brief check-in on how they’re feeling today.
  • Explain the session’s goal: learning two techniques to feel calmer in moments of anxiety.
  • Ask if they’ve tried any calming strategies before and what worked.

Step 2

Deep Breathing Instruction

10 minutes

  • Use Calm in a Crisis Slides to introduce the “4-4-4” breathing pattern (inhale 4 sec, hold 4, exhale 4).
  • Read and model each step from the Therapist's Guided Breathing Script.
  • Guide the student through three rounds of breathing, offering gentle prompts and feedback.
  • Ask how they felt before and after each round to reinforce awareness.

Step 3

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

10 minutes

  • Explain how focusing on senses brings attention to the present moment.
  • Lead the student through the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise:
    • Name 5 things you see around you.
    • Name 4 things you can physically feel.
    • Name 3 sounds you hear.
    • Name 2 things you can smell.
    • Name 1 thing you can taste.
  • Invite the student to speak aloud each item and notice shifts in their body and mind.

Step 4

Reflection and Takeaway Planning

7 minutes

  • Give the student the Reflection on Calm Moments journal.
  • Prompt them to record how they felt before, during, and after each exercise (using words or drawings).
  • Discuss which technique felt most helpful and identify scenarios at school or home where they can use it.
  • Collaboratively set a simple practice plan (e.g., 2-minute breathing break daily) and schedule a follow-up check-in.
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Slide Deck

Calm in a Crisis

Learn two simple techniques to reduce anxiety and find calm in the moment.

Welcome the student and introduce the session. Emphasize that today they’ll learn two quick strategies to reduce anxiety and feel grounded.

Deep Breathing: 4-4-4 Technique

• Inhale for 4 seconds
• Hold for 4 seconds
• Exhale for 4 seconds
• Repeat 3 times

Explain the “4-4-4” breathing pattern—inhale, hold, exhale each for 4 seconds. Model the pace and encourage the student to follow.

Breathing Demo

Imagine a circle growing as you inhale and shrinking as you exhale.

Breathe together:
In 2…3…4…
Hold 2…3…4…
Out 2…3…4…

Use this slide’s visual cue (e.g., a circle that grows and shrinks) to guide the student in real time. Count out each breath slowly.

Grounding Technique: 5-4-3-2-1

• 5 things you see
• 4 things you feel
• 3 things you hear
• 2 things you smell
• 1 thing you taste

Introduce the grounding exercise. Explain that naming what they notice with each sense helps bring attention back to the present.

Let's Practice Grounding

Speak aloud each item as you notice it.

Notice how your body and mind respond.

Prompt the student to speak each observation aloud. Notice any shifts in breathing, posture, or thoughts as they move through the list.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

• Deep Breathing (4-4-4)
• Grounding (5-4-3-2-1)
• Practice 2-minute breathing break daily
• Check-in next week

Summarize both techniques and encourage establishing a short daily practice. Set a follow-up check-in.

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Script

Therapist’s Guided Breathing Script

Setup (1 minute)

Teacher: "Thanks for joining me today. Before we begin, let’s take a quick check-in. How are you feeling right now—in your body and in your mind?"
Pause and listen.

Teacher: "Okay, thank you for sharing. We’re going to learn a simple breathing practice called the ‘4-4-4’ technique. It can help you feel calmer anytime."

Round 1 (3 minutes)

Teacher: "First, find a comfortable seat. Sit up tall with both feet flat on the floor, and rest your hands in your lap. You can close your eyes or keep a soft gaze on the floor—whatever feels right."

Teacher: "Let’s notice your posture and any places of tension. Where do you feel tightness or holding?"
Pause for student to notice and describe.

Teacher: "Great. Now, when you’re ready, inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four."

  • "Ready? Breathe in—1…2…3…4…"
    Hold the breath.
  • "Hold—1…2…3…4…"
    Exhale.
  • "And breathe out gently through your mouth—1…2…3…4…"

Teacher: "That was one round. How did that feel? Did you notice any changes in your body or thoughts?"
Pause and invite a brief response.

Round 2 (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Let’s do it again. Inhale through your nose—1…2…3…4…"
Pause.
"Hold—1…2…3…4…"
"Exhale through your mouth—1…2…3…4…"

Teacher: "Nice work. What did you notice this time? Any difference from the first round?"
Pause for response.

Round 3 (3 minutes)

Teacher: "One more time. Breathe in—1…2…3…4…"
"Hold—1…2…3…4…"
"Breathe out—1…2…3…4…"

Teacher: "Excellent. You’ve completed three rounds of the 4-4-4 practice."

Teacher: "How do you feel now, compared to when we started?"
Pause and listen.

Debrief (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Thank you for practicing. You might notice your heart rate is a bit slower or your shoulders feel looser. These are signs the technique is working."

Teacher: "You can use this 4-4-4 breathing anytime you feel anxious or overwhelmed—before a test, in the hallway, or even at home."

Teacher: "Would you like to try it on your own later this week and let me know how it goes?"
Pause for agreement.

Teacher: "Great plan. I look forward to hearing about your experience!"

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Activity

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

Objective: Bring your attention to the present by using your five senses.
Follow each step and write or draw your observations.

  1. Five things you can SEE
    Take a slow breath and look around. List five things you notice.






  2. Four things you can FEEL
    Tune into physical sensations. List four things you can feel (e.g., chair under your legs, breeze on your skin).






  3. Three things you can HEAR
    Listen carefully. List three sounds you can hear.






  4. Two things you can SMELL
    Notice any scents. List two smells around you.






  5. One thing you can TASTE
    Bring attention inside. List one thing you can taste right now.






As you move through each sense, notice any changes in your breathing, heart rate, or thoughts. You can refer back to this exercise whenever you need to quickly ground yourself.

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Journal

Reflection on Calm Moments

1. Deep Breathing Technique (4-4-4)

a. Before the exercise, how did you feel?






b. During the exercise, what thoughts or sensations did you notice?






c. After the exercise, how did your body and mind feel?






2. Grounding Technique (5-4-3-2-1)

a. Before the exercise, how did you feel?






b. During the exercise, what did you observe in your senses or thoughts?






c. After the exercise, how did you feel?






Page 2: Planning Future Practice

  1. Which technique felt most helpful to you and why?






  2. When and where will you practice this technique this week?






  3. How will you remind yourself to practice (e.g., phone alarm, sticky note)?






  4. What is your personal calm goal for this week?






Make your goal specific, realistic, and something you can check off by the end of the week.

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Want to Feel Calmer? • Lenny Learning