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What’s Your Inner Voice?

Lesson Plan

Tuning Into Thoughts Lesson Plan

Students will identify different types of inner voice thoughts, practice recognizing and reframing negative self-talk, and apply a growth mindset through guided reflection.

Building self-awareness around internal dialogue empowers students to manage emotions, develop resilience, and foster a lifelong growth mindset.

Audience

4th Grade Class

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, mindful practice, and reflective exercises

Materials

Inner Voice Presentation Slides, Mindful Moment Prompt, Thought Tracker Exercise, and Reflection Circle Script

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Mindful Moment

5 minutes

  • Invite students to sit comfortably and close their eyes
  • Lead three deep breaths, guiding them with the Mindful Moment Prompt
  • Ask students to notice any thoughts that arise without judgment

Step 2

Introduction: Understanding Inner Voice

10 minutes

  • Display the Inner Voice Presentation Slides
  • Define “inner voice” and discuss why noticing self-talk matters
  • Ask volunteers to share examples of positive, neutral, and negative thoughts they’ve had

Step 3

Activity: Thought Tracker

15 minutes

  • Distribute the Thought Tracker Exercise
  • Instruct students to record at least three recent thoughts and label them as positive, neutral, or negative
  • Guide them to choose one negative thought and reframe it into a growth-minded statement

Step 4

Reflection: Sharing & Growth Mindset

10 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle and use the Reflection Circle Script
  • Prompt each student to share their original negative thought and the reframed version
  • Encourage peers to applaud efforts and reinforce growth mindset language

Step 5

Closing: Daily Inner Voice Check-In

5 minutes

  • Summarize key takeaways: self-awareness, reframing thoughts, growth mindset
  • Encourage students to notice and track their inner voice at home
  • Optionally assign an extra Thought Tracker log for the week
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Slide Deck

What’s Your Inner Voice?

An SEL lesson on self-awareness and growth mindset.

Let’s discover how our thoughts shape how we feel and act!

Welcome students. Introduce the lesson purpose with excitement and energy.

What is Inner Voice?

• Your inner voice is the thoughts you hear in your mind.
• They can be positive, neutral, or negative.
• They influence how you feel and what you do.

Explain that our inner voice is the self-talk we ‘hear’ in our heads. Ask for a show of hands if anyone noticed a thought this morning.

Why Notice Your Inner Voice?

• Helps you understand your feelings.
• Lets you turn unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones.
• Builds a growth mindset—believing you can learn and grow.

Discuss each bullet. Relate noticing thoughts to everyday situations like solving problems or making decisions.

Types of Thoughts

Positive: “I can do this!”
Neutral: “I have homework.”
Negative: “I’m not good at this.”

Invite volunteers to give examples of each type of thought from their own experiences.

Activity: Thought Tracker

  1. Write down 3 recent thoughts.
  2. Label each as positive, neutral, or negative.
  3. Pick one negative thought to reframe.

Distribute the Thought Tracker Exercise handout. Read steps aloud and check for understanding.

Reframing Negative Thoughts

• Original: “I can’t do math.”
• Reframed: “I can improve at math with practice.”

Now try it with your own thought!

Model reframing a negative thought on the board. Ask students to suggest growth-minded words.

Reflection & Share

• Share your original and reframed thought.
• Applaud each other’s efforts.
• Use kind, growth-minded words.

Use the Reflection Circle Script to guide sharing. Encourage kind applause and growth-minded feedback.

Daily Inner Voice Check-In

• Notice your thoughts at home.
• Track them in your Thought Tracker.
• Celebrate growth and kindness towards yourself!

Summarize the key takeaways and remind students to use their Thought Tracker at home. Optionally assign an extra log for the week.

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Warm Up

Mindful Moment Prompt

  • Invite students to sit comfortably with feet flat on the floor and hands resting in their laps.
  • Ask them to close their eyes or soften their gaze toward the floor.
  • Guide them through three slow, deep breaths:
    1. Inhale quietly through the nose for a count of 4.
    2. Hold the breath for a count of 2.
    3. Exhale gently through the mouth for a count of 6.
  • After each exhale, say: “As you breathe out, notice any thoughts that pop into your mind—just observe them without judging.”
  • On the final exhale, invite students to let go of any tightness and gently open their eyes.

This short practice helps students become aware of their inner dialogue and prepares them to notice thoughts during the lesson.

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Activity

Thought Tracker Exercise

Instructions:

  1. Think of three recent thoughts you’ve had today or yesterday.
  2. Write each thought in the table below.
  3. Label each as Positive, Neutral, or Negative.
  4. Choose one Negative thought to reframe into a growth-minded statement.
#Original ThoughtCategory (P/N/N)Growth-Minded Reframe
1





2





3





Reframing Your Negative Thought

  • Original Negative Thought:



  • Reframed Growth-Minded Statement:






Tip: Use words like “yet,” “practice,” and “I can improve by…” to make your reframe stronger!

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