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When Your Body Says "Let's Go!"

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Lesson Plan

When Your Body Says "Let's Go!"

Students will be able to describe the purpose of the sympathetic "fight or flight" response and act out an example.

Understanding the 'fight or flight' response helps students recognize and manage their own physiological reactions to stress and excitement, promoting self-awareness and coping skills.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, role-playing, and self-reflection.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Energy-Building Warm-up

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "When have you felt a sudden burst of energy, like your body was telling you to 'go!'?"
    * Encourage students to share brief examples (e.g., before a sports game, during a scary movie, when excited about something).
    * Explain that today, we'll explore what's happening in their bodies during these moments. (Refer to Energy Boost! Slide Deck - Slide 1)

Step 2

Understanding the Sympathetic State

15 minutes

  • Use the Energy Boost! Slide Deck to introduce the sympathetic nervous system and the "fight or flight" response.
    * Key Concepts:
    * Sympathetic State
    * Fight or Flight
    * Mobilization (preparing for action)
    * Energy (sudden rush)
    * Anxiety & Excitement (how these feelings relate)
    * Engage students with questions throughout the slides (e.g., "What physical changes do you notice when you feel anxious or excited?").
    * Explain that this response isn't just for danger; it's also active during exciting or high-pressure situations. (Refer to Energy Boost! Slide Deck - Slides 2-5)

Step 3

"Fight or Flight?" Role-Playing Scenarios

15 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
    * Distribute one Silly Scenarios for Role-Play to each group.
    * Explain the activity: Each group will read their scenario and decide if the body's response is more like "fight," "flight," or a mix of both (or even just intense excitement/mobilization). They will then act out their scenario, exaggerating the physical responses of the sympathetic state.
    * Circulate among groups, providing guidance and prompting deeper thinking about the scenarios and responses.
    * Bring the class back together to briefly share one or two role-play examples. (Refer to Energy Boost! Slide Deck - Slide 6)

Step 4

Group Debrief

5 minutes

  • Facilitate a short discussion:
    * "What did you notice about your body's reaction in the role-play scenarios?"
    * "How can understanding this 'fight or flight' response help you in real life?"
    * Emphasize that this response is a natural part of being human and can be helpful, even if it sometimes feels intense. (Refer to Energy Boost! Slide Deck - Slide 7)

Step 5

Grounding Cool-down

5 minutes

  • Distribute the My Energy Meter Worksheet to each student.
    * Instruct students to reflect on a time they experienced a "fight or flight" or "energized" feeling and complete the worksheet.
    * As students work, play calm, quiet music.
    * Collect worksheets or allow students to keep them for personal reflection. (Refer to Energy Boost! Slide Deck - Slide 8)
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Slide Deck

When Your Body Says "Let's Go!"

Ever felt a sudden burst of energy? Like your body is ready for ANYTHING? Today, we'll explore what's happening!

Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of how their bodies respond to intense situations, both scary and exciting. Ask them to think about times they've felt a sudden rush of energy.

Your Body's Secret Superpower: "Fight or Flight"

💪 What is it? Your body's automatic response to stress or excitement.

🚨 Its Job? To protect you from danger OR help you perform when it really counts!

💨 How it feels: A sudden rush of energy, a pounding heart, quick breathing.

Introduce the concept of the 'sympathetic nervous system' in simple terms. Explain it's our body's internal alarm system, but also its internal 'go-mode' for excitement.

Mobilization: Getting Ready to GO!

When your body says "Let's Go!":

  • ❤️ Heart beats faster to pump blood to muscles.
  • 💨 Breathing gets quicker to take in more oxygen.
  • 👁️ Senses become sharper, you're more aware.
  • ⚡ Energy floods your system, making you feel stronger or faster.

Focus on the physical sensations. Ask students to physically notice what happens when they get a little scared or very excited. Connect to 'Mobilization' – getting ready for action.

More Than Just Danger!

It's not always about fleeing a bear or fighting a monster!

This same energy response kicks in when you're:

  • Playing a big game!
  • Performing on stage!
  • Super excited for something new!
  • Feeling nervous before a test!

Explain that 'fight or flight' isn't just about danger. It's also about positive excitement. Give examples like sports or performing.

Anxiety & Excitement: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Think about it:

😰 Anxiety can feel like your body is preparing for something bad.

🤩 Excitement can feel like your body is preparing for something good!

Your body's physical response can be very similar! It's all about how your brain interprets the situation.

Emphasize that anxiety and excitement are two sides of the same physiological coin. Help students see the connection.

Role-Play: Your Body in Action!

Get ready to act! In your groups, you'll get a scenario.

Decide:

  • Is it more "fight"? "flight"? Or energized excitement?
  • How would your body feel and react?

Show us your best sympathetic responses!

Transition to the activity. Explain that students will act out scenarios to explore these feelings.

Debrief: What Did You Notice?

Let's chat about what we learned!

  • What did you feel during the role-plays?
  • How can understanding "fight or flight" help you in real life?
  • Is this response always bad? Always good? Why?

Lead a brief discussion after the role-plays. Encourage students to reflect on their feelings and observations during the activity.

Cool-down: My Energy Meter

Time to reflect!

Think about a time your body said "Let's Go!"

Fill out your worksheet and think about how you manage those big feelings.

Introduce the cool-down activity. Explain that they'll reflect on their own experiences and how to manage these strong feelings.

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Activity

Silly Scenarios for Role-Play

Instructions: In your group, read each scenario. Discuss whether the body's response would be more like "fight," "flight," or just a burst of energized excitement. Then, act out the scenario, exaggerating the physical responses your body might have (e.g., wide eyes, quick breathing, tense muscles, jumping up to act, freezing).

Scenario 1: The Sneaky Squirrel

You are enjoying a peaceful picnic lunch when a giant, fluffy squirrel with beady eyes suddenly leaps onto your picnic blanket, grabs your sandwich, and tries to run away with it!

What does your body do? Fight for the sandwich? Freeze in surprise? Run away in comedic terror?







Scenario 2: The Talent Show Spotlight

It's the night of the school talent show, and you're about to go on stage for your amazing performance. As your name is called, the spotlight shines directly on you, and a huge wave of applause erupts!

What does your body do? Does your heart race with excitement? Do your palms get sweaty? Do you feel a surge of energy to perform?







Scenario 3: The Missing Homework Mystery

You wake up and realize your most important homework assignment, due today, is missing from your backpack! You frantically search your room, and it's nowhere to be found! Time is ticking before school starts!

What does your body do? Do you feel a rush of panic? Does your mind race? Do you start pacing around the room?







Scenario 4: The Surprise Rollercoaster

Your friend tells you you're going to the park, but when you arrive, you realize it's a theme park, and they drag you straight to the tallest, fastest rollercoaster. You're next in line!

What does your body do? Do you feel a mix of fear and exhilaration? Do you grip the safety bar tight? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach?







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Worksheet

My Energy Meter Worksheet

Instructions: Think about a time when your body said "Let's Go!" – a moment when you felt a sudden rush of energy, excitement, or even a bit of anxiety. This could be before a big test, during a thrilling game, when you were surprised, or anything that made your heart race and your senses sharpen.

1. What was the situation?

Describe what was happening in your own words. (e.g., "I was about to score the winning goal in soccer," or "I heard a strange noise outside my window at night.")












2. How did your body feel?

Check all that apply and describe:

  • ☐ Heart beating fast:


  • ☐ Breathing quickly:


  • ☐ Muscles felt tense or ready:


  • ☐ Palms sweaty:


  • ☐ Stomach felt funny (butterflies):


  • ☐ Felt a burst of energy:


  • ☐ Other feelings (describe):





3. What did you want to do? (Fight, Flight, or Freeze?)

Based on how your body felt, did you want to:

  • ☐ Fight: Confront the situation or problem?
  • ☐ Flight: Get away from the situation?
  • ☐ Freeze: Stay still or become very quiet?
  • ☐ Act/Perform: Use that energy for a task or activity?

Explain your choice:












4. How did you handle that "Let's Go!" feeling?

What did you actually do when you felt this surge of energy or strong emotion? Did you take deep breaths? Did you talk to someone? Did you use the energy to focus on a task?












5. What did you learn from this experience?

How does understanding your body's "fight or flight" response help you make sense of this memory?












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