Your Brain, Your Boss!

Jennifer Clayton

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Your Brain, Your Boss!

Students will be able to define self-regulation and identify at least three strategies for managing their emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Understanding self-regulation helps students take control of their learning, behavior, and emotional responses, leading to better decision-making and improved relationships.

Audience

6th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, guided practice, and a reflective activity.

Materials

Your Brain, Your Boss! Slide Deck, - Self-Regulation Warm-Up, - Whiteboard or projector, - Markers or pens, - Self-Regulation Scenario Cards Activity, and - My Self-Regulation Superpower Cool Down

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Review the Your Brain, Your Boss! Lesson Plan and all linked materials: Your Brain, Your Boss! Slide Deck, Self-Regulation Warm-Up, Self-Regulation Scenario Cards Activity, and My Self-Regulation Superpower Cool Down.
- Prepare whiteboard or projector for slides.
- Print and cut out Self-Regulation Scenario Cards Activity for small groups (one set per group).

Step 1

Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?

5 minutes

Begin with the Self-Regulation Warm-Up activity.
- Ask students to quickly write down or think about how they are feeling at the moment and one thing that might be making them feel that way.
- Facilitate a brief discussion: "What does it mean to be in control of your feelings or actions?"

Step 2

Introduction to Self-Regulation

8 minutes

Present the Your Brain, Your Boss! Slide Deck (Slides 1-3).
- Introduce self-regulation as your brain being “your boss” – making choices about how you think, feel, and act.
- Discuss the three main areas: emotional regulation (managing feelings), cognitive regulation (managing thoughts), and behavioral regulation (managing actions).
- Provide simple, relatable examples for each.

Step 3

Self-Regulation Strategies Activity

12 minutes

Divide students into small groups (3-4 students).
- Distribute the Self-Regulation Scenario Cards Activity to each group.
- Explain that each card describes a situation where self-regulation is needed.
- Instruct groups to read each scenario and discuss what self-regulation strategies they could use.
- After 8 minutes, bring the class back together and have a few groups share one scenario and their chosen strategy.

Step 4

Cool-Down: My Self-Regulation Superpower

5 minutes

Distribute the My Self-Regulation Superpower Cool Down.
- Ask students to reflect on one self-regulation strategy they learned today that they want to try using.
- Collect cool-down tickets as an exit ticket.

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Slide Deck

Your Brain, Your Boss!

Taking Control of Your Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions

How does your brain help you make choices?
Why is it important to be in control of yourself?

Welcome students and get them settled. Introduce the concept of our brains being in charge of our actions and feelings, setting the stage for self-regulation.

What is Self-Regulation?

It's your brain's amazing ability to manage your:

Emotions: How you feel (e.g., anger, excitement, sadness)
Thoughts: What you think (e.g., worries, plans, ideas)
Actions: What you do (e.g., finishing homework, sharing, waiting your turn)

Think of your brain as the CEO of 'You'!

Explain self-regulation simply: it's like your brain is the manager, helping you handle what you think, feel, and do. Use relatable examples like not yelling when angry or focusing on homework.

Three Main Areas of Self-Regulation

1. Emotional Regulation

Managing how intensely you feel emotions.
Example: Taking deep breaths when you feel frustrated instead of stomping your feet.

2. Cognitive Regulation

Managing your thoughts and focusing your attention.
Example: When studying, telling yourself to focus on the book instead of daydreaming.

3. Behavioral Regulation

Managing your actions and impulses.
Example: Waiting for your turn to speak even when you have an exciting idea.

Deepen the understanding by breaking it down into three parts: Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioral. Give clear examples for each that 6th graders can understand and relate to their daily lives.

Warm Up

Self-Regulation Warm-Up: Feeling Check-In

Instructions: Take a moment to think about how you are feeling right now. It's okay to feel any emotion! Then, briefly write down one word that describes your feeling and one thing that might be making you feel that way.

My Feeling Word:

What might be making me feel this way?

Activity

Self-Regulation Scenario Cards Activity

Instructions: In your groups, read each scenario. Discuss what type of self-regulation is needed (emotional, cognitive, or behavioral) and what strategies you could use to self-regulate in that situation. Be ready to share one scenario and your strategy with the class.

Scenario 1: The Frustrating Project

You are working on a group project, and your teammates are not pulling their weight. You feel your anger building, and you really want to yell at them.