Coping Skills/Strategies: Ways to work through uncomfortable feelings/situations.
What Will students do during this lesson?
Students will begin this lesson with a Mindful Moment. Start with your mindful body position (seated on the floor with legs crossed, back straight, eyes closed and hands gentle in your lap).
Students will collectively brainstorm coping skills that they could use when faced with an uncomfortable feeling/situation. This list might include:
Getting a drink of water
Squeezing a stress ball
Doing a wall push up
Writing what is bothering you and throwing paper away
Talk to a trusted adult
Deep Breathing
Rainbow Walk
Use an I-Statement
What will students be taught?
Muscle Relaxation: a process where you slowly tense and release tension from muscle groups starting from your head down to your toes. Students will be using a short-video to guide them through this introduction into progressive muscle relaxation.
Self- Talk: can be used to alert ourselves and others to how we are feeling. This can be done by using a whisper voice or with an internal "thought bubble". We are acknowledging our current emotion. May also be used to affirm positive feelings/situations (i.e. "I feel happy when I ride my bike with a friend.")
Anger = "I feel angry, I need to calm down."
Sadness = "I feel sad, I will work to feel better."
Visualizing:
Close your eyes and think about a favorite memory or place you love.
Encourage students to think about how this memory/place feels, smells and sounds.
Open your eyes once you begin to feel more calm/content.
Repeat as needed.
Journal Activity
Coping Tools to make at home
Glitter Jar - Great and easy to make tools to support calming down and focus.
Squeeze Ball - another tool for calming. Can purchase these or make them (using a balloon filled with flour, kinetic sand, playdough, etc.)