3rd-5th October SEL Lessons: Self Awareness, Self Management

Ms. Ashorn visited 3rd-5th grade classes in October to learn about recognizing strong feelings and how to effectively manage those emotions.  This lesson actually follows up on our SEL Lesson from October 2016, which can be viewed here. 

Using the hand model of the brain, students reviewed/learned how their brain works when they are feeling strong emotions, which we call "flipping our lid".  We used an analogy of the upstairs and downstairs brain. The upstairs brain is responsible for thinking, planning, creativity and problem solving.  While the downstairs brain, also known as our "animal brain", controls our reactions and impulses (fight, flight or freeze) to strong emotions (like anger and fear).

Next we read Steps and Stones: An Anh's Anger Story, which is the sequel to the book we read last year.  In the Anh’s friends decide to play a different game at recess and he feels left out.  Just as in the first book, Anh's Anger, a red hairy creature, shows up when something doesn't go Anh's way.  But together they learn and use strategies that can help them calm down.  

Last, students learned a new calm down strategy for their tool box called Finger Touch Focus. Ask your student to show you this tool at home.