Impulse Control for Teens: Fork in the Road
This session includes impulse control activities for teens, helping older students manage academic stress by noticing the Fork in the Road moment when they choose their path. They watch short scenario videos, discuss the body signals their Self-Controller picks up before they decide, and play a quick game where they weigh two ways to handle a stressful assignment. The payoff is catching that choice early and picking a self-regulation strategy that works for them.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Using Your Self-Controller
- Grade level
- Middle & High School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonFork in the Road: Dealing with Academic Stress
Learners are given three different social scenarios where they encounter a Fork in the Road. For each scenario, they'll be tasked to try to pick the best path for each character. In these videos, our characters are faced with situations that require them to decide which self-regulation strategy will work best for them.
- Extension activity
Self-Regulation
In this adventure-style game, learners will use their self-regulation skills to keep calm and rescue stranded skiers on the mountain!
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: 4-7-8 Breathing2:13
- Video: Obstacles into Opportunities Visualization1:19
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: How can you tell when your stress is starting to build?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned that moments of academic stress often bring a Fork in the Road, a point where they can choose a path that helps or one that makes things harder. They practiced noticing rising stress early and picking a self-regulation strategy that fit each situation. Catching that signal early gives them more room to choose a response that works for them.
Key Terms
- Fork in the Road
- A fork in the road is a decision point where different choices lead to different outcomes, and your decision shapes what happens next.
- Self-Regulation Strategy
- A calming action you choose when you notice stress building, like taking a few deep breaths or stepping away for a moment, to keep your self-control before things feel too big.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
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Using Your Self-Controller
Learner will use their Self-Controller to manage stress responses when triggers arise (e.g., unexpected changes, transitions away from preferred activities) by recognizing stress signals and applying a self-selected strategy before reacting in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
At home or in the classroom, when a student seems frustrated with schoolwork, you can ask what would help them feel ready to keep going. Naming the choice out loud makes the helpful path easier to pick.
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More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Fork in the Road is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for middle and high school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Fork in the Road: Dealing with Academic Stress, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Self-Regulation.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, using your self-controller.
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