As special educators, we understand the importance of teaching middle schoolers how to manage their emotions and stay calm in various situations. Self-regulation skills are essential for their social and emotional development, which is why we’ve included a free middle school staying calm lesson plan in this blog post. By equipping students with strategies to stay calm, we foster a positive learning environment and empower them to succeed academically and personally.
In this blog post, we will explore the significance of teaching middle schoolers self-regulation skills and provide a comprehensive lesson plan. This plan includes the use of printable role-play “Staying Calm” cards to facilitate hands-on practice. By incorporating these strategies into our classrooms, we can help students develop lifelong skills that promote emotional well-being and success.
What is Self-Regulation?
Before diving into the lesson plan, let’s discuss the significance of teaching middle schoolers self-regulation skills. By cultivating self-regulation, we help students:
Manage stress and emotions: Explain how self-regulation empowers students to recognize and manage their emotions, reducing stress and promoting a positive mindset. By staying calm, students can make better decisions and handle challenges more effectively.
Improve self-control: Emphasize the value of self-control in maintaining positive relationships and achieving personal goals. Students who possess self-regulation skills can navigate conflicts and make thoughtful choices.
Enhance academic performance: Highlight the link between self-regulation and academic success. When students can stay calm and focused, they are better equipped to concentrate on their studies, problem-solve, and persist through challenges.
Middle School Staying Calm Lesson Plan
Objective: By the end of this lesson, middle schoolers will be able to utilize self-regulation skills to stay calm in challenging situations, demonstrating an understanding of various strategies and actively applying them in real-life scenarios.
- Identifying Calming Strategies
- Facilitate a class discussion about common situations that may trigger stress or frustration.
- Ask students to share strategies they currently use to stay calm in these situations.
- List their responses on the board or a shared document, emphasizing the variety of approaches available.
- Discuss the effectiveness of each strategy and encourage students to consider trying new ones.
2. Everyday Speech “Staying Calm Role-Plays” Activity
- Introduce printable role-play “Staying Calm” cards to the students.
- Explain that each card depicts a challenging scenario where they can practice staying calm.
- Divide students into pairs or small groups.
- Ask each group to choose a card and role-play the scenario, focusing on staying calm using the strategies discussed.
- Encourage students to discuss their experiences afterward and share successful techniques they utilized.
3. Reflection and Goal Setting
- Provide students with reflection sheets or journals.
- Ask them to reflect on the role-play activities and their personal experiences with staying calm.
- Instruct students to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and strategies they want to incorporate into their daily lives.
- Guide a class discussion where students can share their goals and strategies, fostering a supportive environment.
Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!
Related Blog Posts:
Changing the Channel on Big Emotions: A Guide for Educators
Friendship Worksheet (PDF) for Middle School
Empathy: A Key Skill for Building Strong Friendships in Middle School
