Lesson 8: Building our Tool Box and Deep Breathing
Lesson Purpose and Objective:Now that the students have a solid understanding of the Zones language, including feeling states, triggers and alarm clocks (physiological responses), it’s time to do the real work: build our tools box of coping skills. It’s important for children to feel independent in managing their feelings, but that is only possible if they are taught strategies to do that. The first tool the students engaged in was a form of deep breathing, Lazy 8 Breathing. Deep breathing is crucial to calming the body and mind, especially when in a heightened feeling state, like the yellow or red zone. We learned our when in the yellow or red zones, our heart rate and breathing can increase, muscles tense up and our thinking can become cloudy (all alarm clocks!). Deep breathing can regulate these responses back to the green zone. Deep breathing is not like our everyday breathing, it something you have to be thoughtful and mindful of.
Lesson:1.Lesson: Students received a copy of the Zones tool box. They learned about the importance of building up these skills to help regulate their feeling states in order to effectively problem solve and make good choices.
2. Activity: Students engaged in their first tool, a form of Deep Breathing: Lazy 8 Breathing. Lazy 8 Breathing has an element of visualization to it which particularly helps students have something concrete to focus on. At first the students traced along the 8, as I counted 4 slow counts for each side. Once we could internalize the exercise, I had them close their eyes and picture themselves traced along the 8. We practiced really stretching out the breath so that it matches the counts.
Students also practiced Belly Breathing. With this breathing exercise students placed their hands on their bellies and as they breathed in they would fill up their bellies with air. I have them imagine there is a balloon in their belly and the air is blowing it up. As they exhale, all the air comes out of their belly, as if the balloon is deflating. Primary grades, watched this video to help them understand and practice the technique:
1st graders practice Belly Breathing with Elmo and friends!
This is a good worksheet to use at home to
help your child identify coping tools they can
use.