in-school grit curriculum
coping skills for...
anxiety using neuroscience
what we do
why we do it
check in
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allows students to notice their current emotional state
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breaks the ice
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allows each student feels seen and heard
warm up:
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move our bodies to music
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breath for one-minute counting each breath
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colour to music
​
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focus moves from our bodies to our minds / mimics a stress-response
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activates our para-sympathetic nervous system
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activates our pre-frontal cortex and serves as a reset for the brain
chat:
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what happens in our brains when we feel anxious?
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what does a stress response feel like?
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why are humans equipped with anxiety?
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how do we know if it's become a problem?
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gives students the language to recognize anxiety in their bodies and link it to the neuro-science (location and job of the amygdala).
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de-stigmatizes anxiety as a negative emotion and reframes it as a common and necessary emotion linked to keeping us safe and ramping us up for performance.
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explores that some of us have an active amygdala and therefore feel more anxiety.
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we deduce that it becomes a problem when:
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we are always feeling anxious / we over-think everything
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it prevents us from doing what we previously enjoyed
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it affects our sleep
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​​
activity:
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brainstorm ideas for managing anxiety
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learn different breathing techniques
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gives students specific tools for managing anxiety eg.:
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moving our bodies​
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being creative
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talking with someone
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distracting ourselves with something we love
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breathing exercises activates the para-sympathetic nervous system.
brain-train (meditation)
​​
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grows the neuro-pathway from the amygdala to the pre-frontal-cortex as a regulation highway; we learn how to pro-actively wire our brains for self-regulation.
aggressive behaviour
what we do
why we do it
check in
-
allows students to notice their current emotional state
-
breaks the ice
-
allows each student feels seen and heard
warm up:
-
move our bodies to music
-
breathe for one-minute counting each breath
-
colour to music
​
-
focus moves from our bodies to our minds / mimics a stress-response
-
activates our para-sympathetic nervous system
-
activates our pre-frontal cortex and serves as a reset for the brain
chat:
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define and identify relational aggression​
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workshop how to diffuse bullying behaviour
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define how we care for ourselves if we're the target
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gives students examples of relational aggression and allows them to have some agency over the behaviour.
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labels examples of relational aggression in case they weren't aware they were participating.
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shows that if we don't give the aggressor the power that they're seeking, the behaviour will stop.
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stresses the importance of having an outlet after the incident to express whatever emotions arise.
activity:
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play 'bullying bingo'
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role play different bullying scenarios
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gives students a fun way to learn examples of relational aggression
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gives students practice in not giving away their power and diffusing the bullying behaviour.
brain-train (meditation)
​​
-
grows the neuro-pathway from the amygdala to the pre-frontal-cortex as a regulation highway; we learn how to pro-actively wire our brains for self-regulation.
conflict + friendships
what we do
why we do it
check in
-
allows students to notice their current emotional state
-
breaks the ice
-
allows each student feels seen and heard
warm up:
-
move our bodies to music
-
breathe for one-minute counting each breath
-
colour to music
​
-
focus moves from our bodies to our minds / mimics a stress-response
-
activates our para-sympathetic nervous system
-
activates our pre-frontal cortex and serves as a reset for the brain
chat:
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​discuss that arguments are a normal part of friendship but that we're not taught how to argue with a friend.
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discuss why friends argue.
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discuss the part of the brain that is utilized when we argue and how we can shift that.
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learn what compromise and repair look like.
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teaches that relationships are a biological imperative and friendships in elementary school are integral to brain-health
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teaches how arguing properly is a life-skill
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recognizes that using the neuro-pathway from amygdala to pre-frontal cortex can shift things, it gives us confidence.
activity:​
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role play different friendship arguments
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practices in a light-hearted and fun way pretending to have an argument with a friend, we are building that regulation highway and learning skills for real-life events.
brain-train (meditation)
​​
-
grows the neuro-pathway from the amygdala to the pre-frontal-cortex as a regulation highway; we learn how to pro-actively wire our brains for self-regulation.
executive functioning
what we do
why we do it
check in
-
allows students to notice their current emotional state
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breaks the ice
-
allows each student feels seen and heard
warm up:
-
move our bodies to music
-
breathe for one-minute counting each breath
-
colour to music
​
-
focus moves from our bodies to our minds / mimics a stress-response.
-
activates our para-sympathetic nervous system.
-
activates our pre-frontal cortex and serves as a reset for the brain.
brain-train (meditation)
​​
-
practicing meditation near the beginning of the workshop activates the pre-frontal cortex responsible for executive functioning.
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connects us to an enhanced acceptance of emotional states so that we take failure in stride.
chat:
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​define executive functioning as a set of skills used to regulate behaviours, thoughts and emotions.
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discuss how meditation connects to and improves memory, organization, concentration by growing the grey matter in our pre-frontal cortex.
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discuss how failure and repeated effort increases executive functioning skills and how meditation supports acceptance of emotional states.
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gives students agency over their executive functioning by teaching them skills to practice on their own.
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shows students that failure is a necessary part of growth and learning and that perseverance is key.
activity:​
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​work on 'what's the plan Stan?' activity
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students are given 10 tasks that need to be completed between after school and bedtime (including fun time). It's their job to put them in order and decide how much time each is going to take (either in groups or individually)
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allows students to practice focus, time management, strategizing, planning, problem solving.
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highlights the strengths of both neuro-diverse and neuro-typical brains as each creatively solves it for themselves.
the science + research
big emotions
what we do
why we do it
check in
-
allows students to notice their current emotional state
-
breaks the ice
-
allows each student feels seen and heard
warm up:
-
move our bodies to music
-
breathing for one-minute counting each breath
-
colouring to music
​
-
focus moves from our bodies to our minds / mimics a stress-response
-
activates our para-sympathetic nervous system
-
activates our pre-frontal cortex and serves as a reset for the brain
chat:
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​define what the big, hard emotions are
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discuss why it's important to feel all emotions
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define 4 categories for self-regulation:
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distraction
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relaxation
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talking / thinking
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movement
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​​​
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teaches that when emotions are ignored, they manifest in symptoms of stress in the body and brain.
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gives students concrete, practical, personal ideas for shifting from an activated amygdala to a regulated pre-frontal cortex.
activity:​
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play coping skills game where we compete in teams to come up with the most skills
​​​
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incorporates fun, team-building and healthy competition.
brain-train (meditation)
​​
-
grows the neuro-pathway from the amygdala to the pre-frontal-cortex as a regulation highway; we learn how to pro-actively wire our brains for self-regulation.