Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to identify and name common feelings and understand what anxiety means, co-create group norms for the program, and practice a simple breathing exercise using counting dice.

This lesson helps students recognize and label their emotions, fosters a supportive group environment, and teaches a foundational breathing strategy to begin managing anxiety effectively.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather and Review Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Feelings and Anxiety

10 minutes

Step 3

Emotion Thermometer Exploration

10 minutes

Step 4

Co-Create Group Norms

5 minutes

Step 5

Practice Breathing with Dice

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Calm Quest: Session 1

Welcome the students warmly. Introduce the Calm Quest program and explain that today they’ll learn about feelings and a simple breathing strategy.

Session Objectives

Read each objective aloud. Emphasize why these skills help us feel calm and safe.

Feelings Flashcards

Display or project the Feelings Flashcards one at a time. Ask volunteers to name each emotion and mimic the facial expression.

What Is Anxiety?

Define anxiety in simple terms and invite students to share examples. Relate it to a ‘big uh-oh’ feeling.

Emotion Thermometer

Hand out the Emotion Thermometer Worksheet. Explain the scale. Model coloring your own thermometer first.

Co-Create Group Norms

Display the blank norms poster. Invite students to call out rules. Write each suggestion and narrow to top 3–5.

Breathing with Counting Dice

Show the Calm Counting Dice Template. Demonstrate rolling a 3: inhale 3 seconds, exhale 3 seconds. Guide two practice rounds.

Closing & Preview

Summarize key takeaways and preview next session’s strategy. Encourage students to practice breathing at home.

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to use mindful movement to notice body sensations and release tension, practice a guided sequence of simple poses, and reflect on how movement affects their anxiety.

Mindful movement helps students connect with their bodies, shift anxious energy, and build awareness of physical sensations tied to emotions.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather and Review Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Mindful Movement

5 minutes

Step 3

Practice Movement Sequence

15 minutes

Step 4

Reflection Discussion

5 minutes

Step 5

Complete Reflection Worksheet

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 3 Lesson Plan

Students will learn a grounding strategy by exploring their five senses to anchor attention in the present, practice a guided sensory activity, and reflect on how grounding reduces anxiety.

Grounding via sensory exploration helps students shift focus from worries to the here-and-now, lowering anxious feelings and building self-regulation skills.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather and Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Grounding Technique

5 minutes

Step 3

Sensory Exploration Activity

15 minutes

Step 4

Worksheet Exploration

5 minutes

Step 5

Reflection Discussion

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 4 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to express and channel anxiety through art by using colors and shapes to represent feelings, complete an emotion mask or collage, and reflect on creativity as a calming tool.

Art offers a nonverbal way to externalize and understand anxiety, builds emotional awareness, and empowers students to use creativity for self-regulation.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather and Prepare Art Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Art-Based Expression

5 minutes

Step 3

Create Emotion Masks/Collages

15 minutes

Step 4

Share and Reflect

5 minutes

Step 5

Complete Art Reflection Worksheet

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 5 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to identify negative thoughts, practice using positive self-talk to reframe worries, and reflect on how changing their inner voice can calm their anxiety.

Awareness of unhelpful thinking patterns and replacing them with encouraging statements builds self-confidence and empowers students to manage anxious feelings.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Self-Talk Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Positive Self-Talk

5 minutes

Step 3

Scenario Card Practice

10 minutes

Step 4

Group Discussion

5 minutes

Step 5

Reflection Worksheet

10 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 6 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to use a simple calming mantra to center their thoughts and reduce anxious feelings, practice repeating a mantra aloud and silently, and reflect on how this tool helps them feel calmer.

A calming mantra provides a quick, portable strategy to interrupt worry, focus the mind, and regulate emotions during stressful moments.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather Mantra Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Calming Mantras

5 minutes

Step 3

Practice Repeating Mantra

10 minutes

Step 4

Guided Group Mantra Chant

10 minutes

Step 5

Reflection Worksheet

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 7 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to release physical tension through progressive muscle relaxation, practice a guided tension-release sequence, and reflect on sensations of calm.

Progressive muscle relaxation teaches students to notice and let go of physical stress, reducing anxiety and promoting body awareness.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather and Review Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce Progressive Muscle Relaxation

5 minutes

Step 3

Practice PMR Sequence

15 minutes

Step 4

Reflection Discussion

5 minutes

Step 5

Complete Reflection Worksheet

5 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Preview

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 8 Lesson Plan

Students will review all coping strategies learned throughout Calm Quest and develop a personalized calm-down plan by selecting their favorite tools and outlining how to use them in moments of anxiety.

Reinforcing and integrating skills empowers students to manage anxious feelings independently, boosting confidence and self-regulation through a clear, individualized action plan.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Gather Review Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Mood Check

5 minutes

Step 2

Review Coping Skills

10 minutes

Step 3

Coping Skills Stations

10 minutes

Step 4

Create Personal Calm-Down Plan

10 minutes

Step 5

Share and Discuss

3 minutes

Step 6

Closing and Encouragement

2 minutes