Lesson Plan

Pause & Reflect Blueprint

Students will learn and practice a simple “stop and think” strategy to manage impulses, identify personal triggers, and apply self-regulation through role-play, debate, and reflection.

Developing a pause-before-react habit reduces impulsive behavior, builds thoughtful decision-making, and supports emotional self-regulation—essential skills for academic, social, and future professional success.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Modeling

10 minutes

Step 2

Stop-and-Go Role-Play

15 minutes

Step 3

Impulse vs. Choice Debate

10 minutes

Step 4

Reflection Exit Ticket

5 minutes

Step 5

Closure & Next Steps

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Stop & Think: Four-Step Pause Strategy

Welcome students. Introduce the Stop & Think strategy as a four-step tool for managing impulses. Explain that today we’ll learn and practice each step.

Why Pause?

Discuss why impulsive reactions happen (stress, emotion, peer pressure). Highlight the benefits of pausing: clearer thinking, better outcomes.

Step 1: Stop

Explain Step 1: “Stop.” Emphasize noticing the trigger or emotional pull. Model a scenario (e.g., seeing a rude comment).

Step 2: Breathe

Guide students through a quick breathing exercise: inhale for 4 counts, hold 2, exhale 6. Explain how breathing resets your nervous system.

Step 3: Think

Encourage them to list possible responses and weigh consequences. Use a simple pros/cons check in your notes.

Step 4: Respond

Remind students that responding is a choice, not a reaction. Emphasize ownership: you decide how to act.

Practice Scenario

Present the scenario. Ask students to silently run through Stop, Breathe, Think, Respond. Then discuss in pairs.

Discussion Prompt

Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their triggers and how they’d use the pause technique. Encourage peer feedback.

Lesson Plan

Pause & Reflect Blueprint

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

Step 1

Introduction & Modeling

Step 2

Stop-and-Go Role-Play

Step 3

Impulse vs. Choice Debate

Step 4

Reflection Exit Ticket

Step 5

Closure & Next Steps

Slide Deck

Stop & Think: Four-Step Pause Strategy

Why Pause?

Step 1: Stop

Step 2: Breathe

Step 3: Think

Step 4: Respond

Practice Scenario

Discussion Prompt

Activity

Discussion

Cool Down

Why Stop and Think?

Jeremy L