Lesson Plan

Teacher: Ms. Masters Title: Managing Impulsivity

2-3 days
Lesson Objective: (What will my students KNOW by the end of the lesson? What will they DO to learn it?)
I can recognize what impulsive behavior looks like and recognize when I’m experiencing emotional Hijack.
I can develop strategies to manage my own impulsive behavior by creating a coping skills jar.

TIME INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE

Get started/Drill/Do Now: (What meaningful activity will students complete as soon as they enter the classroom?)

Day 1:
I will start class by engaging students using two video clips from Happy Gilmore. I’ll tell students that the first one (Adam Sandler freaking out) is an example
5 of impulsive behavior, and the second clip (Adam Sandler calmly playing golf even with an obstacle presented) is an example of non-impulsive behavior.
min After the videos, students will discuss two questions with their partner:
1. Based on the videos, what do you think impulsivity is?
2. How does Adam Sandler act different in the 1st video vs. the 2nd?
Discuss as answer as class.

Engage/Motivation: (How will student interest be sparked? Is there prior knowledge that should be tapped? Is there vocabulary that must be cleared? Is there
brainstorming that student need to complete before the lesson begins?)
5 Students will be engaged through an impulsivity test. If students can make it the whole period without eating their donut hole, they will
min
receive two more at the end of class. Students can do whatever they need to do in order to keep it not think about it but I won’t offer any
strategies just yet. This is for students to how they initially managed their impulses.
Whole Group Instruction: (Focus lessons [explicit teaching/modeling, strategy demonstration, activate prior knowledge], shared reading, shared writing, discussion, writing
process.)
15 As whole class, we will read through a PowerPoint together that discusses the thinking brain, reptilian brain, and emotional
min brain, and how they affect our impulses, emotions, and actions. Students will take turns reading and fill in their notes on their
guided note sheets. We will also discuss emotions that send us signals we’re in emotional hijack as well as a sample list of
coping strategies for decompression.
Group Practice/Small Group Instruction: (teacher-facilitated group discussion, student or teacher-led collaboration, student conferencing, re-teaching or intervention,
writing process)
Day 2:
15
Students will break into small groups and given a list of character traits and emotions associated with effectively managing impulsiveness.
min
Students will have ten minutes to identify as many as possible using prior knowledge and the group that answers the most correct will win a
piece of candy. We will go over the correct answers afterward.

Independent Practice: (individual practice, discussion, writing process.)

Independently, students will use a self-assessment tool to check off the emotions they feel when in emotional hijack as well as the triggers
30 for these. In response to these triggers students name, they will pull 6-10 coping strategies from the sample sheet as well as others they feel
min would work for them and write them on slips of paper. Students will create a jar of coping skills for when they are in emotional hijack and
need to decompress.

Evaluate Understanding/Assessment: (How will I know if students have achieved today’s objective?)

min
Students will finish their coping skills jar and take home to use when they feel their emotions taking control. They
could also transfer them to a ziplock back if they want to bring them to school more conveniently.