OBJECTIVE:
Students will build awareness of their emotions, triggers, and internal responses in everyday situations. They’ll practice pausing before reacting and begin developing strategies for staying grounded under pressure, a key foundation for healthy communication and relationships.
REQUIRED PREP:
Transform your room – Next Gen sessions should be different from typical classes — change the atmosphere of your classroom and get ready for your first session!
Opening Huddle
Goal: Conduct the cohort ritual and mood check.
Feel free to play music to generate energy and set the vibe!
Opening Ritual: Conduct your opening ritual!
Mood Check: Gather the students into a circle (standing or sitting – keep comfort in mind)!
Activity 1 - Triggers+Response Map - 25 mins
- Pull out journals and make a worksheet with three columns:
- Situation/Trigger
- How I Usually React
- What I’d Like to Try Instead
- Ask students to think of 2–3 common real-life situations that frustrate, embarrass, or upset them (e.g., someone talks over them, they get called out in class, they get a bad grade, a friend doesn’t text back).
- In small groups or pairs, have students share (as they feel comfortable) one situation and what their current and ideal responses might be.
Activity 2: The Pause Practice - 15 mins
Purpose: To teach students how to interrupt automatic reactions with tools like mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding techniques.
Instructions:
- Introduce the concept of the pause, a moment between emotion and response.
- Teach 2–3 simple self-regulation tools, such as:
- Box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)
- Name it to tame it (naming your emotion helps you manage it)
- 5-4-3-2-1 grounding (notice 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, etc.)
- Run a brief guided pause practice (2–3 minutes).
- Invite students to reflect on which strategy felt most useful, and how they could use it in everyday life.
Closing - 5 mins
Closing Huddle:
- End by collectively performing your exit ritual!
- Remind students of the next session!
