2nd Grade

2nd Grade

2nd Grade Lesson Plans

September: Welcome Back

Meet your school counselor /Mindful Minute Review

October: Emotions and Empathy

Angry Birds Feelings Lesson

Use laminated materials, at the end of the lesson, we play the knock down the cups game

Empathy Shoes

  • Recap your emotions and then Empathy.  Seeing with the eyes of another. Feeling with the heart of another.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_1Rt1R4xbM

  •  Introduce Stop. Breathe. Listen. Respond. (From Empathy toolkit in my docs).  Helps with understanding others and when there is a conflict.

  • First, I pick a scenario and model for the class. Practice using empathy shoes scenarios.  Then, if time permits, have students get in pairs and practice some more with real scenarios.

November: Conflict Resolution/Bullying

Kelso’s Choices

Kelso’s Choices continued

December: Kindness and Gratitude

Compliments lesson plan

January: Mindfulness

Mindfulness Lesson Plan #1

  • Explain how I have a new topic that has changed my life and the life of my family. Explain how our thoughts can bring on emotions and feelings that won't go away. Then introduce mindfulness as a way to be present in the moment and how we can use it to calm our minds and our bodies.
  • Go Zen Video https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-1/
  • Read the book  "I Am Peace" and have discussion
  • Do "Find your anchor" exercise then complete mindful breathing exercise with glitter jar

(Teacher plays these videos on in-between days and completes at least one mindful minute each day)

Mindfulness Lesson #2

(Teacher playes these videos on in-between days and completes at least one mindful minute each day)

Mindfulness Lesson #3

  • Recap mindful bodies and ask students what they noticed over the past week. Peaceful warriors is the name we came up with for the students.  Then play "Mindful Breathing" video: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-2/
  • Begin with a mindful minute exercise (recap "find your anchor")
  • Discuss Mind/Body connection, how our thoughts and emotions can affect our body physically and do "lemon exercise" below
  •  Do "dance exercise"  Turn on fun dance music and let the students get silly and dance around the room for about 30 seconds.  Then challenge them to stop, find their anchor, and practice mindfulness standing up, in the middle of the classroom.

(Teacher playes these videos on in-between days and completes at least one mindful minute each day)

Mindfulness Lesson #4

  • In circle on carpet: Mindful minute exercise/find your anchor 
  • Ask students to stand up really quick from the circle.  Then ask them how exactly they got up.  Did they sue their hands?  Which leg pushed up first? etc, etc.  Then, have them sit down and stand up again, this time being mindful of their bodies.  Ask how that was different. Introduce Mindful movement
  • Students go back to their desks and watch "Mindful movement" video from GoZen: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-4/
  • Practice Mindful movement with the following 2 exercises:
  • #1 Pass the cup
  • #2 Slow motion 
  • If time permits....or, can be a separate lesson: Body Scan Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIC-Io441v4

(Teacher playes these videos on in-between days and completes at least one mindful minute each day)

Mindfulness Lesson #5

(Teacher playes these videos on in-between days and completes at least one mindful minute each day)

Mindfulness Lesson #5

  • Why mindfulness?  Talk about swimming pool: See below
  • During meditation, your awareness settles to finer and finer levels of thought until you slip into the spaces between the thoughts, you dip into the silence, the infinite possibilities, you bump into the Self. When you jump into a swimming pool, you come out wet, you bring some of the water with you. Just so, when you slip into the spaces between your thoughts, you bring the silence and infinite possibilities back into your life. You begin to restore the memory of who you really are.

    By making this journey back and forth on a regular basis, you begin to reintegrate these qualities into your everyday life. You reestablish the silence that underlies all the noise and activity so that even in the midst of chaos and confusion, even in the midst of dynamic activity, you can still remain calm, you can still think clearly and creatively.

  •  Play Still, Quiet Place video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIJn5XhqPN8

    Have them draw their still, quiet place.  When done, do the mindfulness exercise below (guide them around their still, quiet place) with this relaxing music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZYbU82GVz4                             

    Still, quiet place mindfulness exercise:

    • Draw a picture of your Still Quiet Place.
    • When you finish, close your eyes and imagine you are there.
    • Breathe in… and out.
    • Look to the left, what do you see?
    • Breathe in… and out.
    • Look to the right, what do you see?
    • Walk around and explore your Still Quiet Place.
    • Observe every detail.
    • What does it smell like?
    • What sounds do you hear?
    • Touch something. What does it feel like?
    • Breathe in… and out.
    • Now return from your Still Quiet Place.
    • Slowly open your eyes.
    • Breathe in… and out.

  • If time permits:

    Show gratitude video: https://www.gozen.com/go/gotothenow/lesson-8/

  • Practice Gratitude Mindfulness

    • Pretend you’re in the Gratitude Zone like Nik. Choose ONE person, place or thingyou are grateful for.
    • Really visualize this person, place or thing.
    • List specific reasons why you are grateful for this person, place or thing.
    • How does this person, place or thing make you feel?
    • Now imagine your life without this person, place or thing.
    • Are you sadder? Lonelier? Less fulfilled?
    • Now exit the GZ and show gratitude for this person, place or thing!

Mindfulness Lesson #6

  • Final lesson recap
  • Hand out certificates

February: Self Esteem

Self Esteem Lesson

  • Read the book “Spaghetti on a Hot Dog Bun”, lesson plan under “Self Esteem” documents.  Then, eat spaghetti on a hot dog bun!

Self Love/Self Bullying lesson

March: Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset Lesson

  • Re-Introduce Growth Mindset

  • Read: “What do you do with a problem?” 

  • Growth mindset flip book

April: Anxiety/Worry

Anxiety/Worry Lesson Plan

May: Anxiety Cont. and Transition


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