Lori Classen & Jill Flath

Brain Based Teaching Strategies and Activities for Calm-Alert

CALMING RESOURCES

Music

Marconi Union: Weightless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYnA9wWFHLI

Rain and Native American Flutes: Relaxing Music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SynzKC4fWp0

Calm Celtic Flute Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYWA-bJ9vg

Native American Drumming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dxFlXZ4kBw

Classroom Calming Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkWC1ShvKck

Whole Tones: https://wholetones.com/ltr/81?affid=187763&subid=BingBrand-CA “7” by William Prince: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYnA9wWFHLI Music 65 BPM Audio

Examples:

Come Away with Me by Norah Jones

Don’t Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Skyfall by Adele

iPad Apps

OMG Meditate Relax M. iZen Smiling Mind

Books: Mindfulness

Peaceful Piggy Meditation Moody Cow Meditates Mindful Monkey Happy Panda

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About the Book:

Master of Mindfulness Video:

https://vimeo.com/167308190

A Handful of Quiet

-meditation practice developed by Thich Nhat Hanh - introduction to meditation - hands-on and creative way that touches on their interconnection with nature -Pebble Meditation can help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude, and can help children deal with difficult emotions

Angry Octopus

-progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing to help control anger

Sitting Still Like a Frog

-introduces the basics of mindfulness to children -includes practices to help children calm down, become more focused, alleviate worry, manage anger, and generally become more patient and aware

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Books:

Teaching about the Brain

Fantastic Elastic Brain A Walk in the Rain (see “Let it Ripple Website” for Lesson Plans)

ACTIVITIES

Breathing Benefits of Breathing Exercises: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/well/mind/breathe-exhale-repeat-the-benefits-of-controlled-breathing.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=1

Video: Teddy Bear Breathing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scqFHGI_nZE&list=PL10g2YT_ln2

gmPbtzIWIPXKsNR2_-BrWn&index=4

Take a deep breath in then hold air in the cheeks

while s-l-o-w-l-y exhaling

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Calming Bottles Glitter Bottles (Mind Jar):

Directions (calming bottles – above) -buy spice jars (packs of 3) – available at the Dollar Store -fill jars ¾ full with liquid soap and the rest of the jar with hot water (try to fill to the top to avoid excess bubbles) -add sparkles -put the lid onto the container and shake to see how quickly or slowly the sparkles settle (if you want them to settle slower you can add more soap and if you want them to settle faster you can add more water) -when you are happy with the viscosity, take the lid off, clean the liquid of the lid and crazy glue it to the top of the jar -label them with a clear sticker (optional)

Lori Classen & Jill Flath

Rice Bottles:

Mandalas

Free Mandalas Online: http://mandala-4free.de/en/index.htm

Colouring Book

Kookym and Kids -local illustrator and author -Parellel Activity -colouring book for adults and children to enjoy together -left side if for adults and the right side is for kids to colour -the story of five kids getting to know each other for the first time and avoiding bullying behaviour -webiste: http://www.handsonoutreach.ca/book/kookum-and-kids/

Calming Bottles Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b93xudPlVg

Calming Bottles: -used as a visual anchor to help students bring their focus into one place - student(s) eyes and hands are brought to midline which can help organize and center their nervious system

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Mindfulness Example Activities

Sitting at desk -play calming music -have the students sit at their desk with good posture (to support proper airflow for deep breathing) and with both feet flat on the floor -have the students raise their hands above their head reaching for the sky then slowly bring them forward while lowering them to their desktop and resting one hand on the other -have students gently rest their forehead on their hands -students stay in this position while taking deep breaths (3 second inhale – 3 second exhale)

Alternate Space in the Classroom -play calming music -have the students pick a safe spot in the room to lie down, with their eyes closed or open (if open have them face away from the other children in the room). Tell the students to relax and ride the waves in the music.

Suggestions: a) dim or shut the lights off, b) duration: start at student baseline (i.e. 20 seconds) and slowly increase time (i.e.: 5 minutes), c) teacher participation/modelling, and d) deep breathing (reminders)

Body Break

Structure: 1. Cardio activity such as jumping jacks, mimic motion of cross country skiing, jump and turn, bouncing

on an exercise ball, etc. 2. Organizing or coordingating activities such as Simon Says to demonstrate that studen’ts bodies are

organized and that they are able to follow instructions 3. Heavy Work Activities that activate large muscle groups and involve body assisted heavy work (e.g.

squats, planks, chair pushups, etc.) 4. Controlled breathing activity (e.g. 5 or 10 deep breaths, 6 sided breathing or lazy 8 breathing (Zones

of Regulation)

Website: https://www.gonoodle.com/ - Improves behavior and attention - Betters academic performance -Strengthens classroom cohesion

*ensure all components of the body break structure are incorporated (see above) *

Lori Classen & Jill Flath

Cosmic Kids Yoga (K-3)

Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uIZ2KOZZeQDQo_Gsi_qbQ

Clapping Example Activities

Seven Hands Clapping Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK1NzQm9XaQ 1,2,3 Break It Down Clapping Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ICDWs7lnfI Math In Motion – Times Tables: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bY0pY9OPn4

Visual Activities for Calming

Draw/Create Happy Place (i.e. family, pets, sunset, beach, sports) Draw/Create “Any Time Guide” Draw/Create “ When I Feel ‘Mad’ card

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Environment

a. Nurturing: responsive and “in tune” with the student’s needs and wants, rich in positive emotional and physical stimulation (gentle, repetitive touch, smiles) b. Predictable: consistent emotional responses from staff, familiar set-up, routines, clear expectations with rewards and consequences (consequences are not punitive or reactive), visual supports for daily teaching, routines, reinforcement, common language c. Structured: physical space has “zones” for personal spaces and places and activities, daily routines, structure will reflect the developmental stage(s) for students, calming environment visually and auditorially d. Enriched: social communication will be taught and modelled (narrate, think out loud, model), students to have quiet, integrating time as well. *Zones of regulation/co-regulation, Social thinking (examples of programs that may be in use): explicit instruction on what self-regulation is including making personal connections • Teach how our brains work and how stress and worry change how we learn. When followed by positive experiences and managing our emotions makes us stronger and better learners.

Taken from SPSD’s Behavior (Therapeutic) Program Guide Document

Calming Spaces

Roland Michener School – Grade ½ (Marcy Jenkins)

Roland Michener School - CIAC (Colin Willms)

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Relaxation Station

King George School – Resource Room (Kylie Gervais)

Lori Classen & Jill Flath

Teacher Resources

Mindfulness

MindUp Curriculum: Hawn Foundation

Teaching Mindfulness in Schools Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR7UfsuJef0 Website: https://mindup.org/thehawnfoundation/

MindUp Curriculum: -research based curriculum: linked to Brain Research in order -Connecting to the Curriculum: Three Separate Curriculums (PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8) -available in the CMC to improve behaviour and learning for all students

Mindsets in the Classroom -building growth and mindset in school culture - step-by-step guidance on adopting a differentiated, responsive instruction model, teachers can immediately use growth mindset culture in their classrooms -available in the CMC

Self-Regulation Activities

70 Play Activities -includes worksheets, handouts, and guided scripts with step by step directions -activities designed to improve thinking, self-regulation, learning and behaviour -exercises for children and adolescents to develop attention, planning, executive function and mood management skills

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Musical Thinking: -5 Simple Steps to Teaching Children How They Think -Musical Thinking is a cognitive empowerment strategy utilizing music, movement and rhythm to teach children how they think and learn -helps children gain better control over their approach to daily tasks and activities related to learning and behaviour

Trauma-informed Somatosensory

Handbook

Doodles, Dances and Ditties -A Trauma-informed Somatosensory Handbook -developmentally sensitive approach to trauma treatment for children ages 5-13 - This handbook represents hundreds of hours of application and feedback by clinicians, direct care professionals and educators

Teaching About the Brain

Let it Ripple Website http://www.letitripple.org/about/

1. Search for the following resources:

a) Search: brain -Fantastic Elastic Brain Lesson Plans

b) Search: brain power -video

Lori Classen & Jill Flath

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Website (Schools) https://www.mindsetworks.com/Science/Teacher-Practices

Website https://www.mindsetworks.com/free-resources/default

Brain Talk: Introduction Website https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_nsFBLam6s

Health and Happiness

Sustainable Happiness and Health Education

Teacher’s Guide

Website http://sustainablehappiness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/SHTeachersGuideSK.pdf

Lori Classen & Jill Flath