Supplies
- No supplies needed
Skill Builder
Lesson
- Ask the group if anyone knows what Self-Management means.
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- Self-Management is being able to manage or control yourself
- Explain impulses are the things you do without thinking first.
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- Examples: hitting someone back when they hit you, yelling mean things to someone who says something mean to you, taking something you see out of someone’s desk because you want it
- Let students know controlling ourselves can be hard, but not thinking before acting can cause bad things to happen, even to adults.
- Ask students to brainstorm some things that might happen if they do something without thinking.
- Share a time you lost control. Then ask students to share a time they lost control and it led to something bad happening.
- Let them know we have a simple tip to help us remember to stay in control. Review the Control Check Skill Builder.
Control what I think
My mind is clear and focused
Control what I say
My words are gentle and kind
Control what I do
My actions are calm and kind.
- Remind students there are going to be many times when they want to just do or say something, but it’s important to first do a Control Check to make sure they are controlling themselves, so they’ll have a much better day.
Activity-Thirteen
- Have students sit in a circle and tell them the goal is to count to 13 having each person in the circle take a turn.
- Let them know the person who says, “13” must then pick a number to change to anything they want.
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- Example: “Instead of saying number 5, say boogie-woogie”
- Another round will be played, and the count starts over at 1 with the student whose turn it is next. Instead of saying 5 in the count, the person must now say “boogie-woogie” (or whatever the number has been changed to.)
- Tell them the next student to say, “13” picks another number to change to something else and the game continues. The number can be changed to an action or a different word or phrase.
- Instruct the group every time they count to 13, a number is changed until all numbers (1-12) have been changed to something new.
- Inform them when someone says the wrong number or forgets what changes were made to the count, the count starts over at 1.
- Remind them they are in control of themselves and can do a control check whenever needed throughout the activity. This will help them make sure they are:
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- In control of what they are thinking and staying focused on the different number changes and when it is their turn
- In control of what they are saying and making sure they are saying the right thing on their turn
- In control of what they are doing and making sure they make the necessary changes in numbers when it is their turn
- This game can continue until time is up or until the group has changed all the numbers and has successfully “counted” all the way through.
