Bendy Brain Slides Individual Counseling Zone
Safe & Brave Space
🌟 Today's Superpower Journey
Bendy Brain Power!
Learning how to stretch our thoughts, calm big feelings, and bounce back with Plan B!
1 Feelings Check-In
2 Rock vs. Noodle
3 Calm & Bend Tools
Step 1 • Check In
What's Your Feelings Weather Today?
All feelings are okay!
Sunny
Happy, Proud, Ready
Level 1
Breezy
Calm, Chill, Peaceful
Level 2
Cloudy
Tired, Shy, Unsure
Level 3
Rainy
Sad, Hurt, Lonely
Level 4
Stormy
Mad, Frustrated, Stuck
Level 5
👉 Point or tell me: Which weather sky matches your inside feeling right now?
Body Awareness
Be a Body Clue Detective! 🔍
Before our thoughts get stuck, our body whispers clues to us.
Thumping Heart
Beating like a fast race car drum in your chest
Hot Cheeks
Warm face, gritted teeth, or clenched jaw
Belly Butterflies
Tight, fluttery, or swirly knot in your stomach
Tight Fists
Squeezing hands hard or hunched stiff shoulders
💡 When you feel a clue, your body is saying: "Time to pause and stretch!"
The Big Idea
Two Ways Our Brain Can React
🪨 The Rock Brain
Rigid & Stuck
"It HAS to be my way or NO way!"
Cannot bend or change plans.
When pushed, a hard rock cracks or hurts.
🍜 The Noodle Brain
Flexible & Bendy
"Oops! That didn't work. Let's try Plan B!"
Can bend, stretch, and bounce back easily.
Warm noodles are gentle, safe, and happy!
✨ We all have Rock Brain moments. The magic trick is learning to turn a Rock into a Noodle!
Practice Time
Can You Spot the Flexible Choice?
Scenario: You are building a giant block castle and it tumbles down!
Choice A
🪨 "I quit! I hate blocks!"
Kick the blocks, cross your arms, and stay mad for the whole recess.
Is this Rock Brain or Noodle Brain?
Choice B
🍜 "Whoa! That was a crash!"
Take a big breath, laugh with your friend, and build a new wide bridge instead.
Is this Rock Brain or Noodle Brain?
🌟 Choice B bends without breaking! That's Noodle Brain Superpower!
Coping Tool #1
The Balloon Belly Breath 🎈
Practice Together Now!
1
Hands on Tummy
Put both hands flat over your belly button like holding a warm balloon.
Feel your hands resting quietly
2
Breathe In Slow
Breathe in through your nose for 3 seconds. Watch your tummy balloon get BIG!
1... 2... 3... Expand!
3
Slow Gentle Hiss
Blow the air out gently through your lips: "Pshhhhhh..." until balloon is flat.
Soft & slow like a floating feather
🌬️ Let's do 3 big balloon breaths together right now! Ready?
Coping Tool #2
Rock to Cooked Spaghetti 🍝
Muscle Melting Magic
🪨
Step 1: Hard Rock
Squeeze EVERY muscle tight!
• Squeeze hands into tight fists
• Scrunch your nose and eyebrows
• Pull shoulders up to your ears
• Hold for: 3... 2... 1...
Tight like frozen ice! ❄️
🍝
Step 2: Melty Spaghetti
DROP IT AND MELT!
• Let hands flop open like wet noodles
• Relax your jaw and face muscles
• Let your shoulders slide way down
• Wiggle your warm, squishy arms!
Warm, loose, and bendy! ✨
🍝 Notice how calm and loose your body feels when you melt like warm pasta!
Coping Tool #3
The 3-Step Plan B Wand 🪄
What to do whenever a plan changes or something doesn't go your way:
🛑
1. STOP
Freeze like a statue.
Don't shout. Don't throw. Just pause.
Hand up: "Freeze!"
🌬️
2. BREATHE
Take 2 balloon breaths.
Cool down your brain engine.
In slow... out soft...
💡
3. PLAN B
Ask: "What ELSE can I do?"
Pick another toy, game, or friend.
Bendy brains find answers!
🗣️ Say the magic chant: "Stop! Breathe! Pick Plan B!"
Mission Accomplished
You Are a Bendy Brain Champ! 🏆
My Bendy Brain Promise
"When things get tough or plans don't fit,
Checked Feelings
Spotted Rock vs. Noodle
Practiced Plan B
Ready for our activity sheet and high five! ✋ Counselor & Student Teamwork
Bendy Brain Activity Sheet Individual Counseling Session
My Bendy Brain Check-In 🧠✨
Name:
Date:
1 What is your Feelings Weather right now?
Circle or color your weather sky:
☀️ Sunny Happy & Ready
🍃 Breezy Calm & Chill
☁️ Cloudy Tired / Unsure
🌧️ Rainy Sad / Hurt
⚡ Stormy Angry / Stuck
🔍 My Body Clue: Where do you feel this feeling?
(In my chest, hands, tummy, neck, or head?)
2 Rock Brain or Noodle Brain Detective
Find the Bendy Choice!
Read each story with your counselor. Draw a circle around the Noodle Brain choice that stretches and finds a Plan B!
Case 1: Someone is using the swing you wanted at recess.
Choice A:
Stand right in front of them with angry arms and yell "Get off right now!"
Choice B:
Take a slow breath, ask for next turn, and play on the slide while waiting.
Case 2: You make a big pencil scribble mistake on your drawing.
Choice A:
Turn the scribble into a funny monster hairstyle or cool space cloud.
Choice B:
Rip up the whole paper, stomp your feet, and refuse to draw anymore.
Case 3: It is time to stop playing your favorite tablet game.
Choice A:
Hide under the table and scream because screen time has to end.
Choice B:
Save your game score, say "See you next time!", and do a stretch.
✨ Counselor Clue: "A rock cracks when pushed, but a noodle bends and stays strong!" Turn page for Plan B! ➔
Action Toolkit
My Super Coping Menu & Plan B Power 🪄
Page 2 • My Tools
3 Pick Your 2 Favorite Calming Tools!
Put a star ⭐ or color the 2 you like best:
🎈
Balloon Breaths 3 big belly balloon fills
🍝
Spaghetti Melt Squeeze tight then melt soft
🖐️
5-Finger Trace Breathe up and down fingers
💧
Cold Drink Sip cool water slowly
🧱
Wall Push Heavy work muscle push
🧸
Teddy Squeeze Gentle hug or safe grown-up
4 Practice My Plan B Flip!
Stop • Breathe • Pick Plan B
🌧️ Problem: Rain outside! You cannot go to the playground today.
Plan A was:
Play soccer on the big grass field.
Bendy Brain Counselor Guide Counselor Facilitation Guide
Bendy Brain Session Guide 📋
K-2 Individual Tier 2/3
Session Length 25–30 Minutes
Target Domain SEL / Self-Regulation
Format 1-on-1 Counseling
Key Construct Cognitive Flexibility
Learning Objectives & Metaphor Rationale
1. Feelings Check-In: Student identifies current emotional weather & physical body clues.
2. Rigid vs. Flexible: Student contrasts stuck "Rock Brain" with adaptable "Noodle Brain."
3. Somatic Coping: Student rehearses balloon breathing, muscle melting, and Plan B pivoting.
💡 Why Rock vs. Noodle? Concrete sensory anchors bridge developmental cognitive gaps for ages 5–8.
Physical Props & Sensory Setup
1. Real Rock & Playdough
Place a smooth river rock and soft playdough on the desk for immediate tactile comparison.
2. Slides & Activity Sheet
Display Bendy Brain Slides on a screen/tablet; provide printed Activity Sheet with crayons.
3. Bendy Chenille Pipe Cleaners
Let student twist a fuzzy pipe cleaner into new shapes as they brainstorm Plan B solutions.
Step-by-Step Session Flow (30 Minutes)
Pacing Guide
0–5 MIN
Welcome & Weather Check-In (Slides 1–3)
Warm greeting. Display feelings weather slide. Student points to weather sky, notes body clues, and completes Part 1 of sheet.
5–13 MIN
Tactile Demo & Rock vs. Noodle Metaphor (Slides 4–5)
Hand rock: "Can it bend? It's stiff." Hand dough: "See how it molds?" Connect to rigid vs. flexible responses to ruined plans.
13–22 MIN
Active Somatic Coping Rehearsal (Slides 6–8)
Rehearse 3 Balloon Breaths together. Practice progressive muscle relaxation (Rock to Spaghetti). Teach chant: "Stop! Breathe! Pick Plan B!"
22–30 MIN
Activity Sheet Page 2 & Champion High-Five (Slide 9)
Student stars coping favorites and draws Plan B for indoor recess. Award Bendy Brain Champion badge with counselor signature.
Page 1 of 2 • Session Structure Turn page for Verbatim Scripting & Progress Rubric ➔
Facilitator Playbook
Scripts, De-Escalation & Progress Monitoring 🎯
Page 2 • Practical Tools
Verbatim Counselor Scripts (What to Say)
Feelings Weather Check-In:
"Just like outdoor weather changes from sunny to rainy, our inside weather changes too! None of the weather is bad—even thunderstorms pass. Point to the weather sky that matches your inside right now."
