Breathe Notice Choose Lesson Plan Early SEL • Somatic Calm Pre-K to 2nd Grade
Breathe, Notice, Choose
Duration: 35-40 min
Setting: Circle Rug & Station
Focus: Co-Regulation
Learning Goals
Identify internal body cues (heart, breathing, tense muscles).
Practice 4 somatic animal breaths to down-regulate.
Select a calming tool using a visual emotion scale.
Somatic Principle
Young nervous systems require sensory-motor cues (vibration, tactile touch, extended exhale) rather than abstract verbal reasoning to move from fight/flight to connection.
Materials & Prep
Lesson Slides & Animal Breath Cards
Visual Emotion Scale chart or poster
Chime or singing bowl for auditory cue
Soft stuffed animal for belly breathing
1 Hook & Body Engine Check (8 Mins) Circle Rug
Gather on the rug. Ring a gentle chime. Lead the "Wiggle & Freeze" activity: Shake fingers fast, bounce shoulders, stomp feet, then freeze like a sleepy sloth on the count of three.
Teacher Script: "Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. What does your heart feel like right now? Is it thumping fast like a cheetah or slow like a turtle? Our bodies have an engine that talks to us."
2 Direct Instruction: The 3 Calming Superpowers (10 Mins) Slide Deck
Introduce the three-step rhythm using simple hand gestures:
1. BREATHE
Fill the belly like a balloon; send oxygen to the brain.
2. NOTICE
Check the Emotion Scale: Blue (tired), Green (calm), Yellow (wiggly), Red (furious).
3. CHOOSE
Pick one reset: animal breath, wall push, tactile squeeze, quiet book.
3 Modeling: The Somatic Animal Breaths (12 Mins) Whole Group
Model each breath with high enthusiasm, pairing physical movement with audible breath cues. Have students mirror each step 3 times.
🐻 Bear Hibernate Breath: Deep 4-count inhale through nose, pause 2 seconds, slow sigh out mouth to relax clenched jaws.
🐝 Bumblebee Hum Breath: Inhale deep, gently cover ears with palms, hum "zzzzz/mmmm" on the exhale to stimulate vagus nerve.
🐰 Bunny Quick Sniff: 3 short sniffs through nose (smelling fresh flowers), one long smooth exhale through mouth.
⭐ Starfish Hand Trace: Spread fingers of one hand. Trace up finger (inhale), pause at peak, trace down finger (exhale).
Breathe, Notice, Choose • Social-Emotional Learning Guide Page 1 of 2
Practice, Implementation & Facilitation Guide
Co-Regulation Tools
4 Active Game: "Calm Critter Safari" (8 Mins) Partner / Groups
Students roll the critter dice or draw an animal card. When an animal is revealed, the whole group acts like that animal with high energy for 5 seconds, then hits the "Somatic Reset" button (arms up, soft exhale, animal breath).
🧠 Why this works: Builds interoceptive flexibility—practicing moving from high sympathetic arousal (fast movement) down to parasympathetic grounding (calm breath) in a fun, safe game context.
5 Cool-Down Corner Integration (7 Mins) Classroom Routine
Walk the class over to the designated classroom "Cool-Down Corner" (or "Calm Cave"). Introduce the Cool Down Corner Kit :
1. Emotion Thermometer
Child moves a clothespin or finger to show current zone.
2. Finger Tracing Mats
Tactile breathing paths (Starfish, Rainbow, Snail Spiral).
3. Choice Board
Pinwheel, squish ball, calming jar, or weighted lap critter.
Neurodevelopmental Co-Regulation Scripts (Say This, Not That)
⚠️ Avoid (Triggers Escalation)
"Calm down right now!"
"Why are you acting like this?"
"Go sit in time-out until you're quiet."
✅ Use Somatic Co-Regulation
"I see your body engine is moving super fast. Let's do a Bumblebee hum together."
"You are safe. Put your hand on your heart with me."
"Let's visit the Calm Corner and pick an animal breath."
Differentiated Accommodations & Universal Design
Sensory Seekers: Provide firm deep pressure (wall pushups, animal heavy stomp before slow breath, weighted lap pad).
Sensory Sensitive: Use silent breathing (Starfish finger trace) rather than vocal hums; allow dim lighting in the corner.
Non-Verbal Learners: Use color-coded feeling cards and photo cue strips to point instead of speaking when overwhelmed.
Breathe, Notice, Choose • Teacher Pacing & Implementation Guide Page 2 of 2
Breathe Notice Choose Slides Early Learner Somatic Calming
Pre-K to 2nd Grade
Breathe, Notice, Choose!
Discover Your Calming Body Superpowers 🐻🐝⭐
🐻 Bear Snooze
🐝 Bumblebee Hum
🐰 Bunny Sniffs
⭐ Starfish Trace
Step 1: Check In
How Is Your Body Engine Running?
Touch Your Chest
🦥
Blue Engine
Slow & Tired
Needs gentle warm-up
🐻
Green Engine
Calm & Ready
Ready to play & learn
🐒
Yellow Engine
Wiggly or Silly
Time to slow down
🦁
Red Engine
Super Mad / Fast
Needs a big reset breath
Every engine speed is okay! We just listen to what our body needs.
The 3 Magic Steps
Our Calming Superpower Formula
1
BREATHE
Fill belly balloon
Send gentle air to our brain to cool down our feelings.
2
NOTICE
Feel your body
Where is the tight spot? Clenched fists? Heavy shoulders?
3
CHOOSE
Pick a calm tool
Select an animal breath, soft squeeze, or calming path.
Repeat with your teacher: "Breathe... Notice... Choose!"
🐝
Technique 1
The Bumblebee Hum
Calms Fast Thoughts
1
Cup Your Ears
Place both hands gently over your ears like warm ear muffs.
2
Deep Nose Inhale
Smell a giant sweet sunflower. Fill your lungs with air.
3
Hum Out Slow
Keep lips closed and hum "Mmmmmmm" like a gentle bee.
✨ Feel the vibration buzzing in your lips and nose! That buzz tells your body to relax.
🐻
Technique 2
Bear Hibernate Breath
Softens Tense Muscles
1
Belly Hand
Place your warm bear paw right over your belly button.
2
Inhale for 4
Breathe in: 1... 2... 3... 4. Push your bear belly out!
3
Hibernate Sigh
Open your mouth and let out a gentle sigh: "Haaaaaaah."
Calm Critter Safari Game Somatic Regulation Game 2–4 Players or Whole Group
Calm Critter Safari Adventure
Goal: Practice breaths along the path to reach Calm Lagoon!
1. Roll or Spin Move game piece 1, 2, or 3 stones.
2. Check the Critter Look at the animal on your space.
3. Do the Breath Everyone on rug copies the breath!
4. Collect Calm Badge Notice how your engine slowed down.
⛺ START Safari Camp
🐝 1. Buzz Meadow 3 Bee Hums
🐾 2. Soft Stepping Tip-toe slowly
🐰 3. Berry Patch 3 Bunny Sniffs
🐒 4. Wiggle Vine Shake & Freeze
↓ Path winds down ↓
🦁 9. Lion Rock Big Sigh Out
💧 8. Cool Spring Pretend drink sip
⭐ 7. Tide Stream Starfish Hand
🐻 6. Bear Cave Belly Hibernate
🌿 5. Tall Reeds Sway side to side
↓ Path continues down ↓
🦥 10. Sloth Branch Slow neck roll
🦋 11. Butterfly Hug Tap shoulders 5x
🐝 12. Honey Hive Quiet hum
🐢 13. Turtle Shell Curled cozy rest
🏝️ FINISH! Calm Lagoon
Game Tokens:
🐻 🐝 🐰 ⭐
Cut out tokens or use classroom buttons / math counters.
Calm Critter Safari • Somatic Co-Regulation Board Game Page 1 of 2
Printable Materials
Safari Breath Cards & Regulation Spinner
Cut Along Dotted Lines ✂️
6 Somatic Reset Cards (Use with board game or draw during circle time)
🐝 Vibration
Bumblebee Hum
Cover your ears with soft palms. Smell a sweet flower, then hum "Mmmmm" until all air is out.
Calms busy, buzzing thoughts
🐻 Belly Air
Bear Hibernate
Hand on belly. Inhale deep for 4 counts to push your bear tummy out. Pause. Slow cozy sigh "Haaaah".
Relaxes tight tummy & jaw
🐰 Energy Shift
Bunny Quick Sniff
Take 3 quick sniffing breaths in through the nose (sniff, sniff, sniff!). Exhale one long whoosh out through mouth.
Resets sad or tired engine
⭐ Tactile Trace
Starfish Hand
Spread fingers wide like a sea star. Trace up finger (breathe IN), pause at tip, trace down (breathe OUT). Complete 5 fingers!
Steady grounding focus
🦁 Release
Lion Release Breath
Squeeze fists tight, breathe in deep. Open hands wide, stick out tongue, and exhale with a silent lion roar "HAAAA".
Releases big mad energy
Cool Down Corner Kit Calm Cave Station Poster
How Does My Body Feel Right Now?
Touch your chest or stomach. Listen to your body engine.
🦥
BLUE ZONE Slow Engine
My body feels: Heavy eyes, tired shoulders, sad, low energy, yawn.
Try This: 🐰 3 Bunny Sniffs
🐻
GREEN ZONE Calm & Ready
My body feels: Soft shoulders, smiling mouth, ready to listen & play.
Keep Going: ⭐ Starfish Trace
🐒
YELLOW ZONE Fast / Wiggly
My body feels: Bouncing knees, fast heartbeat, silly, frustrated, jumpy.
Try This: 🐝 Bumblebee Hum
🦁
RED ZONE Super Fast / Mad
My body feels: Clenched fists, tight jaw, hot cheeks, yelling feeling inside.
Try This: 🦁 Lion Exhale Sigh
My 3-Step Calm Down Mission Follow 1, 2, 3
1
BREATHE Pick an animal breath and do it 3 times.
2
NOTICE Touch the color zone where your heart is now.
3
CHOOSE Pick 1 calm tool from Page 2 until ready.
Ready to Rejoin Rug? Check:
Heart is calm Hands are relaxed Ready to listen
Calm Down Corner Kit • Station Poster & Check-In Page 1 of 2
Sensory Work Mat
Finger-Tracing Paths & Calming Choice Menu
Laminate for Reusable Use ✨
Tactile Tracing Mats (Trace with your pointer finger slowly)
🌈 The Rainbow Arc Deep Breath
⬅️ Inhale UP Pause at top Exhale DOWN ➡️
Slide finger up the rainbow side, pause at peak, slide smoothly down.
🐌 Cozy Snail Spiral Slow Focus
🐌
Trace from outer ring into the center heart
Breathe in as you trace outer ring; whisper "safe" at the center.
Calm Corner Choice Menu (Pick what your body needs today)
🧸 Plushie Squeeze Hold a stuffed animal tight to your chest for 10 sec.
🧱 Wall Pushup Put hands on wall and push hard 5 times to let out energy.
✨ Calm Glitter Jar Shake the jar and watch until all glitter settles on bottom.
🖍️ Emotion Doodle Draw what your feeling looks like with crayons.
📖 Quiet Picture Book Look at soft picture books in the cozy pillow corner.
🎧 Quiet Headphones Wear noise-dampening earmuffs to give your ears a rest.
🌟
My Calm Badge Promise "I know how to listen to my body and breathe when I need help."
Student Name ___________________
Calm Down Corner Kit • Sensory Work Mat & Choice Menu Page 2 of 2
