Counselor Connection Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan Primary ASD
Calm Corner Connections
Introductory Lesson with Ellie the Girl Puppet Companion
DURATION 30 Minutes
Core Objective
Students will meet the counselor and Ellie the puppet, identify them as helpers, and practice a basic calm-down breathing tool with Ellie.
Puppet Support
Ellie acts as a safe visual model who displays emotions concretely, lowers social anxiety, and practices self-regulation.
Materials Needed
Girl Puppet (Ellie), Slide Deck, Student Workbooks, Sensory Calm Box (fidgets, tracing pathway, plush toy).
Crucial Sensory & Puppet Guidelines
- • Puppet Voice & Pacing: Do NOT use loud, high-pitched, or screechy puppet voices. Let Ellie "whisper" in the counselor's ear or speak in a soft, soothing, melodic tone.
- • Physical Boundaries: Respect student boundaries. Let Ellie wave from a distance. Do not bring the puppet close to a student's face unless they actively reach out to touch it.
- • Processing Time: Wait 5-10 seconds for reactions. Ellie can tilt her head or "think" visibly to model slow, reflective processing.
- • Zero-Demand Observation: If a student is fearful of the puppet, place Ellie on a desk nearby where she sits calmly like a standard doll.
Part 1 Lesson Setup & Step-by-Step Pacing
5 Min
Establish Predictability: Wave Hello & Schedule
Gather students in a circle. Hold Ellie the Puppet calmly. Introduce yourself and Ellie: "Hello, I am [Name], and this is my helper friend, Ellie. Ellie is a friendly girl puppet who loves school!" Have Ellie wave gently with her hand. Immediately point to the Visual Schedule on Slide 1 to establish safety.
Script:
"Today, Ellie and I have four stops on our schedule. 1. Hello. 2. Meet Ellie & Counselor. 3. Safe Office Tour. 4. Breathe & Play. When we finish, we say Goodbye."
8 Min
Meet Ellie the Helper & Safe Office Tour
Use Slides 2-4. Explain the counselor's and Ellie's role in concrete terms: "Ellie and I help you practice taking slow deep breaths. We listen to your stories. We keep special toys and quiet books in our office." Have Ellie pick up a physical stress ball or a picture book from the actual counseling office setup to show the kids.
Puppet Interaction:
Have Ellie do a slow-motion walk around her "cozy spaces" shown on Slide 3. Have students point to Ellie's favorite spots (like the Calm Corner cushion) in their classroom or on the screen.
Calm Corner Connections • School Counseling ASD Lesson Bundle Page 1 of 2
Lesson Procedure & Closing
Calm Corner Connections • Step-by-Step Facilitation Guide
SESSION STATUS Steps 3 & 4
10 Min
Feelings with Ellie & Finger Breathing Hill
Move to Slide 5. Have Ellie model the 4 feelings dynamically: clapping hands for happy, drooping shoulders/head for sad, hiding behind her hands for worried, and stomping feet gently or crossing her arms for angry. Have students identify which feeling Ellie is showing and point to the corresponding emoji.
Introduce the Breathing Pathway (Slide 6). Have Ellie hold a giant laminated pathway. Ellie uses her hand to trace the hill: breathing in as she climbs up, pausing at the peak, and breathing out as she slides down. Guide students to copy Ellie using their workbooks.
Key Therapeutic Strategy:
Using Ellie to show "big feelings" is less threatening than asking a student directly about their own feelings. Students are more willing to help Ellie "feel calm" than to do it for themselves.
7 Min
Coping Match Work & Predictable Goodbye
Hand out the Calm Corner Activity Sheet. Ask students to "help Ellie find her safe tools" by drawing connection lines. Walk around with Ellie; Ellie can gently tap on a student's paper to offer encouragement and help guide their hand if needed.
End the lesson with Slide 7. Have Ellie wave goodbye and say: "Goodbye, friends! Ellie will see you next week!" Explicitly point to the checkmarks on the schedule showing all stops are complete.
Counselor's Behavioral Support Guide
If student is overstimulated by the puppet:
Do not push Ellie closer. Immediately tuck Ellie under your arm or set her on a table out of the direct line of sight. Say, "Ellie is going to take a quiet nap now," and return to a standard direct human instruction.
To reinforce coping with the puppet:
Have Ellie provide quiet physical high-fives or gentle fist-bumps to students who complete their deep breathing cycle. This physical reinforcement creates a powerful, positive memory association.
Activity Highlight: "Ellie's Calm-Down Box Exploration"
The counselor shows Ellie holding a physical basket. Inside are sensory tools Ellie uses when she is overstimulated. Ellie pulls out each tool (liquid timer, squishy, fuzzy square), tries it out physically, and then passes identical items to students to try.
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Counselor Connection Slides
Calm Corner Connections
Stop 1: Hello
👧
Welcome to Counseling!
Today we are going to learn, breathe, and play with Ellie the Puppet!
Our Predictable Routine
1 Hello
2 👧 Meet Ellie
3 Safe Room
4 Feelings
5 Goodbye
Calm Corner Connections Let's wave hello to Ellie with our hands!
Meet Your School Helpers
👧 Stop 2: Meet Ellie
👧 Ellie the Puppet
Who is Ellie the Puppet?
Ellie is a safe helper puppet who stays with the counselor.
She has big feelings just like you, and loves to learn.
Ellie is here to practice slow breathing and quiet playing.
Calm Corner Connections Ellie and your counselor are your helpers at school.
Ellie's Cozy Spots
Stop 3: Safe Room
Ellie has 3 favorite spots in our safe office:
The Calm Corner
Ellie sits on a cozy cushion here when she wants to relax.
Reading Zone
Ellie loves to look at stories about feelings with friends.
Ellie's Calm Basket
Ellie keeps soft plush toys and squishy fidget tools inside.
Calm Corner Connections Everything in our office helps Ellie's body feel quiet.
What Do We Do with Ellie?
Stop 3: Safe Room
These are the safe activities we do together:
Ellie shows us how to play, rest, and use our school tools properly.
👧💬
We Talk
Ellie whispers her feelings to us.
👧🌬️
We Breathe
Ellie practices deep breathing.
👧🧸
We Play
Ellie plays with soft toys safely.
👧💤
We Rest
Ellie rests her head and closes her eyes.
Calm Corner Connections It is okay to talk, breathe, play, or rest with Ellie.
Ellie's Feelings Board
Stop 4: Feelings
Look at Ellie! Point to how Ellie is feeling:
👧💚
Happy & Calm
Green Zone
👧💙
Sad or Tired
Blue Zone
👧💛
Worried
Yellow Zone
👧❤️
Calm Corner Activity Sheet
👧
Coping with Ellie the Puppet
Student Sheet
My Name:
Today's Date:
1 How do you feel right now? Circle one face to show Ellie:
😊 Happy & Calm
😢 Sad or Tired
😟 Worried
😡 Angry & Mad
2 Help Ellie find her favorite tools! Draw matching lines:
A
To take a deep, slow breath with Ellie
B
To squeeze gently with my hands
C
To look at a story about feelings
•
•
•
🧸 Soft Plush
🌬️ Deep Breath
📚 Book Zone
Calm Corner Connections • School Counseling ASD Lesson Bundle Page 1 of 2
👧
Ellie's Breathing Pathway
Practice slow, deep breathing to make Ellie's and your body feel calm.
Put your index finger on the START circle. Trace the path going UP as you breathe in, pause at the top, and trace going DOWN as you breathe out.
START
Breathe In
👧
PAUSE WITH ELLIE
FINISH
Breathe Out
"Slowly trace and breathe. 1... 2... 3..."
We can use our breathing pathway when:
We feel angry
We feel nervous
We feel sad
We need a break
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