Heart Smart Heroes Lesson Plan Document Heart Smart Heroes
Intervention Lesson Plan • Tier 3 Support
Mission File
Mission Objective
By the end of this 12-week intervention, the student will be able to identify and express emotions, apply coping strategies for sadness and anxiety, and demonstrate increased motivation and task completion in school.
Deployment
• 12 Weeks Duration
• 15 Minutes per Session
• 1:1 Individual Support
• Target: 4th Grade
The "Why"
Provides essential support for a student navigating the emotional complexities of parental divorce. Helps develop crucial life skills in emotional regulation and self-motivation, vital for academic and personal well-being.
The Approach
Individualized, short, and consistent sessions focusing on skill-building and positive reinforcement. Designed to reduce overwhelm and build a trusting alliance.
Hero Equipment (Materials)
Emotional Check-in Tool
Coping Strategies Guide
Motivation Boosting Script
Personal Hero Journal
12-Week Mission Roadmap
Phases Weeks Core Focus & Objective Phase 1 1 - 3 Understanding Emotions: Identifying, naming, and expressing feelings safely.Phase 2 4 - 6 Coping Strategies: Mindfulness, positive self-talk, and seeking adult support.Phase 3 7 - 9 Motivation Boost: Small goals, effort-to-outcome, and celebrating wins.Phase 4 10 - 11 Application: Role-playing scenarios and building a visual toolkit.Final 12 Review, Celebrate, and Graduation.
The Daily Mission Layout
Standard 15-Minute Protocol
0-3m
Welcome & Emotional Check-in
Use the Visual Check-in Scale. Validate current state.
3-10m
The Weekly Power-Up
Skill instruction or discussion focused on the weekly theme.
10-15m
Closing & Homework Mission
Set one small actionable goal for the week. Positive affirmation.
Weeks 1-3: Understanding Emotions
W1 Identifying: Discuss how feelings (happy, sad, angry, anxious) feel in the body.
W2 Naming: Differentiating similar feelings (e.g., sad vs. disappointed).
W3 Expression: Safe ways to express feelings (all feelings OK, not all behaviors).
Weeks 4-6: Coping Toolkit
W4 Breathing: Deep breathing and mindfulness (refer to Discussion Guide).
W5 Self-Talk: Using positive affirmations when feeling "down" or "stuck."
W6 Support: Identifying the student's "Team" (trusted adults at home/school).
Weeks 7-9: Motivation Boosters
W7 Small Goals: Breaking "mountains" into "hills" (refer to Script).
W8 Wins: Celebrating small successes; reinforcing effort over perfection.
W9 Links: Connecting effort to outcomes (academically and personally).
Weeks 10-12: Mastery & Graduation
W10 Roleplay: Practicing strategies in school scenarios (tests, tough work).
W11 Toolkit: Finalizing a visual "Hero Card" with favorite strategies.
W12 Review: Celebrate growth. Present 'Heart Smart Hero' certificate.
* Preparation: Review student progress from previous week. Ensure a private, quiet space for all sessions.
Motivation Mission Script Document Motivation Mission
Teacher Script & Strategy Guide
Goal: To help the student break overwhelming tasks into "tiny steps" to build momentum and self-efficacy. Use this script during Week 7, or whenever the student feels "stuck."
Stage 1: The Mountain Metaphor
Teacher: "Hey there, Hero! I'm excited about our session today because we're going to talk about something super powerful: how to get your brain excited about schoolwork, even when it feels tricky or boring."
"Sometimes, when we have a big task, like a long math assignment or a big reading project, it can feel like climbing a huge mountain. Have you ever felt that way?"
Student Response:
Stage 2: Tiny Hills
Teacher: "Absolutely! That's a totally normal feeling. But here's a secret: we can learn to break that mountain into little hills, and each little hill we climb makes us feel stronger and more motivated to keep going. We're going to call these 'small goals.' "
"Let's think about a piece of schoolwork that felt really tough recently, or maybe one that you're working on now. What is it?"
Student Response:
Stage 3: The First Step
Teacher: "Great example! So, if that's our big mountain, what's the very first, tiniest step you could take? It should be something you can finish in just a few minutes, maybe even less. For example, if it's a math worksheet, the first step might just be writing your name at the top, or doing just the first problem."
Student Response:
Stage 4: The Win
Teacher: "Excellent! Now, imagine you've done that tiny step. How does it feel to check that off your list?"
Student Response:
Teacher: "See? Even that small win gives us a little boost! That's motivation building up. We're going to practice finding these small goals and celebrating each one. For this week, pick one assignment and find three 'tiny steps' for it. I believe in you!"
Heart Smart Radar Activity Document Radar Check-in
Emotional Check-in Tool • Daily Protocol
Mission Instructions
1. Introduce (Session 1): Explain that every session starts with a "Radar Check-in" to see how the student's heart is feeling. Show the scale below.
2. Daily Check-in: Ask: "On a scale of 1 to 5, where is your radar today? You can point to the face or tell me the number."
3. Elaborate: "What's happening that makes you feel that way? Is it a specific event or just a general feeling?"
4. Validate: Affirm that all feelings are okay and valuable information for their hero training.
Daily Heart Radar
😞
1 Super
Sad
😟
2 A Little
Down
😐
3 Okay /
Normal
🙂
4 Happy /
Good
🤩
5 Super
Excited
Check-in Notes (Why am I here today?) Coping Strategies Discussion Document The Hero's Toolkit
Coping Strategies Discussion Guide
Objective: To help the student explore and internalize coping mechanisms for sadness and anxiety at school. Use this during Weeks 4-6.
1. The Superhero Toolkit
Teacher: "Today, we're going to talk about something super important: what to do when those tricky feelings, like sadness or worry, show up at school. It's like having a superhero toolkit for your heart. When a sad thought shows up, you can reach into your toolkit and pull out a strategy to help you feel a bit better. Does that sound helpful?"
Student Response:
2. Identifying the Need
Teacher: "Think about a time at school recently when you felt sad or anxious. What happened?"
Student Response (What happened?):
3. Testing the Equipment
A
Deep Breathing
(Guide student through a 4-7-8 breath or belly breathing)
How did that feel?
B
Positive Self-Talk
"Instead of 'I can't', try 'I can try my best.' What's a positive thought you could use?"
C
Your Team (Asking for Help)
"Who are some adults at school you feel comfortable talking to?"
Weekly Mission
Try one of these strategies this week the next time a "tricky feeling" pops up. Just notice what happens. You're building a super strong emotional toolkit!
Heart Smart Heroes Slide Deck Presentation Heart Smart Heroes
Mission Briefing
Tier 3 Student Intervention
Emotional Radar
How are you feeling today? Point to your current radar level.
😞 1 Super Sad
😟 2 A Bit Down
😐 3 Okay
🙂 4 Happy
🤩 5 Excited
Today's Superpower Skill
[ Insert Week's Specific Skill ]
Each week, we learn a new way to be a Heart Smart Hero. Today we're focusing on our training module to help us stay strong and focused!
Field Training
How can you use this superpower at school?
What challenges might you face?
How can you overcome them?
Let's practice
our Hero Move together!
Weekly Mission Brief
Your objective, should you choose to accept it:
[ Insert Weekly Mission Task ]
"Remember Hero, I believe in you!"
Heart Smart Hero Certificate Document Heart Smart Hero
Certification of Mastery
This special award is proudly presented to
___________________________________
For demonstrating exceptional courage, emotional strength, and dedication during the 12-week Heart Smart Heroes Intervention. You have mastered the skills of identifying emotions, using your coping toolkit, and reaching your mission goals!
Lead Hero Mentor
Mission Date
Stay Smart • Stay Strong • Stay Heroic