Anxiety Thermometer Worksheet Final Anxiety Thermometer
Tracking my worry & peace of mind
Name:
Date:
Check your "worry temperature." For each level, write down what makes you feel that way and how your body feels (like butterflies or shaky hands).
Anxiety or Avoidance?
"Do I feel like I CAN'T do this because of fear? Or do I just NOT WANT to do it right now?"
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
😖
😡
😠
😨
😟
😕
😐
🙂
😊
😌
Levels 1-3: Low
Body is relaxed and my brain is ready to learn and think.
Levels 4-5: Medium
A little jumpy. My brain is starting to focus more on the worry.
Levels 6-7: High
Anxiety is loud. My brain is struggling to think clearly.
Levels 8-10: Panic
My thinking brain is offline. I am overwhelmed and need safety.
Anxiety Thermometer Poster Anxiety Thermometer
How high is your temperature?
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
😖 😡 😠 😨 😟 😕 😐 🙂 😊 😌
Relaxed
Brain is Ready
Nervous
Brain is Distracted
Worry
Brain is Struggling
Panic
Brain is Offline
Worry Scenario Cards Worry Scenario Cards
Practice using the Anxiety Thermometer
Grades 4-5
Academic Situations
🔢
Taking a surprise, timed math multiplication test.
📣
Reading your essay out loud in front of the whole class.
🎒
Realizing you left your big social studies project at home on the day it's due.
🙋♂️
Being called on by the teacher when you were daydreaming.
Social Situations
🥪
Entering a crowded cafeteria and seeing no open seats with your friends.
🏃♀️
Asking a new group of kids if you can join their basketball game at recess.
🤫
Finding out that someone told a secret you shared with them.
🤝
Having to work in a group project with people you don't usually talk to.
1-on-1 & Counseling Activities
🚪
Coming into the office for our private one-to-one check-in today.
🎭
Doing a role-play activity where we practice being brave in a hard conversation.
🎨
Drawing a map of the places in school where you feel the most worried.
🎲
Playing a board game where the rules are a bit difficult to understand.
🌬️
Practicing a new "square breathing" exercise with a grown-up watching.
📝
Writing down three specific goals you want to work on this month.
How to use these scenarios:
Read each card aloud. Ask the student: "Where would this fit on your thermometer?" If it's high, ask if it's Anxiety (I feel like I can't) or Avoidance (I just don't want to).
Worry Scenario Cards Final Worry Scenario Cards
Set 1 • Grades 4-5 • Practice using the Anxiety Thermometer
📝
Taking a surprise, timed math multiplication test.
Academic
📣
Standing in front of the class to read your essay out loud.
Academic
🏫
Standing in the hall waiting for a big state test to begin.
Academic
💯
Getting a graded test back with a score much lower than you expected.
Academic
🥪
Walking into the cafeteria and finding no seats near your friends.
Social
🏀
Asking a group of older students if you can play in their game.
Social
🤝
Choosing a partner for a field trip and seeing everyone already paired up.
Social
🤐
Misunderstanding a joke and thinking that everyone is laughing at you.
Social
🚪
Walking into the counseling office when other kids are watching.
1-on-1 Activity
🎭
Practicing a "brave voice" role-play for a difficult conversation.
1-on-1 Activity
🎨
Drawing a "Worry Map" of the school showing where fear hides.
1-on-1 Activity
🎲
Playing a competitive board game where you might lose.
1-on-1 Activity
Discussion: "Anxiety" (I feel like I CAN'T) vs. "Avoidance" (I just DON'T WANT to).
Worry Scenario Cards
Set 2 • Grades 4-5 • Practice using the Anxiety Thermometer
🎒
Realizing you left your big social studies project at home on the day it's due.
Academic
🙋♂️
Being called on by the teacher when you were daydreaming and don't know the answer.
Academic
📄
Looking at a very long writing assignment and not knowing how to start.
Academic
⏳
Realizing you only have 5 minutes left to finish a test and you still have two pages to go.
Academic
🤫
Finding out that someone told a secret you shared with them in confidence.
Social
📱
Not getting invited to a birthday party that everyone is talking about in class.
Social
🤐
Having a disagreement with your best friend and they aren't talking to you today.
Worry Scenario Cards Final Worry Scenario Cards
Set 1 • Grades 4-5 • Practice using the Anxiety Thermometer
📝
Taking a surprise, timed math multiplication test.
Academic
📣
Standing in front of the class to read your essay out loud.
Academic
🏫
Standing in the hall waiting for a big state test to begin.
Academic
💯
Getting a graded test back with a score much lower than you expected.
Academic
🥪
Walking into the cafeteria and finding no seats near your friends.
Social
🏀
Asking a group of older students if you can play in their game.
Social
🤝
Choosing a partner for a field trip and seeing everyone already paired up.
Social
🤐
Misunderstanding a joke and thinking that everyone is laughing at you.
Social
🚪
Walking into the counseling office when other kids are watching.
1-on-1 Activity
🎭
Practicing a "brave voice" role-play for a difficult conversation.
1-on-1 Activity
🎨
Drawing a "Worry Map" of the school showing where fear hides.
1-on-1 Activity
🎲
Playing a competitive board game where you might lose.
1-on-1 Activity
Discussion: "Anxiety" (I feel like I CAN'T) vs. "Avoidance" (I just DON'T WANT to).
Worry Scenario Cards
Set 2 • Grades 4-5 • Practice using the Anxiety Thermometer
🎒
Realizing you left your big social studies project at home on the day it's due.
Academic
🙋♂️
Being called on by the teacher when you were daydreaming and don't know the answer.
Academic
📄
Looking at a very long writing assignment and not knowing how to start.
Academic
⏳
Realizing you only have 5 minutes left to finish a test and you still have two pages to go.
Academic
🤫
Finding out that someone told a secret you shared with them in confidence.
Social
📱
Not getting invited to a birthday party that everyone is talking about in class.
Social
🤐
Having a disagreement with your best friend and they aren't talking to you today.
Body Clues Checklist Worksheet Body Clues Checklist
How does your body tell you your worry temperature?
Before your brain even knows you are worried, your body starts sending clues. Use this checklist to see what your body does at different worry levels.
Levels 1 - 3: Relaxed Body
Low Temperature
Deep, slow breathing
Soft, loose muscles
Calm heart rate
Focused eyes
Levels 4 - 5: Unsettled Body
Getting Warm
Fidgeting hands or feet
Tight shoulders or neck
Restless feeling
Dry mouth
Levels 6 - 7: High Alert Body
Hot Temperature
"Butterflies" in stomach
Fast heart beating
Sweaty palms
Shallow, fast breathing
Levels 8 - 10: Overwhelmed Body
Boiling Over
Shaky hands or legs
Feeling dizzy or blurry
Stomach ache or headache
Trouble speaking clearly
My "Early Warning" Signal:
Which clue do you usually feel first?
Once you spot a clue, you can use a tool to bring your temperature back down to green!
Worry Map Teacher Guide Worry Map Guide
Instructional Facilitation Guide
Target Age
Grades 4 - 5
Lesson Objectives
Identify physical and emotional signals of anxiety on a 1-10 scale.
Distinguish between Anxiety (fear-based "can't") and Avoidance (preference-based "don't want to").
Build a personal "Brave Toolbox" of coping strategies for different levels.
Key Concept
"Anxiety is a protector that gets too loud. We don't want to get rid of it, we want to turn the volume down using our tools."
The Thermometer Logic
1-3: Relaxed
Brain is open, creative, and fully ready for complex learning.
4-5: Nervous
Brain starts scanning for danger. Focus begins to drift away from tasks.
6-7: High Worry
Thinking brain is struggling. Logic is hard to use; survival mode takes over.
8-10: Panic
Thinking brain is OFFLINE . No reasoning is possible; only flight/freeze.
Facilitation Steps
STEP 1
Thermometer Introduction
Display the Poster . Discuss how anxiety is a normal alarm system that sometimes gets "stuck" on a high setting.
STEP 2
Scenario Card Practice
Use Scenario Cards to calibrate the thermometer. Focus on distinguishing "I don't like this activity" (Avoidance) from "This activity scares me" (Anxiety).
STEP 3
Identifying Body Clues
Students complete the Body Clues Checklist . Help them notice that Level 4-5 is where they should start using their strategies.
STEP 4
Building the Brave Toolbox
Review the Coping Skills List . Have students select their "Top 3" tools and record them on their individual worksheets.
On distinguishing Anxiety/Avoidance:
"If you could snap your fingers and be perfectly good at this task without any work, would you still feel the same fear? If the answer is yes, it's anxiety. If no, it's avoidance."
On the "Thinking Brain":
"When you are at a level 10, the part of your brain that solves problems and thinks about the future has gone to sleep. We have to wake it up by cooling down our body first."
Brave Toolbox Coping Skills List The Brave Toolbox
Coping skills for every level of the thermometer
Levels 1-3: Relaxed
Positive Self-Talk
Gratitude Practice
Mindful Listening
Kindness to Self
Levels 4-5: Nervous
Square Breathing
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
Drink Cold Water
Doodle/Journal
Levels 6-7: High Worry
Wall Pushes
Hold an Ice Cube
Lemon Squeezes (PMR)
Ask for a Helper
Levels 8-10: Panic
Go to Safe Space
Deep Pressure/Hug
Signal Adult Support
Use "Break" Card
My Top 3 Brave Tools: Brave Toolbox Coping Skills List Expanded The Brave Toolbox
Coping skills for every level of the thermometer
Levels 1-3: Relaxed (Brain is Open)
Positive Talk
Gratitude List
Mindful Listening
Self-Kindness
Visualization
Reading Time
Levels 4-5: Nervous (Brain is Scanning)
Square Breath
5-4-3-2-1 Fix
Cold Water Sip
Fidget Tool
Bubble Breath
Doodling
Levels 6-7: High Worry (Brain is Struggling)
Wall Pushes
Hold Ice Cube
Lemon Squeezes
Weighted Pad
Count Back -7s
Ask for Helper
Levels 8-10: Panic (Brain is Offline)
Safe Space
Deep Pressure
Signal Adult
No-Noise Zone
Use "Break" Card
Rhythmic Tap
My Top 3 Brave Tools: 
