Teacher Guide Pause Button Lesson Plan Pause Button Master Emotions
Teacher Facilitation Guide
30 Minutes
9th Grade
Objective
Students will identify bodily cues for four core emotions—anger, sadness, fear, joy—and match each cue to a healthy regulation strategy.
Why This Matters
Building emotional literacy helps teens pause and respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Recognizing bodily cues empowers self-awareness and equips students with real-time tools to manage stress and strong feelings.
Prep & Materials
Queue Master Your Emotions Slides
Print Mood Meter Do Now
Set up 4 stations with Body Map Outlines
Print Trigger & Strategy Match
Print Noticing My Cues Journal & Exit Ticket
Prep Time
10 Minutes
Instructional Sequence
05
Do Now: The Mood Meter
Display the Mood Meter Do Now . Ask students to silently mark their current emotion on the meter. After 3 minutes, invite 2–3 students to share why they chose that spot, focusing on the balance of energy and pleasantness.
07
Teach Core Emotions
Present the four emotions using the Master Your Emotions Slides . For each emotion, highlight common bodily cues.
Teacher Model: "When I feel my shoulders tighten and my face get hot, I know I'm feeling anger. This is my 'early warning system' telling me to hit the pause button."
08
Body Map Stations
Divide the class into four groups. Assign each to a station (Anger, Sadness, Fear, Joy). Students use markers to label a body outline with physical cues for that emotion. Rotate every 2 minutes.
07
Trigger & Strategy Match
Hand out the Trigger & Strategy Match worksheet. In pairs, students match common triggers to the best regulation strategy. Review as a class, asking: "Why does deep breathing work better for anger than for joy?"
03
Reflect & Exit Ticket
Students complete the Noticing My Cues Journal . They should identify one personal bodily cue they notice most frequently. Finally, have them circle their chosen strategy on the Exit Ticket and hand it in.
Slides Master Your Emotions Presentation 9th Grade SEL
Master Your
Emotions
The Power of the Pause
Today's Objectives
Identify Bodily Cues
Spot physical signals for 4 core emotions.
Understand Triggers
Recognize what sets off strong feelings.
Regulation Strategies
Learn one healthy tool for each emotion.
What Is the Mood Meter?
A tool to self-check and name your feelings based on Energy and Pleasantness .
Look at the quadrants and mark where you are right now.
ENERGY (High to Low)
PLEASANTNESS (Low to High)
ANGER / FEAR
JOY / EXCITEMENT
SADNESS
CALM
Anger
Common Cues:
Clenched jaw or fists
Tight chest or shoulders
Heat in your face
The Pause Tool
"Pause and take three deep breaths before you speak or act."
Sadness
Common Cues:
Heavy feeling in chest
Watery eyes or tears
Slouched posture
The Pause Tool
"Name the emotion and let yourself feel it without judgment."
Fear
Common Cues:
Rapid heartbeat
Sweaty palms
Shallow, quick breathing
The Pause Tool
"Ground yourself: Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear..."
Joy
Common Cues:
Open, relaxed posture
Smiling or laughter
Warm sensation in chest
The Pause Tool
"Savor it! Share your smile or positivity with someone else."
Quick Cue Check
Think of a moment today when you felt any emotion.What did your body feel?
Action: Write down one bodily cue now.
Regulation Strategies
ANGER
Deep breathing or counting to 10
SADNESS
Talk it out or journal feelings
FEAR
Grounding (5-4-3-2-1 senses)
JOY
Celebrate or share positivity
Pause. Notice. Choose.
Pause and notice your body's message,
Mood Meter Do Now Activity Do Now: Mood Meter
Name
Date
"Emotions are data, not directives. Pause and check your internal dashboard."
How to use the Mood Meter:
The Mood Meter has two axes. The vertical axis represents Energy (how much physical fuel you have). The horizontal axis represents Pleasantness (how positive or negative you feel).
Low
High Energy
Unpleasant
Pleasant
High Energy ANGRY / AFRAID
High Energy JOYFUL / EXCITED
Low Energy SAD / BORED
Low Energy CALM / SECURE
Place a large dot ● on the grid where you feel right now.
Reflection Question:
What specific event or thought made you place your dot there?
Body Map Stations Posters Station 1
Emotion: Anger
Prompt:
Trace and label areas where you might feel heat or tension (e.g., clenched jaw, tight chest).
Write a short note next to each marking describing the sensation (e.g., "my fists feel tight").
Station 2
Emotion: Sadness
Prompt:
Mark where you might notice heaviness or slouching (e.g., shoulders, chest).
Add one-word cues (e.g., "droopy," "heavy") near each spot.
Station 3
Emotion: Fear
Prompt:
Highlight areas of fight-or-flight response (e.g., racing heart, sweaty palms).
Note the physical change (e.g., "heartbeat faster here").
Station 4
Emotion: Joy
Prompt:
Circle areas that open up or feel warm (e.g., chest, face).
Jot a phrase about the sensation (e.g., "butterflies," "warm glow").
Trigger and Strategy Match Worksheet Trigger & Strategy Match
Name
Identify the best "Pause Button" tool for each situation.
Instructions: Match the triggers in Column A with the regulation strategies in Column B. Write the letter of the strategy in the answer box next to each trigger number.
Column A: Triggers
Getting criticized by a friend during lunch.
Feeling way behind on assignments and projects.
Being about to give a presentation to the whole class.
Hearing that you got a surprise gift from a sibling.
Column B: Strategies
A. Deep breathing or counting slowly to 10.
B. Talk it out or journal your feelings.
C. Grounding exercise (using the 5-4-3-2-1 senses).
D. Celebrate or share the positivity with others.
Place Your Matches Here:
Trigger 1
Trigger 2
Trigger 3
Trigger 4
Noticing My Cues Journal Template Noticing My Cues
Name
Date
"Self-awareness is the ability to monitor our inner world."
1
Describe a recent moment when you felt a strong emotion. What happened, and which emotion did you experience?
2
What bodily cue did you notice in that moment? (For example: tight chest, racing heart, clenched jaw.) How did it feel?
3
How might recognizing this cue help you pause before reacting? Write one or two ways that tuning into your body could change your response.
4
Choose one regulation strategy you’ll use the next time you notice this cue. Why did you pick that strategy?
5
Looking ahead: How will you remind yourself to hit the “pause button” when you feel this cue? Exit Ticket Strategy Pick Activity Exit Ticket: Strategy Pick
Name
1. Which bodily cue did you notice most today?
e.g., tight chest, clenched jaw, racing heart...
2. Which regulation strategy will you use next? (Circle one)
Deep breathing / Counting to 10
Talk it out / Journal feelings
Grounding exercise (5-4-3-2-1)
Celebrate / Share positivity
3. In one sentence, explain why you chose that strategy.
Exit Ticket: Strategy Pick
Name
1. Which bodily cue did you notice most today?
e.g., tight chest, clenched jaw, racing heart...
2. Which regulation strategy will you use next? (Circle one)
Deep breathing / Counting to 10
Talk it out / Journal feelings
Grounding exercise (5-4-3-2-1)
Celebrate / Share positivity
3. In one sentence, explain why you chose that strategy.
