Stay Cool Slides Stay Cool Choices
How to Pause, Think, and Choose
Our Special Toolbox
1
PAUSE
Stop and take a breath.
2
THINK
How do I feel? What can I do?
3
CHOOSE
Make a good choice.
1
Pause
When something happens that makes you feel mad or upset ...
Try this:
Take 3 deep breaths
Count to 5
Keep your hands to yourself
2
Think
😡
MAD
😢
SAD
😤
FRUSTRATED
⏳
IMPATIENT
Ask yourself:
"How am I feeling right now? Is my brain feeling hot or calm?"
It's okay to feel these things! But we need to think about what to do next.
3
Choose
Good Choices
🗣️ Use my words
🙋 Ask for help
🧘 Take a break
🐢 Wait my turn
Hard Choices
📢 Yelling or arguing
🏃 Walking away
🤲 Grabbing items
🗯️ Name-calling
Let's Try One Together!
The Scenario:
A friend picks up your favorite magazine without asking.
How do you feel?
MAD FRUSTRATED
What is the "Good Choice"?
A
Say: "Please ask first. That is mine."
B
Grab it back and yell.
You Can Do It!
Next time you feel a big emotion, remember to PAUSE , THINK , and CHOOSE a cool choice.
Stay Cool Worksheet Stay Cool Choices
Pause • Think • Choose
Name:
Date:
1. My 3 Steps
Write the missing words using the word bank below.
1
2
3
CHOOSE PAUSE THINK
2. How Do I Feel?
Draw a line to match the face to the feeling word.
😡
😢
😤
⏳
SAD
MAD
IMPATIENT
FRUSTRATED
3. Pick the Good Choice
Scenario: Staff says it is time to turn off the TV and go to the shower.
Yell and say "NO!"
Pause, take a breath, and go.
Scenario: You are hungry, but you have to wait for dinner to be ready.
Wait and listen to music.
Grab a snack without asking.
Scenario: Someone is sitting in your favorite chair in the living room.
Argue and call them names.
Use your words: "Can I sit there next?"
4. Role Play Practice
Practice 1
A staff member asks you to brush your teeth, but you want to keep playing a game.
Think: How do I feel? What is my "Good Choice"?
Practice 2
A peer takes your favorite remote control from the table without asking.
Think: How do I feel? What is my "Good Choice"?
Stay Cool Facilitator Guide Stay Cool Facilitator Guide
Lesson: Pause, Think, Choose Framework
Lesson Objective
Students will learn a simple 3-step strategy to manage frustration and make socially appropriate choices in residential care settings. The focus is on slowing down reactions and identifying replacement behaviors.
Duration
45-60 Minutes
Materials
• Stay Cool Slides
• Stay Cool Worksheet
• Large "Stop" sign (optional)
Teaching Steps
1
The Hook: Introduction (10 min)
Open the slide deck. Ask: "Have you ever felt so mad you wanted to yell or walk away?" Validate that everyone feels this way. Introduce the 3-step toolbox: **Pause, Think, Choose**.
Teacher Tip
Use a physical "hand stop" gesture every time you say "Pause" to help students anchor the concept.
2
Direct Instruction (15 min)
Pause: Focus on deep breathing. Practice 3 "belly breaths" as a group.
Think: Use the emoji slide to help students label their feelings. Ask: "How does your body feel when you are mad? (Hot, tight, shaky?)"
Choose: Discuss the "Good Choices" vs "Hard Choices" slide. Emphasize that "Good Choices" make life easier for everyone.
3
Guided Worksheet (15 min)
Distribute the worksheet. Read each scenario out loud. For the matching section, encourage students to look back at the slide deck emojis if they are stuck.
Answer Key:
Section 1: Steps
1. Pause, 2. Think, 3. Choose
Section 3: Scenarios
1. Pause... go, 2. Wait... music, 3. Use words
4
Role-Play Practice (15 min)
Pair up students or have them volunteer to act out the prompts on the worksheet. Use this script format:
Role Play Script:
1. Act out the "Hard" moment (e.g., Someone takes the remote).
2. Facilitator shouts "PAUSE!"
3. Student takes 2 deep breaths.
4. Student says how they feel: "I feel mad."
5. Student acts out the "Good Choice" (Asking for it back).
Differentiation Support
Extension (More Challenge)
Ask students to draw their own scenario of a time they felt frustrated this week. Have them write or dictate what they would do using the 3 steps.
Scaffolding (More Support)
For non-writers, use the "matching" section as a verbal discussion. Provide pre-cut labels for the steps to be glued into place on the worksheet.
Stay Cool Worksheet Stay Cool Choices
Pause • Think • Choose
Name:
Date:
1. My 3 Steps
Write the missing words using the word bank below.
1
2
3
CHOOSE PAUSE THINK
2. How Do I Feel?
Draw a line to match the face to the feeling word.
😡
😢
😤
⏳
SAD
MAD
IMPATIENT
FRUSTRATED
3. Pick the Good Choice
1 Staff says: "It is time to turn off the TV and take a shower."
Yell "No!" and stay on the couch.
Pause, take a breath, and go.
2 You are hungry, but you have to wait for dinner to be ready.
Wait and listen to music.
Grab a snack without asking.
3 Staff says "No" to a community outing because it is raining.
Pause, then find a game to play inside.
Argue and say "That's not fair!"
4 You want to talk to staff, but they are busy helping someone else.
Keep tapping staff on the arm.
Wait patiently or ask "When can we talk?"
4. Role Play Practice
Choose a friend to practice these scenarios with. Pick the "Good Choice" together.
Scenario A
Staff asks you to brush your teeth, but you want to keep playing a game.
Walk away and hide in your room.
Say "Okay, I will brush now" and go.
Scenario B
A friend picks up your favorite movie and looks at it without asking you.
Grab it back and push your friend.
Take a breath. Say "Please don't touch that."
Scenario C
Someone says you took their snack, but you didn't do it. It was a mistake.
Call them a liar and start crying.
Pause. Say "That was not me. Let's look together."
