Wise Mind Lesson PlanWise Mind: Your Brain's GPS Facilitation Guide • Individual Tier 3 Support Objective The student will be able to explain the concept of "Wise Mind" and practice one mindfulness "what" or "how" skill in a personalized setting. Time & Audience Duration: 30 Minutes Format: 1:1 Instruction Grade: 8th Grade Why This Matters "Understanding and applying Wise Mind helps students navigate challenging situations by balancing emotions and logic, leading to more effective decision-making and a calmer approach to daily life." Prep Checklist (10 mins) Review the lesson flow and definitions of Wise Mind, Emotion Mind, and Reasonable Mind. Print one copy of the Mindful Observation Worksheet. Prepare the Mindfulness Practice Script and any drawing materials (pencils, markers). Load the Wise Mind Presentation Slides on a device for visual support. Lesson Flow 0-5 Mindful Moment Check-in Hook: Ask: "Have you ever felt pulled in two different directions, like your emotions told you one thing and logic told you another?" Quick Practice: Use the first part of the Script for a brief sound/body scan awareness exercise. 5-15 Exploring the "GPS" (Wise Mind) Explain the three minds using the Slides: • Reasonable Mind: Logic, facts, cool. (Blue) • Emotion Mind: Feelings, passion, hot. (Orange) • Wise Mind: The balance. The "middle ground" (Teal). 15-25 Skills in Action Guide the student through the Sensory Observation and One-Mindful Doodling activities on the worksheet using the Script. 25-30 Debrief & Goal Setting Reflect on the practice. Have the student commit to one skill (Observe, Describe, Non-judgmentally, or One-mindfully) to practice this week.
Mindfulness Practice ScriptMindfulness Practice Script Wise Mind: Your Brain's GPS • Guided Facilitation Read the text in quotes aloud to the student. Use a calm, steady pace with pauses where indicated. Adjust language as needed to meet the student's comfort level and needs. 01 Warm-up: Mindful Moment Check-in (3 minutes) "Alright, let's take a moment to settle in. You can sit comfortably in your chair, feet flat on the floor if that feels good, or whatever position feels right for you. You can gently close your eyes if you feel comfortable, or just lower your gaze." "Let's start by just noticing your breath. No need to change it, just observe. Feel the air enter and leave your body. Maybe you notice it in your nostrils, or the rise and fall of your chest or belly." "Now, let's expand your awareness a little. What sounds can you hear in the room right now? Don't judge them as good or bad, just notice their presence." [Pause for 10 seconds] "Now, gently bring your attention to how your body feels against the chair, or your feet on the floor. Notice any sensations. Are you feeling warm, cool, tense, relaxed? Again, just notice, without judgment." "And when you're ready, you can gently open your eyes or lift your gaze. How does that feel for you? A quick check-in with yourself." 02 Guided Sensory Observation (5 minutes) [Ensure the student has their Mindful Observation Worksheet and a pencil ready.] "Okay, now that we've learned about your 'What' skills—Observe and Describe—and your 'How' skills—Non-judgmentally and One-mindfully—let's put them into practice." "I want you to choose one of your five senses right now. Maybe it's sight, sound, touch, smell, or even taste if you have a piece of gum." "For the next few minutes, your job is to Observe using only that one sense, and then Describe what you notice on your worksheet, sticking strictly to the facts. Try your best to be Non-judgmental—don't label what you notice as 'good' or 'bad,' just record what IS." "Let's try an example. If I were focusing on sound, I might observe 'a gentle hum from the lights above.' I wouldn't say, 'that annoying hum is so distracting!' See the difference?" "Take a deep breath. Choose your sense. And for the next five minutes, simply observe and describe. I'll let you know when time is up. Focus One-mindfully on this task." [Allow student to work for 5 minutes. Stay present but quiet.] 03 One-Mindful Doodling Prompt (5 minutes) "Alright, let's transition. Now, I'd like you to spend a few minutes just doodling or drawing something small in the 'Part 2' section of your worksheet. It doesn't need to be a masterpiece, or even recognizable." "The goal here is to practice One-mindfully focusing on the act of drawing—one line, one curve at a time. And remember to be Non-judgmental about your drawing; it's just about the process, not the outcome." "Just focus on the pen touching the paper, the movement of your hand. If your mind wanders to what you'll have for lunch or that test tomorrow, gently bring it back to the doodle. Let's do this for five minutes." [Allow student to work for 5 minutes.] 04 Debrief and Goal Setting (5 minutes) "Okay, let's bring your attention back. Put your pen down for a moment. How did that feel for you? I'd love for you to share something you observed or described during the sensory activity." [Allow for response. Validate effort.] "This isn't just an exercise for our time together. These skills—Observe, Describe, Non-judgmentally, and One-mindfully—are incredibly powerful tools you can use every single day to access your Wise Mind." "Think about it: before reacting to a text, could you observe your feelings? Before getting overwhelmed by an assignment, could you approach it one-mindfully, focusing on just one step at a time?" "For our last thought today, I want you to silently commit to practicing JUST ONE of these mindfulness skills before our next session. Pick one that resonated with you." "Remember, your Wise Mind is always there, waiting for you to tap into it. These skills are your way in. Great job today."
Mindful Observation Worksheet🧭 🗺️ Mindful Observation Worksheet Wise Mind: Your Brain's GPS Student Name ________________________________________________ Date ________________________ Part 1: Sensory Observation Choose ONE of your five senses (Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell, Taste) to focus on. For the next 5 minutes, simply OBSERVE what comes through that sense and DESCRIBE it below using only facts. Be NON-JUDGMENTAL! My chosen sense: ________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 Part 2: One-Mindful Doodling Spend a few minutes doodling or drawing something small. Focus entirely on the act of drawing—one line at a time. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back. Be NON-JUDGMENTAL! Part 3: Reflection What was one thing you noticed while practicing "Observe" or "Describe"? How did it feel to try and be "Non-judgmental" or "One-mindful" during the activities? In what situation outside of class could you try using one of these skills this week? Your Wise Mind is always with you
Wise Mind Presentation Slides🧭 🗺️ 📍 Tier 3 Support Wise Mind: Your Brain's GPS Balancing logic and emotion to find your way. Ever felt pulled? Have you ever felt pulled in two different directions? Your Logic Says: "I need to study for this test so I can do well." Your Emotion Says: "I'm too stressed and just want to scroll on my phone!" The Three Modes of Mind Reasonable Mind The "Cool" Side Logic, Facts, Planning Wise Mind The Balance Intuition & Inner Wisdom Emotion Mind The "Hot" Side Feelings, Passions, Urges Reasonable Mind "Just the facts, please." What it looks like: Factual and logical Task-focused "Cool" and detached It's helpful for math tests and packing for a trip, but ignores how we actually feel. Emotion Mind "I'm feeling it ALL right now." What it looks like: Intense feelings Reactive behaviors "Hot" and impulsive It's great for creativity and passion, but can lead to decisions we regret later. Wise Mind "The middle ground where Logic and Emotion meet to help you make your best decisions." Fact-Based WISE MIND Values-Based THE "WHAT" SKILLS 👁️ OBSERVE Just notice what's happening. Inside you (feelings, thoughts) and outside you (sights, sounds). No labels! 📝 DESCRIBE Put words on the experience. Use only facts. No judgment, no "good" or "bad." THE "HOW" SKILLS ⚖️ NON-JUDGMENTALLY Let go of labeling. Stick to what IS. It's not a "terrible" test score; it's a 72%. 🎯 ONE-MINDFULLY Do one thing at a time. Total focus. If your mind wanders, bring it back gently. Today's Practice 1 Sensory Observation Pick one sense. Observe & describe facts only.
Wise Mind Reference SheetGPS Wise Mind GPS Your Daily Navigation Guide The Three Modes of Mind Reasonable Mind Focuses on facts, logic, and planning. "Cool" and detached. Wise Mind The balance. Intuition + Logic + Emotion. Your "True North." Emotion Mind Focuses on feelings, urges, and passion. "Hot" and reactive. The "WHAT" Skills Observe Just notice the experience without trying to change it. Describe Put words on the facts. Use only what you can see or hear. The "HOW" Skills Non-Judgmentally Stick to the facts. Let go of "good," "bad," "should," or "stupid." One-Mindfully Focus on one thing at a time. If your mind wanders, bring it back. Quick Wise Mind Check What are the facts of this situation? What am I feeling right now? What does my "gut" or "inner wisdom" tell me to do? Is my decision balanced, or is it purely logical/emotional? Pocket Reminders (Cut along dotted lines) My Wise Mind GPS "I can pause. I can breathe. I can find the balance." Skill Check • Observe & Describe facts • No judgment! • One thing at a time.
