Zone Navigators Slides
Tier 3 Individualized Coaching
Slide 1 of 8
Zone Navigators
Mapping your unique energy, reading your body's signals, and building your personalized regulation roadmap.
Student & Coach Dashboard | Self-Regulation Quest
Welcome to your personalized navigation deck. Let's explore together! Press Right Arrow or Scroll
The Map of Feelings
Slide 2 of 8
What Are the Four Zones?
All zones are okay! They are simply maps showing how much energy our body and brain have. We can move between them all day.
Blue Zone
Low energy, moving slowly. You might feel sad, tired, sick, bored, or lonely.
Body Speed: Slow Down
Green Zone
Optimal energy, calm focus. You feel happy, calm, focused, ready, or content.
Body Speed: Just Right
Yellow Zone
Elevated energy, losing some control. You feel worried, excited, silly, or frustrated.
Body Speed: Speeding Up
Red Zone
Extreme energy, out of control. You might feel angry, terrified, thrilled, or overwhelmed.
Body Speed: Stop! Out of Control
Remember: There are no "bad" zones. Every zone serves a purpose. Next: Deep dive into Blue & Green
Under the Hood
Slide 3 of 8
Deep Dive: Blue & Green Zones
01
The Blue Zone
What it feels like
Heavy eyes, slow body movements, quiet thoughts, sighing, slumping in your chair.
When do we need it?
When we are sleeping, resting, recovering from being sick, or winding down for bed.
02
The Green Zone
What it feels like
Relaxed muscles, steady breathing, alert eyes, calm heart, smooth speaking voice.
When do we need it?
When we are learning in class, listening to stories, doing hobbies, or talking with friends.
Coach Prompt: Ask the student to act out a Blue Zone body shape and a Green Zone body shape. Next: Yellow & Red Zones
Under the Hood
Slide 4 of 8
Deep Dive: Yellow & Red Zones
03
The Yellow Zone
What it feels like
Fluttery tummy, wiggly muscles, fast talking, mind racing, easily distracted, giggling.
When do we need it?
When we are playing competitive sports, playing at recess, or reacting to quick adjustments.
04
The Red Zone
What it feels like
Pounding heart, clenched fists, screaming, hot face, inability to hear or process words.
When do we need it?
When we are in real, immediate physical danger and need our primal body to protect us.
Coach Prompt: Emphasize that Red Zone isn't "bad"—it's an emergency alert system that just needs help settling. Next: Mapping Body Clues
Body Intelligence
Slide 5 of 8
Your Body is a Detective
Before your brain realizes you are moving out of the Green Zone, your body is already dropping clues! Learning your clues is like getting a superpower.
Heart Speed
Does your chest feel slow, steady, fluttery, or racing fast?
Breathing
Are you breathing deeply and slowly, or short and fast?
Muscle Tension
Are your fists clenched, shoulders tight, or loose and floppy?
Body Heat
Do you feel cold and shivery, warm, or burning hot in your ears/face?
My Clue Map
We will record your unique physical clues on your customized Zones Blueprint workbook page!
Coach Prompt: What happens to your shoulders or your jaw when you start getting frustrated? Next: Understanding Triggers
Triggers & Sparks
Slide 6 of 8
What is a Trigger?
A trigger is a spark—an event, thought, sound, or feeling that suddenly bumps you out of the Green Zone. Everyone has different triggers.
Sensory Sparks
Loud unexpected noises, bright fluorescent lights, tags on shirts, crowded hallway bumping, or strong smells.
Social Sparks
Being interrupted, losing a game, working with a loud partner, or when plans change unexpectedly.
Task Sparks
Unclear directions, tough math questions, making a mistake on paper, or having to stop an enjoyable activity.
Coach Prompt: Point out 2 sparks on this slide that sometimes affect you, then let the student point out theirs. Next: Building your Toolkit
Regulation Lab
Slide 7 of 8
Building Your Personal Toolkit
A coping tool is an action you can take to shift your energy level back to green. Different zones require different tools!
Sensory Tools
- • Noise-canceling headphones
- • Weighted lap pad
- • Hand fidget or squishy ball
- • Resistance band stretch
Calming Tools
- • Box breathing (4-4-4-4)
- • Wall pushups or heavy work
- • Taking a 2-minute water break
- • Safe space cool-down area
Thinking Tools
- • Size of the Problem scale
- • positive self-talk scripts
- • Redefining: "It's okay to restart"
- • Asking for a discrete break
Coach Prompt: Let's test out a heavy work exercise right now to see how it shifts your energy. Next: Creating your blueprint plan
Flight Plan
Slide 8 of 8
Putting it All Together
Now you're ready to fill out your personalized workbook pages! Together, we'll design a pocket dashboard you can keep at your desk, in your binder, or with your supportive staff.
1
Name your unique feelings & clues in each color zone.
2
Identify your biggest "sparks" (triggers) so we can prepare ahead of time.
3
Pick your favorite, go-to tools to add to your pocket card.
Ready for Action!
Open your "My Zones Blueprint" student workbook to draft your navigation tools.
Excellent work! You are now a certified Zone Navigator. End of Presentation
My Zones Blueprint Worksheet
Zone Navigators Workbook
My Zones Blueprint
Name:
Date:
Mapping Your Energy & Body Clues
Our body sends us signals (heart speed, breathing, muscle tension) before our brain even realizes which zone we are in. Use the four zones below to write down your personal feelings and the body clues that tell you where you are.
The Blue Zone
Slow Speed
Feelings: Sad, Tired, Sick, Bored, Lonely
My Feelings & Clues
Example: My eyes feel heavy, my voice gets very quiet.
The Green Zone
Just Right
Feelings: Calm, Happy, Focused, Ready to Learn
My Feelings & Clues
Example: My muscles are loose, I am breathing slowly.
The Yellow Zone
Speeding Up
Feelings: Frustrated, Worried, Silly, Excited
My Feelings & Clues
Example: My hands start to fidget, I talk a bit faster.
The Red Zone
Stop / Extreme
Feelings: Angry, Overwhelmed, Terrified, Elated
My Feelings & Clues
Example: My chest feels hot, my hands clench into fists.
Zone Navigators Portfolio - Lesson 1 Page 1 of 2
Zone Navigators Workbook
My Sparks & Toolkit
My Plan
My Sparks (Triggers)
Check the boxes that spark you, or write your own on the lines below.
Loud, unexpected noises or classroom talking
Unexpected plans or schedule changes
Being asked to speak in front of others
Getting stuck on a challenging problem
Being interrupted while working
A crowded hallway or bright lights
My Personal Sparks
What makes your body change zones fast?
My Tool List
Choose tools that help your body feel calm and ready.
1. Sensory Tool
2. Calming Tool
3. Thinking Tool
Examples: Noise headphones, deep breathing, size of problem.
My Discrete Break Protocol
My secret signal to request a pause without speaking in front of class.
My Signal: How I let my coach/teacher know:
My Break Location: Where I go:
Example: Putting my yellow coin on my desk. Break location: Reading corner beanbag.
Zone Navigators Portfolio - Lesson 1 Page 2 of 2
Zones Coaching Blueprint Guide
Tier 3 Intervention Protocol
Zones Coaching Blueprint
Individualized Facilitation, Scripting & Clinical Prompts
Student:
Coach:
Tier 3 Instructional Focus
This individualized lesson targets students who struggle to access core curriculum due to high emotional volatility. The goal is to establish a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where they can identify physiological pre-triggers (clues) and co-design a discrete classroom bypass (the discrete break).
Facilitation Script & Interactive Prompts
Slides 1 & 2: Introducing the Navigation Journey
Action: Set a calm tone. Keep your own voice level steady and warm.
"Today, we are looking at our personal 'energy speedometer.' All zones are completely normal. Even the red zone—which is like our body's private alarm system. We just want to learn how to keep ourselves safe."
Slides 3 & 4: Normalizing the Red & Yellow Zones
Action: Act out physical cues (heavy slumping, pacing, slow words vs fast words) alongside the student.
"Let's make our bodies move slow like we are in the Blue Zone... Great! Now, show me what your face looks like when you are getting worried (Yellow). When we're Red, our bodies are trying to protect us, but it can feel scary."
Slide 5: Body Intelligence (Physiology Map)
Action: Guide the student to map their physiological signals directly onto Page 1 of their workbook.
"Before your brain even knows you are frustrated, your body drops clues. Does your heart beat faster? Do your shoulders go up like this? Let's write down your body clues inside your blueprint."
Slides 6 & 7: Identifying Triggers & Custom Tools
Action: Work together on Page 2. Disclose your own safe triggers to decrease vulnerability shame.
"My personal spark is when three people try to talk to me at once—it bumps me into Yellow immediately. What about you? Let's check some off in your sparks list."
Co-Regulation Rules of Thumb
- Acknowledge & Validate: State physical clues directly ("I see your fists clenching and your face gets red") without immediate corrective demands.
- Reduce Verbal Load: When a student moves into Red or High Yellow, stop teaching. Use simple, low-syllable directions.
- Model De-escalation: Sit down, adopt an open posture, and take slow, audible deep breaths yourself.
Tier 3 Zones Navigation Protocol Page 1 of 2
Tier 3 Intervention Protocol
