Spark Catchers Slides Cool Down Crew • Lesson 1
Kindergarten Social-Emotional Learning
Feelings Detectives
Spark Catchers!
Learning to feel the little sparks inside our bodies before anger grows into a giant fire!
?
Today's Mission: Find where anger hides in your body!
All Feelings Are Welcome
Step 1: Notice
😊
Happy & Calm
Our muscles feel soft like cooked spaghetti noodles. Breathing is slow and easy.
🔥
Mad or Frustrated
It is okay to feel angry! Anger is a signal telling us something feels unfair or hard.
⭐ Remember: Feeling mad is never bad. What we DO with anger is what matters!
4 Clues Your Body Gives You
Body Clues
♨️
Warm Cheeks
Face feels hot and red like toast in a toaster.
✊
Tight Hands
Fingers squeeze shut into tight hard rocks.
💓
Fast Heart
Heart goes thump-thump-thump like a fast drum.
⚡
Stompy Feet
Legs feel tight and want to stomp or kick.
Point to your chest if you ever feel your heart race when you get mad!
Freeze & Feel Game
Circle Practice
1
Make a Squeeze
Squeeze hands into tight lemons! Make tight scrunchy faces for 3 seconds!
2
Let It Melt
Open your fingers wide! Let your shoulders drop down like melting ice cream.
3
One Big Sigh
Breathe in through nose... then blow out a huge soft sigh: "Ahhhhh!"
You caught the spark! Now you are ready to learn cool down magic!
Body Clues Activity 🔍
Body Clues Detective Map
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 1 Activity
Name:
Date:
🖍️
Directions: When we get mad, our body warns us with little sparks! Look at the clues below. Color the circles red for clues that happen to you.
♨️ Hot Cheeks
My face feels red and hot like warm soup.
Happens to me
💓 Fast Heart
My chest goes thump-thump like a drum!
Happens to me
💓
✊
✊
👟
👟
I Can Notice My Body
✊ Tight Fists
My fingers squeeze tight like little rocks.
Happens to me
⚡ Stomp Feet
My legs feel restless and want to kick or stomp.
Happens to me
🌟 My Calm-Down Face
When I catch my angry spark, I take a big breath. Draw your calm, happy smile inside the mirror!
✔ I caught my body spark today!
Draw face
Spark Catchers Teacher Guide 📋
Spark Catchers Teacher Guide
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 1 of 3 (25–30 Mins)
SEL Foundation
Kindergarten Tier 1 Instruction
Core Objective
Students identify at least 1 bodily sensation signaling anger before behavior escalates.
Key Vocabulary
Spark: Small feeling.Clue: What my body tells me.Calm: Soft muscles.
Materials Needed
Spark Catchers Slides, Body Clues Activity sheets, red crayons, soft chime or bell.
1 Circle Time Hook: The Popcorn Spark (6 Mins)
Whole Group Rug
Say: "Have you ever made popcorn? Before it goes POP, the kernel gets very warm and starts to wiggle inside the pot. Our bodies do the exact same thing when we feel mad! We get a tiny spark before a loud pop."
• Project Spark Catchers Slides (Slides 1–2) . Validate that feeling angry is completely safe and normal. Emphasize: "All feelings are okay, but hurting hands and words are not."
2 Direct Instruction: 4 Body Clues & Somatic Game (8 Mins)
Slides 3–4
Walk through the 4 somatic clues: Hot Cheeks, Tight Fists, Fast Heartbeat, Stompy Feet .
• Interactive Drill: Call out body parts: "Squeeze your fists like sour lemons... now melt them like warm butter!"
• Teacher Script: "Put your hand on your heart. Can you feel it beat? When someone takes our toy, our heart beats fast. That is our spark alarm!"
3 Guided Practice: Detective Map Activity (10 Mins)
Independent / Tables
Distribute the Body Clues Activity worksheet and red crayons. Have students color in the circle for each clue they personally experience when upset. Circulate and prompt: "What does your tummy or face feel like when you cannot be line leader?"
💡 Co-Regulation Teacher Tip: Catching Sparks in Real Time
Notice Early: When you see clenched fingers or flushed cheeks during center play, whisper: "I see your hands are balled up tight. Did you feel a little spark?"
Name & Normalize: "It looks like your engine is running fast right now. Let's do our spaghetti wiggle together." (Transitions directly into Lesson 2 tools).
Cool Down Slides Cool Down Crew • Lesson 2
Body Calming Magic
Calm Down Superpowers
Cool Down Tools!
When our angry spark gets hot, we have magic tools right inside our bodies to cool it down!
🌬️
Today's Goal: Learn 3 body tools to blow away angry sparks!
🎈
Tool 1: Giant Balloon Breath
Breathing Tool
1
Breathe In Big
Put hands on your tummy. Fill your belly like a huge balloon: 1... 2... 3... 4!
2
Slowly Blow It Out
Blow the air out through your lips like blowing birthday candles: Pshhhhh!
🎈
Let's Try 3 Together!
Feel your shoulders melt downward every time you blow the air out.
Belly gets big like a ball... then tiny like a mouse!
🐢
Tool 2: Turtle Shell Tuck
Quiet Space Tool
🛑
1. Stop & Tuck
Cross your arms tight around your chest like a cozy turtle shell.
🙈
2. Close Eyes
Rest your chin on your chest. Close your eyes so you cannot see the noise.
🔢
3. Count to 4
Whisper inside your head: 1... 2... 3... 4... Now peek out!
Tuck like a turtle whenever words feel too loud or frustrating!
🧱
Tool 3: Strong Wall Push
Muscle Energy Tool
When muscles want to push or kick:
We never push friends or kick toys. Instead, we give that big energy to a strong, solid wall!
✓ Put two flat palms against the wall
✓ Step one foot back and PUSH hard for 5 seconds
✓ Relax and let your hands shake out!
🤲🧱
Push the Wall, Not a Friend!
The wall is super strong. It can hold all our big angry feelings.
Which tool will you keep in your Cool Down Pocket today?
Calm Kit Cards 🧰
My Pocket Calm Kit
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 2 Activity
Name:
Date:
✂️
Directions: Color your 4 Calm Down Superpower cards! Cut along the dashed lines to keep them in your pocket or classroom desk. Circle your favorite tool at the bottom!
Tool Card 1 🎈
🌬️
Giant Balloon Breath
Put hands on tummy. Breathe in 1-2-3-4... Blow out slow: Whoooosh!
Repeats: ◯ ◯ ◯ (Color as you breathe)
Tool Card 2 🐢
🛡️
Turtle Shell Tuck
Cross arms tight. Tuck chin down. Close eyes and count to 4 in your head.
Quiet turtle count: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
Tool Card 3 🧱
🤲
Strong Wall Push
Hands flat on wall. Push hard for 5 seconds. Send angry energy into the wall!
Strong hands • Safe body
Tool Card 4 ⭐
🖐️
Star Finger Trace
Trace up your finger (breathe in), trace down (breathe out). Do all 5 fingers!
5 calm fingers • Soft muscles
🏆 My Calming Superpower Choice
Circle the one tool you will use first when you catch a spark:
🎈 Balloon
🐢 Turtle
🧱 Wall
⭐ Star
Cool Down Teacher Guide 🧘
Cool Down Teacher Guide
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 2 of 3 (25–30 Mins)
Somatic Regulation
Kindergarten Tier 1 Instruction
Core Objective
Students practice and demonstrate at least two somatic calming tools to down-regulate angry arousal.
Key Vocabulary
Cool Down: Bringing body back to calm.Exhale: Slow blow out.Safe Choice: Wall push.
Materials Needed
Cool Down Slides, Calm Kit Cards, scissors, crayons, calm corner demonstration area.
1 Review & Interactive Demonstration (7 Mins)
Whole Group Rug
Briefly recall Lesson 1: "Who remembers what our body does when a spark starts?" Show Cool Down Slides (Slides 1–2) .
• The Balloon Breath Drill: Model inflating cheeks and expanding belly with hands on ribs. Count: "1, 2, 3, 4... now deflate like a gentle tire hiss: ssssss." Repeat three times chorally.
2 Heavy Work & Somatic Stations (10 Mins)
Slides 3–4
Introduce Turtle Tuck (sensory reduction) and Strong Wall Push (proprioceptive input).
• Explain the Wall Push Rule: "Our angry muscles have big energy. We NEVER push a person or kick a chair. Walls are super strong and love to hold our energy!"
• Have the class stand along the classroom walls and practice a synchronized 5-second palm press.
3 Calm Kit Creation & Selection (10 Mins)
Table Work
Students color their Calm Kit Cards and circle their top favorite superpower. Help students fold or slip them into their pencil boxes or name tags as physical reminders.
⭐ De-Escalation Cheat Sheet: Co-Regulation During Outbursts
Lower Your Tone: When a child yells, lower your vocal pitch and volume to a soft whisper. Children naturally quiet down to hear you.
Visual Prompt Over Words: An escalated kindergartener cannot process lecture. Silently point to the Balloon or Turtle card and breathe alongside them.
Peace Path Slides Cool Down Crew • Lesson 3
Problem Solving Superstars
Word Powers
The Peace Path!
How to use kind words and 3 simple steps to fix everyday problems with our friends!
🤝
Today's Superpower: Talk it out before we act it out!
👣
The 3 Steps on the Peace Path
Our Roadmap
1
STOP
Freeze your feet and hands. Take 1 slow balloon breath to chill your engine.
"Chill the spark!"
2
SAY
Use strong, kind words:"I feel mad because... please stop."
"Use your voice!"
3
SOLVE
Pick a fair fix: share the toy, take turns with a timer, or ask a teacher!
"Team up & fix it!"
Chant with me: STOP • SAY • SOLVE!
🧱
Practice 1: The Broken Block Tower
Class Scenario
💥
You spent 10 minutes building a giant castle. A friend runs by and accidentally knocks it down!
✗ Do we yell or push? NO!
✓ We walk the Peace Path!
What to say:
🗣️ "I feel sad and mad because my tower crashed. Can you please help me rebuild it?"
Most friends will smile and say: "I'm sorry! Let's build it bigger together!"
Words build bridges when blocks fall down!
🌟
4 Super Fair Fixes
Step 3 Tools
⏳
Use a Timer
Flip a 2-minute sand timer to take turns.
🔄
Make a Trade
"You take the red truck, I take the blue one!"
🧩
Play Together
Share the crayons or build one big zoo.
🙋
Ask a Teacher
If you get stuck, your teacher is always here to help!
You are now official Cool Down Crew Peace Solvers! 🎉
Conflict Solver Activity ✌️
Peace Path Problem Solver
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 3 Activity
Name:
Date:
✏️
Directions: Draw a line to match each classroom problem on the left with its peaceful solution on the right. Then complete your Peace Pledge below!
⚡ Everyday Problem 🕊️ Peaceful Solution
🦖
Both want the toy
Two friends grab the dinosaur at the same time.
〰️ 〰️
⏳
Set a Sand Timer
Take turns! 2 minutes for you, then 2 for me.
🏃
Line cutting
Someone rushes ahead of you for the slide.
〰️ 〰️
🗣️
Use Polite Words
"Excuse me! The line starts back here, please."
🎨
Spilled paint
Water spills on your colorful painting.
〰️ 〰️
🧻
Fix It Together
"I feel sad. Will you help me wipe it dry?"
🌟
My Kindergarten Peace Pledge
"When I get mad, I will STOP and breathe. I will SAY kind words. I will work with my friends to SOLVE the problem!"
Thumb- print
Student Signature / Stamp
I am a certified Peace Solver! 🏅
Draw you & a friend sharing
🤝
Kind Hands & Words
Peace Path Teacher Guide 🕊️
Peace Path Teacher Guide
Cool Down Crew • Lesson 3 of 3 (25–30 Mins)
Conflict Resolution
Kindergarten Tier 1 Instruction
Core Objective
Students use the 3-step Peace Path (Stop, Say, Solve) to resolve peer conflicts verbally instead of physically.
Kinder I-Message
"I feel [feeling] when [action]. Next time please [solution]."
Materials Needed
Peace Path Slides, Conflict Solver sheets, sand timer prop, washable stamp pad (thumbprints).
1 Whole-Group Modeling: The Fishbowl Skit (7 Mins)
Slides 1–3
Introduce the 3 steps: 1. STOP (Freeze & Balloon Breath), 2. SAY (I-statement), 3. SOLVE (Fair choice).
• Fishbowl Demonstration: Use classroom stuffed animals or a teacher co-facilitator to enact the "broken tower" scenario. Model pausing, placing a hand on the chest to catch the spark, and turning to speak calmly.
2 Knee-to-Knee Partner Roleplay (10 Mins)
Paired Practice
Have students sit knee-to-knee with an elbow partner to practice the scripted responses:
Prompt A (The Toy Grab): Partner 1 holds a block. Partner 2 practices: "Can I have a turn when the sand runs out?"
Prompt B (The Accidental Bump): Partner 1 bumps lightly. Partner 2 practices: "I didn't like that. Please watch your feet."
3 Conflict Solver Matching & Peace Pledge (10 Mins)
Student Worksheet
Guide students through the Conflict Solver Activity . Assist with the thumbprint ink stamp in the Peace Pledge section to celebrate their graduation into the Cool Down Crew !
🛝 Playground Duty Cheat Sheet: The 60-Second On-the-Spot Mediation
1. Pause Both: "Hands down, bodies safe. Let's take one big balloon breath together."
2. Ask Each Child: "Tell [Peer] what happened starting with 'I felt...' Look at their face."
3. Prompt Solution: "What can make this fair? A 2-minute timer, a trade, or playing together?"
