Time
3-5 minutes
Level
Primary / Junior / Intermediate
Material
Chime/timer app
Purpose
To help students focus their attention, calm feelings of anxiety, and manage stress
Use a chime to begin the end of day quiet reflection.
Ask students to stand in front of their desk. Say:
- It’s time to organize our desks for tomorrow.
- Take a quiet breath through your nose and slowly let it out.
- Stand up straight and take two more breaths in the same way. (PAUSE)
- Place items that you won’t be bringing home in your desk. (PAUSE)
- Stand behind your chair.
- Stretch your arms to the left as you breathe out. Breathe in as you stretch your fingers toward the sky.
- Breathe out as you stretch your arms to the right. Breathe as you bring your arms back to center.
- Continue breathing gently as you lower your arms to your sides.
- Roll your shoulders, stand up straight, and smile.
- The script can be modified to suit your students’ developmental and physical level as well as the classroom setting.
- This practice can be used as an alternative to the circle in the morning.
- As the students become more familiar with the script, do this activity without reading the script aloud.
- Consider implementing this practice schoolwide.
Students who engage in physical activity and/or breathing exercises during the school day are able to focus, and maintain attention throughout the day, as these tasks stimulate executive functions and allow students to regulate emotions experienced in the classroom (Diamond & Lee, 2011).
Diamond, A., & Lee, K. (2011). Interventions Shown to Aid Executive Function Development in Children 4 to 12 Years Old. Science, 333(6045), 959-964.
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