Unit Plan 20 (Grade K Counselor): My Calm-Down Toolbox
Build Kindergarten calm-down toolbox skills with breathing, counting, stretching, quiet breaks, help-seeking, and safe ready-to-learn choices.
Focus: Expand students’ coping strategies by creating or reviewing a calm-down toolbox. Students practice breathing, counting, stretching, asking for help, using a quiet voice, and taking a short break. The counselor emphasizes that different tools work for different people, and students can choose a tool that helps them stay safe and ready to learn.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: School Counseling (Coping Skills • Calming Strategies • Help-Seeking)
Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This Kindergarten counseling lesson helps students build a simple calm-down toolbox they can use when feelings get big. Students review that feelings such as mad, sad, scared, worried, excited, and frustrated are normal, but big feelings sometimes make it hard to listen, learn, share, or make safe choices.
The counselor introduces calming tools such as breathing, counting, stretching, using words, asking for help, using a quiet voice, and taking a short break. Students practice several tools while calm so they can remember them later when they feel upset. The goal is for students to understand that different tools work for different people, and they can choose a safe tool that helps their body become ready to learn again.
Essential Questions
- What is a calm-down toolbox?
- What tools can help when feelings get big?
- How can students choose a tool that helps their body calm down?
- When should students ask a trusted adult for help?
- How can calming tools help students stay safe and ready to learn?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify simple calming tools such as breathing, counting, stretching, taking a break, using words, using a quiet voice, or asking for help.
- Practice at least one calming strategy during the counselor lesson.
- Explain that different calming tools may work for different people or different feelings.
- Choose a calming tool that can help them stay safe and ready to learn.
- Recognize when a feeling may be too big to handle alone.
- Identify a safe adult who can help with big feelings.
- (Optional Session) Apply calm-down toolbox skills through tool stations, puppet scenarios, toolbox sorting, trusted adult matching, or a calm-tool reflection page.
Standards Alignment — Grade K (ASCA-based Custom)
- C:S2.Kb — Use Simple Calming Strategies
- Practice simple calming tools such as breathing, counting, taking a break, using words, or asking for help.
- Example: A student practices “smell the flower, blow the candle” breathing after feeling frustrated.
- C:S2.Kc — Ask for Help with Big Feelings
- Recognize when a feeling is too big to handle alone and identify a safe adult who can help.
- Example: A student says, “I can ask my teacher or counselor when I feel really upset.”
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name calming tools.
- I can practice breathing.
- I can count to calm my body.
- I can stretch safely.
- I can use a quiet voice.
- I can take a short break.
- I can ask a trusted adult for help when my feeling is too big.