Beginning Social Communication High School: Lesson Two ZONES OF REGULATION Beginning Social Communication High School: Lesson Two

Objective: Students will learn to attach specific emotions to intensity of behaviors, and attach strategies to help de-escalate strong emotional responses for better self-management outcomes

SEL Outcomes: Identify and manage one’s emotions and behavior. 1A.1a. Recognize and accurately label emotions and how they are linked to behavior. 1A.2a. Describe a range of emotions and the situations that cause them.

SCERTS Key Skills: Emotional awareness of self and others. Self- regulates emotions and recovers from emotional melt-downs.

Evidence Based Practices (EBPs) Cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) Self-management (SM) Visual support (VS)

Language Standard; L 6, Grades 9-12: California Common Core Standards Language Standard; L 6, Grades 9-12:  Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain specific words and phrases sufficient for reading writing speaking and listening at the (career and college) readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. Writing Standard; W 6, Grades 11-12:  Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments and information. .

Task One: As a class, discuss the types of emotions witnessed or experienced; Question: What kinds of emotions have you experienced, or witnessed someone else experience in the past several weeks? **You can reference the book The Zones of Regulation for insight and a supplementary list of emotions. Compile a list of all the emotions and have the kids discuss the levels of intensity, in respect to “Zones”

Color and Number for Zones 1. Green Zone: very stable, not a strong emotion…can be easily dealt with on your own 2. Blue Zone: A slight emotion may need to have a peer/friend help you de-escalate 3. Yellow Zone: A strong emotion, others will notice your behavior, may need adult intervention/ assistance to help you de-escalate 4. Red Zone: An out of control emotion, could do physical harm to yourself or others, will need intervention to de-escalate, sometimes the people helping will be professionals or emergency workers.

Task Two: Have students organize words into Zones and create four groups of students…each group will create a poster for a specific zone using the vocabulary word as well as a visual, of a persons face, not a cartoon, to show what that emotion looks like. **You can use the words and images provided at the end of this lesson, but make sure you have cut the images apart from the vocabulary words, so that the students can discuss which picture best demonstrates each emotion

Task Three: In groups, students will present their posters to the class…each group member must present with their group and be part of that presentation… ***you must play a part in verbalizing the information to the class, you cannot just stand in the front of the room with the group

Task Four: As a class, discuss some ways in which people help regulate their emotions. Question: What kinds of reactions have you had, or seen other people have in response to situation where emotions are involved? ** the goal is to get the students to be as self-reflective and honest as possible. Remind them that everyone has healthy and unhealthy responses to emotions, that is what makes us human.

Task Four: continued students should brainstorm strategies they use or have seen others use to deal with their emotions. Place a bubble map on the board that includes both healthy (expected) and unhealthy(unexpected) responses; there is no evaluation or judgment. Once you have your list of behaviors associated in dealing with emotions, have the students color code and then break off into 4 groups to create a poster for each of the colors… Students should use the vocabulary as well as visuals of the behavior if available…

Color and Number code for emotional responses 1. Green: for a healthy response that does not negatively affect anyone. 2. Blue: For a response that may be unhealthy or harmful to the person experiencing the emotion. 3. Yellow: For a response that will be unhealthy for the person demonstrating the behavior, but may also have a negative consequence for the people around that person. Someone may get hurt. 4. Red: Will be unhealthy and possibly dangerous for everyone around the behavior. Someone could get seriously hurt.

Task Five: Groups will present their posters to the class. Everyone in the group must say something in respect to the information being presented.

Evaluation: Council What emotion are you most comfortable experiencing? Which emotion is hard for you to express? What did you learn, like or find useful about this topic or project? What part of this project was difficult for you or your group?

Key Vocabulary Emotions Reactions Brainstorm Strategies Healthy Unhealthy Regulate

Games: Whole group or Small group Emotions charades Emotions machine Mirror faces Emotion card games http://autismteachingstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Emotion-Card-Activity-PDF4.pdf