Social Emotional Learning — Do Now + Grounding Practice
November 7, 2025
🕓 Do Now: How Stressed Are You Today?
Before we jump into anything else, take a moment to check in with yourself.
Circle or mark where you are on the Stress Scale:
| 😌 | 🙂 | 😐 | 😣 | 😫 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calm | Okay | Unsure | Overwhelmed | Stressed Out |
Now write:
- What’s one thing that’s making you feel this way?
✏️ _________________________________________ - What’s one thing that’s helping you right now?
✏️ _________________________________________
💬 Remember: Everyone feels stress sometimes. The goal isn’t to erase it — it’s to manage it.
🌬️ Name It to Tame It: Why Labeling Helps
When we name our feelings (like “I feel tense” or “I feel anxious”), we’re giving our brain a chance to calm down and take control again.
Science shows that labeling emotions helps the thinking part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) take charge — and helps the emotional part (the amygdala) chill out.
🧩 So, when stress builds up, don’t ignore it — name it.
Example:
“I’m not just mad — I’m actually stressed because I have two tests today.”
That one sentence helps your brain start finding solutions instead of spiraling.
Try These Two Grounding Techniques This Week
🌳 1. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
When you feel your stress rising, try this slow check-in:
- 👀 5 things you can see
- ✋ 4 things you can touch
- 👂 3 things you can hear
- 👃 2 things you can smell
- 👅 1 thing you can taste
🧘♀️ This helps your brain focus on the present instead of the panic.
🫁 2. Square Breathing
Breathe in rhythm with a mental square:
1️⃣ Inhale for 4 seconds
2️⃣ Hold for 4 seconds
3️⃣ Exhale for 4 seconds
4️⃣ Hold again for 4 seconds
🔁 Repeat 3–5 times.
You can trace a real square with your finger or imagine one in your mind.
✨ Reflect & Reset
- What technique helped you most this week?
✏️ ___________________________________________ - How did naming your stress change how you felt?
✏️ ___________________________________________
⭐ Remember: Stress is a signal — not a stop sign. When you name it, breathe through it, and ground yourself, you take back your power.
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