Embedded Files
Introduction
The amygdala is the gatekeeper to our emotional responses by classifying sensory input as either pleasure or danger/threatening. Sensory input seen as threatening causes the amygdala to enter an immediate reflexive reaction: fight, flight or freeze.
The amygdala's job has been to protect us at all costs, but in today's world it often mistakes stress for a real threat. This stops our connection to the prefrontal cortex. The prefront cortex figures out stuff for us and helps umake good, wll balanced choices. The prefrontal cortex also sends and retrieves memories to and from the hippocampus. When the amygdala is in "the red zone", it shuts down all communication in the brain. The prefrontal cortex can not access the hippocampus to remember we have been in this situation before or this is how I can get out of this situation. There is no memory or learning happening in the brain.
Fear and anger can hit anyone unexpectedly and when there is no plan for dealing with feelings, it can throw you off balance and have you react badly.
Mindfulness and the Brain Graphic .pdfWhat is STRESS?
Body's response to changes that create taxing demands. It is neutral. We have Eustress (good stress) and Distress (bad stress). Examples: An eustress could be first time on an airplane going to Disney Land, A distress is a math exam in high school. Both eustress and distress activate the amygdala but with slightly different responses.
EUSTRESS
Positive stress
Motivates; focuses energy
Short-term
Perceived as within our coping abilities
Feels exciting
Improves performance
DISTRESS
Negative stress
Causes anxiety or concern
Short-term or long-term
Perceived as outside our coping abilities
Feels unpleasant
Decreases performance
Can lead to mental & physical problems
Managing Stress BBC Video
LESSON Part 1: THE STICKIE ACTIVITY
Material
Stickie notes of two different colours.
How?
In groups of 4, give each student 4 stickies. Individually students will write down two good stresses on one colour and two bad stresses on the other colour. One stress per stickie.
As a group of 4 students will brainstorm and categorize their 2 eustress and 2 distress situations as situational or non-situational.
SITUATIONAL: Negative personal relationships or Positive personal relationships
NON-SITUATIONAL: internal feelings and thoughts, habitual behaviours
After the time needed for the class (approx 7 mins to write down stresses and 8 mins to categorize), share out on the front board with the groups. If there is a repeat of stress they are not allowed to say it, 2 -3 good stress from each group and 2-3 bad stresses from the group. Remember to put them into situational and non-situational.
DISCUSSION
What can you can control or react to and how? Pick a few of the stresses and ask students how it makes them feel and how do they react to it. Can be done in groups of 4 or as a whole class discussion. There is no right answer. This is an opening discussion leading to next lesson of Body Signs to Stress.
Videos below are to Share with Students over the Sessions about Brain Development.
Video to introduce and understand the framework of brain connections
Video to understand fear and the stuggle required to learn
REFLECTION ACTIVITY:
At the end of the video there is speech about talking to your fear (amygdala). It is great piece to have the students write to their own fear and what that want to say to their amygdala.
Have the students identify a situation where their amygdala has stopped them from doing or trying something that they really wanted to do.
Video by Dan Siegel on the Adolescent Brain Development.
LESSON Part 2: Our Amazing Bodies
Materials
Pen or Pencil
Two Gingerbread cut outs: Eustress and Distress one for each student.
Teacher copy of body signs.
ACTIVITY
Students on their own will brainstorm on their own common body signs when faced with a dangerous/threatening situation or an happy/exciting situation. They will fill out the body sign clouds.
These gingerbreads can be hung up in the classroom to compare students reactions to good and bad stress or can be shared out in groups of 4.
Teacher Resources
Student Handouts for Eustress and Distress Body Signs. One copy of each per student
Resource is an example of bad stress (distress) however same reactions occur in good stress (eustress) body reactions do not distinguish between good or bad, that is in the brain.
Body Signs Eustress Template.pdfBody Signs Distress Template.pdfBody Signs to Stress Teacher Resource.pdfLESSON Part 3: Mindful Moments
Practicing Mindfulness calms the amygdala and reconnects us to our calm, clear prefrontal cortex, so we can make thought full choices for how to respond to our sensory inputs. Mindfulness helps us regain access to our executive functions: the intention to pay attention, emotional regulation, body regulation, empathy, self calm and communication skills even if the stress arousal is still present.
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it’s not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it.
ACTIVITY
This lesson provides many examples of mindfulness to help students tap into the present. Not all children are the same which is why we need a variety fo mindfulness tools to help. Sometimes one tool will work one day but not the next.
Pick a mindful activity and teach the students how to use it. Bring awareness to how the students feel before and after the use of the activity.
Once you are completed all activities, get the students to pick their favourite and why?
Breathing Technique Teachings.pdfPractice Breathing
Mindful Moments (1).pdfNotice It/ 5 Things
Arm MasSage.pdfArm Massage/Soapy Hands
Mindful Moments.pdfDance/Orange Juice
LESSON Part 4: Weekly Reflection
ACTIVITY
A Weekly Reflection activity for students on What went well with the amygdala and our reactions to our sensory inputs. Can be done as a wrap of the week or perhaps an introduction to the week and a reflection of the weekend.
Teacher Resource
A weekly or weekend reflection. One per student.
Weekly Reflections on Emotions.pdfPage updated
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