Body Clues
This nervous system state may make your heart beat fast and your muscles feel tight.
Fight or Flight
(Yellow Zone)
Feeling curious, relaxed, and connected usually means you are in this state.
What is the safe/social state?
Taking slow deep breaths can help move your body back toward this state.
Safe and Social State
This system in your body helps keep you safe from danger.
What is the nervous system?
You are laughing with friends and feel comfortable being yourself. Which state are you likely in?
Answer: What is the safe/social state?
This is the calm, connected state where you feel safe enough to learn and talk.
Safe/ Social/ Connected State
Green Zone
Anger, panic, or wanting to yell can happen in this nervous system state.
What is fight-or-flight?
Name one coping skill that helps calm the nervous system.
breathing, music, talking to someone, stretching, walking, grounding.
Polyvagal Theory teaches that our nervous system is always checking for this.
What is danger/ safety?
You hear a loud bang and instantly jump. Which nervous system response happened?
Answer: What is fight-or-flight?
When someone feels numb, frozen, or wants to hide from everything, they may be in this state.
Answer: What is the shutdown/freeze state?
Feeling exhausted, hopeless, or disconnected can happen in this state.
What is shutdown/freeze?
This grounding skill asks you to notice things you can see, hear, and feel around you.
What is grounding/mindfulness?
This part of the brain helps with thinking, planning, and making good decisions.
The prefrontal cortex?
A student completely shuts down during a stressful class presentation and cannot speak. This may be what state?
Answer: What is freeze/shutdown?
Name one body clue that tells you your nervous system is becoming stressed.
sweaty hands, fast breathing, stomach ache, clenched jaw, shaky legs.
This emotion might happen before your body goes into fight-or-flight during a test.
worry, fear, nervousness.
Coping skills work instantly every time.
What is false
When the nervous system thinks there is danger, it may stop focusing on this.
What is learning or problem solving?
You notice your body getting anxious before a test. Name one healthy coping strategy you could use.
Answer examples: deep breathing, positive self-talk, grounding, stretching.
True or False: Your nervous system states can change throughout the day.
True
Why is it important to notice emotions early?
So you can calm your nervous system before emotions become too big.
Why might movement help someone in fight-or-flight?
It helps release stress energy from the body.
True or False: Nervous system reactions are your body trying to protect you.
Answer: What is true?
Why can understanding nervous system states help people in school and friendships?
Answer: It helps them understand reactions, manage emotions, and communicate better.