Zones Scenarios
You are playing tag on the playground
with friends.
Depends on you: yellow zone (silly, wiggly, nervous about getting tagged, worried about losing the game). Green zone (calm, happy)
Someone in your class asks you to play at recess, you tell them, "No, I don't want to play with you." How might they feel?
Sad, alone, left out.
Sad
Blue zone.
When I'm feeling sad (blue zone), my eyes feel:
watery, teary.
When you're in the red zone, what would be the most helpful strategy:
Yelling more or going to your room to play your favorite game.
Going to your room to play your favorite game.
You are home with
nothing to do.
Blue zone (bored).
You really like how someone's hair looks so you reach out and touch it. They turn around and push your hand away and tell the teacher. What might they be thinking?
They may be thinking: they need to ask me before they touch me! I did not like that. Why were they touching me? They were invading my space.
Nervous
Yellow Zone.
When I feel worried (yellow zone), my heart is:
My heart is Beating fast, feels uncomfortable/uneasy.
When you're feeling nervous/yellow, what would be the most helpful strategy:
Not doing anything about or doing some heavy work (jumping, crashing, running, trampoline).
Heavy work.
Can you name your favorite heavy work activity?
You were told that
the plans need to
change.
Yellow zone (worried/nervous about the new plan, frustrated).
Blue zone (sad).
Red zone (mad because you don't want a different plan).
Your teacher asks you to start your writing work. You say, "No! I don't want to!" and throw your pencil. What are your classmates thinking?
They may be thinking: Unexpected behavior! He/she needs to follow the directions even if they do not want to, that is our job at school.
Out of control
Red zone.
Confused, distracted, hurt (headache).
When you're feeling sad, what would be the most helpful strategy:
1. Not sharing your feeling with anyone (this might lead to the red zone/anger).
2. Sharing your feeling with a closed person you love (mom, friend, brother).
3. Writing your feelings in a private journal if you're not ready to share them with anyone.
Choices 2 and 3 are helpful. It depends on what makes you feel green.
Your parent tells
you that someone
close to you
passed away.
Blue zone (sad). Yellow zone (frustrated, upset).
Red zone (angry)
Your riding a bike with a friend and accidentally run into them and they fall. They start crying and yelling at you for hitting them. What are they thinking?
Even though it is an accident, they may not know it. They may be thinking: Why did they run into me? That made me fall! I feel sad and mad! What do you think you could say to them?
Scared
Red Zone.
You raced your friend across the backyard 10 times (yellow zone). Your breath/lungs feel:
Out of breath, breathing heavy, feels my chest is going up and down.
When you're feeling nervous about meeting a new person, what would be the most helpful strategy:
1. Sharing your favorite toys with them without talking.
2. Asking if he/she likes something you like (i.e., Pokemon).
3. Being rude to that person.
Choices 1 and 2.
You can’t find your
assignment you
worked hard on.
yellow zone (worried, frustrated) or red zone (mad, yelling).
You are playing at free choice and you start getting a little out of control and run around the room. How do you think your teacher is feeling? What is she thinking? What are your friends thinking?
Your teacher may be thinking: Wow! That is not expected behavior right now. That is not okay. Your friends may be thinking: They are out of control! They need to calm down! I don't want to get in trouble so I am not going to play with them. That is not funny.
Excited
Yellow Zone.
I keep telling my siblings to stop bothering me. I feel mad (Red Zone) and my muscles, brain, and heart feel:
My muscles feel tight.
My brain feels sore, scattered, can't think.
My heart beats fast.
What would you do?
Think about your flexibility. Every problem has solutions, so you might want to ask an adult to help you come up with another plan if you can't.