The Brain
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell that carries messages around your body
What are three emotions someone might be experiencing if they are in the YELLOW zone?
Startled, Worried, Insecure, Stressed, Anxious, Silly, Excited, Nervous
What is growth mindset?
When you think/believe you can get better at something with effort
What are neural pathways?
pathways between neurons
Which of the four emotion zones is the worst one?
None of them! There is no bad zone.
What is fixed mindset?
When you think people are smart or not smart and can’t really change much
Melody knew she had a math test tomorrow. Her teacher talked about it, they did a review in class, and all her friends were worried about it. She knew she should study for it. But, somehow, she just couldn’t concentrate. She didn’t know why, but she just wanted to keep playing Minecraft instead. It felt like it was calming her down.
She didn’t sleep much that night and didn’t feel like eating much breakfast in the morning. She dreaded math class. She dreaded that test.
What zone was Melody in?
What strategies could she use?
Zone: Yellow
Strategy Ideas: Talk to someone, meditate & be aware of her thoughts and where she feels the anxiety in her body
What is neuroplasticity?
The scientific fact that your brain changes throughout your life.
What are FOUR emotions someone might experience if they are in the RED zone?
Elation, Euphoria, Exhilaration, Anger, Rage, Devastation, Terror, Infuriated
Name at least three skills that are part of your executive functioning.
Organization, Planning, Prioritizing, Focus / Concentration, Self-Starting, Decision Making, Self-Reflection, Emotional Regulation
Neural pathways are the connections in your brain.
They can be strengthened and widened over time, just like a road.
What are three strategies you can use to help yourself deal with anxiety?
Talk & Process
Breathe
Move
Mindfulness
Awareness of Your Body
Why is it helpful to notice where you feel emotions in your body?
If we are not aware of our emotions, they can control us.
Being aware of how you feel and what you think helps you regain control.
Melinda usually loves science, but right now she can’t stand her science partner. The moment he walks into the room, she’s in a bad mood. He never does any work, and it just makes her furious. The other day, she just started yelling at him in the middle of class: “Why aren’t you getting anything done?! This isn’t fair at all!”
What zone was Melinda in?
What strategies could she use?
Zone: Red
Strategy Ideas: Deep breath, take a break, talk to the teacher or counselor about frustrations & make a plan about how to deal with science partner
The amygdala and prefrontal cortex are parts of your brain. What are they in charge of?
The amygdyla senses danger.
The prefrontal cortex manages/regulates emotions (and is in charge of executive functioning).
Seth Perler talks about emotional regulation this way: the story & the body. What does he mean by that?
Story: the story you tell yourself about something causing anxiety
Body: how it feels in your body (stomach ache, shakiness, etc.)
What is metacognition AND why is it helpful?
Thinking about your thinking.
It helps you NOT be controlled by your thoughts.
Corey just couldn’t get excited about school. They hated being told what to do all the time—what to study, what rules to follow, when to be quiet, when to talk. When they arrived to school, they usually put their head down and sometimes would even fall asleep during first block.
What zone was Corey in?
What strategies could they use?
Zone: Blue
Strategy Ideas: Talk to the teacher about the situation & problem-solve with them, Self-advocate