The Brain
What are the three parts of the brain?
Amygdala, Hippocampus and Pre-Frontal Cortex
What are the five senses?
sight, taste, smell, touch, hear.
Using our senses in mindful activities can activate the PFC and help strengthen neural connections that relate to attention.
Name 5 feelings.
Example:
Annoyed, angry, mad, frustrated, happy, sad, surprised, shocked.
What is being mindful?
What is being unmindful?
Being mindful means paying attention in the moment without judging.
Being unmindful means not paying attention to the present moment.
What part of the brain stores memory?
Hippocampus
Give an example of how you can practice "Mindful Seeing"
In one of the class lessons we practiced mindful seeing through optical illusions and playing a round of I-Spy. We payed attention to something in the moment and looked around our surrounding.
By paying attention the best way we can to our present experience, we can understand things more fully
When we identify how we are feeling, which side of the brain are we using?
The PFC!
What is a brain break?
A Brain Break is a way that you can calm down, and it can help get you focused. There are different ways to take a Brain Break. Such as: mindful listening!
Which part of the brain is our "emotion" side?
The Amygdala (the guard dog)
Give an example of Mindful listening
In one of our lessons we practiced mindful listening through guessing mystery sounds (fire, rainfall, waves)
Practicing Mindful Listening can help you be a good friend and can help you with school work!
Name 3 things you're grateful for.
Why is it important to practice gratitude?
Scientists have discovered that people who practice gratitude actually boost their level of happiness!
What was part of our classroom agreement? To make a ___, ___, ____ classroom.
Safe, Kind, Focused classroom.
Which part of our brain is our "thinking" part?
The PFC! (Wise Owl)
How did we practice Mindful Movement?
We practiced mindful movement by running from the wall and back.
Once our heart rates were up, we practiced deep breathing to slow the heart rate down.
What is optimism and pessimism?
When we view things with optimism, we think positively, or take a hopeful point of view.
When we view things with pessimism, we think negatively, or do not take a hopeful point of view.
What is perspective taking and empathy?
Perspective-taking is being mindful of others and what they might be thinking or feeling.
Having empathy means feeling or understanding what another person might be feeling (like happiness, sadness, anger, or excitement) in a situation.
When the "Guard Dog" takes over... what is one strategy you can do to calm yourself down?
- Deep Breath
- Talk to a trusted adult
- Take a brain break
What are some benefits to mindful eating? Or how can we practice it?
We can practice Mindful eating by paying attention to what we are eating, noticing the taste and the texture with each bite and eating slowly!
Mindful eating can be a good way for children to practice mindful awareness, and it may also promote healthy habits. Recent research has shown that even brief mindful eating interventions may lead to greater expectancy of liking different foods, greater enjoyment of all food, and no judgement towards eating food.
Why is it important to identify our feelings?
When you name feelings, you’re using your PFC, and this helps calm the reactive amygdala. Knowing lots of specific words for feelings helps you name your feelings better
What is an act of kindness you can do this week at school?
Why is it important to do a random act of kindness?
Mindfully practicing acts of kindness develops increases empathy and compassion.
In turn, experiencing empathy and showing compassion increases children’s awareness that they can influence their emotions and feelings and use them in service of others. Practicing kindness strengthens our brains—and can make us feel really good!