What is MindUp?
The MindUP classroom is an optimistic classroom that promotes and developes mindful attention to oneself and others, tolerance of differences, and the capacity of each member of the community to grow as a human being and learner.
MindUP is dedicated to the belief that the child who learns to monitor his or her senses and feelings becomes more aware and better understands how to respond to the world reflectively instead of reflexively.
It is now well established that social and emotional skills, such as the ability to manage one's emotions and get along with others, plays an integral role in academic and life success.
MindUp teaching and learning:
MindUP is dedicated to the belief that the child who learns to monitor his or her senses and feelings becomes more aware and better understands how to respond to the world reflectively instead of reflexively.
It is now well established that social and emotional skills, such as the ability to manage one's emotions and get along with others, plays an integral role in academic and life success.
MindUp teaching and learning:
- improve children's self-control and self-regulation skills
- strengthen children's resiliency and decision making
- bolster children's enthusiasm for learning
- increase students' academic success
- reduce peer to peer conflict
- develop children's positive social skills
- infuse the classroom learning with joy and optimism
Unit 1 - Getting Focused
Lesson:1 - How Our Brains Work
Can you think of a time when your brain feels all shaken up and confused - like the sand, glitter, and confetti in this shaken bottle? What helps you calm down so you can think?
The settling solution represents the calming mind.
Celebrating the Brain Song!
Discussion: What do your brains help you do every day and why are our brains so important to us?
We need exercise to make our bodies strong. Running and playing help us make our bodies strong. We need exercise to make our brains strong too. Thinking helps us make our brains strong.
Parts of the Brain:
Explore:
Model brain with their fists together.
Thumbs- prefrontal cortex – Wise leader – helps us make good choices and pay attention.
Tips of pointer fingers are buried deep inside – amygdala – security guard – warns us of danger , keeps us safe, help express emotions.
Tips of middle fingers- hippocampus – savor of memories – keeps important information and brings it back when we need it.
Model brain with their fists together.
Thumbs- prefrontal cortex – Wise leader – helps us make good choices and pay attention.
Tips of pointer fingers are buried deep inside – amygdala – security guard – warns us of danger , keeps us safe, help express emotions.
Tips of middle fingers- hippocampus – savor of memories – keeps important information and brings it back when we need it.
Read Alouds:
Belly Breathing
Focusing on our breathing helps us stay calm.
Lesson 2 - Mindful Awareness
Discuss: Have any of you ever counted to ten when you've gotten angry? Did it help? What do you think happened in your brain during the time it took to count?
Thinking mindfully happens when our brain has time to think about what we hear or see before we respond to it. An example is counting to ten when we're frustrated or angry. By the time we get to ten, we feel better and can think more clearly - and mindfully.
Thinking mindfully happens when our brain has time to think about what we hear or see before we respond to it. An example is counting to ten when we're frustrated or angry. By the time we get to ten, we feel better and can think more clearly - and mindfully.
Focusing on Sounds Practice:
Child sit comfortably and close or cover their eyes and listen very carefully for all the sounds they can hear around them in the classroom, the hallway, and elsewhere inside and outside the school. (Listen for 30seconds)
Share Time - Turn and Talk with a partner
Record on Chart Paper the sounds they heard.
Have them listen again. Do they hear more sounds now?
Discussion: How did sitting and listening make you feel? Were you surprised by all the different sounds you heard around you? Those sounds are always there. We don't hear them when we are busy working in the classroom.
All the parts of our brain worked together to help us pay attention to the sounds around us.
Amygdala - our security guard - let the sound in through the prefrontal cortex our wise leader.
Hippocampus - is our memory saver and saved the information for you to share with your partner.
When you listen, you are being mindful.
When we are mindful, we think before we act.
When we are being unmindful, we act without thinking. We aren't paying attention to what's happening around us. The amygdala, our security guard, tries to do all the work for our brain.
Child sit comfortably and close or cover their eyes and listen very carefully for all the sounds they can hear around them in the classroom, the hallway, and elsewhere inside and outside the school. (Listen for 30seconds)
Share Time - Turn and Talk with a partner
Record on Chart Paper the sounds they heard.
Have them listen again. Do they hear more sounds now?
Discussion: How did sitting and listening make you feel? Were you surprised by all the different sounds you heard around you? Those sounds are always there. We don't hear them when we are busy working in the classroom.
All the parts of our brain worked together to help us pay attention to the sounds around us.
Amygdala - our security guard - let the sound in through the prefrontal cortex our wise leader.
Hippocampus - is our memory saver and saved the information for you to share with your partner.
When you listen, you are being mindful.
When we are mindful, we think before we act.
When we are being unmindful, we act without thinking. We aren't paying attention to what's happening around us. The amygdala, our security guard, tries to do all the work for our brain.
Mindful behavior and it's opposite, unmindful behavior.
You taste a food and decide whether you like = mindful
You see a food and immediately decide you don't like it = unmindful
More examples. Thumbs up for mindful, thumbs down for unmindful.
1. Listen to someone read a story and being able to retell it =_________________
2. Crossing the street without looking both ways =__________________________
3. Listening to someone and not speaking until they are finished = ____________________
Activity: Each group will get a bag with mindful and unmindful examples. Together, sort them and discuss with each other why you think that?
You see a food and immediately decide you don't like it = unmindful
More examples. Thumbs up for mindful, thumbs down for unmindful.
1. Listen to someone read a story and being able to retell it =_________________
2. Crossing the street without looking both ways =__________________________
3. Listening to someone and not speaking until they are finished = ____________________
Activity: Each group will get a bag with mindful and unmindful examples. Together, sort them and discuss with each other why you think that?
Read Aloud:
Lesson 3 - Focused Awareness: The Core Practice
Play the sound used during the Core Practice. Discuss the sound. Try to focus only on it until you can no longer hear it.
Was it difficult to stay focused on listening?
This sound will begin and end our Core Practice.
Focusing on Breathing Practice:
Remember when we listened for all the sounds around you? We will be doing another exercise. You will learn how to breathe in a way that helps your brain think more clearly.
Discussion: How did you feel as you breathed in and out? What did you notice about your breathing? How did you keep your mind focused on your breathing?
What do you think is happening in your brain during the Core Practice?
Read Aloud: The Busy Body Book
It is important to keep active, eat well, and getting rest to be in good health.
Was it difficult to stay focused on listening?
This sound will begin and end our Core Practice.
Focusing on Breathing Practice:
Remember when we listened for all the sounds around you? We will be doing another exercise. You will learn how to breathe in a way that helps your brain think more clearly.
- Sit down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes or look down at your hands.
- Pay attention to your breathing.
- Take calm, slow breaths. Gently breathe in through your nose, then let go of each breath.
- Keep your shoulders relaxed. Picture the air coming into your body and going out again.
- If your mind tries to think about other things, bring your attention back to your breath.
- Feel your stomach rising and falling. Keep your belly soft and relaxed.
- Open your eyes slowly and take another slow, deep breath with your eyes open.
Discussion: How did you feel as you breathed in and out? What did you notice about your breathing? How did you keep your mind focused on your breathing?
What do you think is happening in your brain during the Core Practice?
Read Aloud: The Busy Body Book
It is important to keep active, eat well, and getting rest to be in good health.
Lesson 4- Mindful Listening
What are some situation, places or times of day when it's hard for you to pay attention? When that happens, what do you think is happening in your brain?
Warm Up - Mindful Listening Practice
Play song. Give a thumbs up if you hear a new instrument.
Warm Up - Mindful Listening Practice
Play song. Give a thumbs up if you hear a new instrument.
Discuss: How did this kind of listening help you enjoy the music? Let's pretend each sound was the voice of someone we know. Whose voices do you listen carefully for at home? in school?
Guess That Sound
We are going to play a game that will help us practice mindful listening.
There are many sounds surrounding us most of the time. Usually we are not mindful of every sound, because our brain helps us pay attention. It screens the sounds our ears pick up and brings to our attention only the ones that are important.
Everyone sit comfortable and close their eyes. Listen mindfully as you can to the sound I make. If you think you know what it is, keep it a secret and raise your hand.
There are many sounds surrounding us most of the time. Usually we are not mindful of every sound, because our brain helps us pay attention. It screens the sounds our ears pick up and brings to our attention only the ones that are important.
Everyone sit comfortable and close their eyes. Listen mindfully as you can to the sound I make. If you think you know what it is, keep it a secret and raise your hand.
Journal Writing
Divide your journal page into two columns. At the top of one write "Quiet". Write places or events that are quiet. Ex. sleeping
At the top of the other write "Noisy" and write places or events that are noisy. Ex. baby crying
At the top of the other write "Noisy" and write places or events that are noisy. Ex. baby crying
Read Aloud:
Mindful listening and being aware of how our environment can help or hinder our ability to focus.