Grade 3, Unit 3
Following Through
Lesson 12: Managing Test Anxiety
Lesson Concept
Using a stop signal and naming your feeling are the
first two Calming-Down Steps.
Home Link Reminder
Collect the Lesson 11 Home Link.
Key Word
Manage
Why This Lesson Matters
Emotion and language are processed in different parts
of the brain. Using language helps engage the thinking
part of the brain. Simply naming a feeling can help
decrease its intensity, which can be useful to children
when they are upset or overwhelmed by a strong
emotion. A stop signal is a way to use language when
upset and halt the escalation of emotions. Then a
student can use the rest of the Calming-Down Steps to
regain self-control.
worried about taking the bus home for the first
time today. Saying your stop signal and naming
your feeling is helping you calm down.
• Model stopping and naming your feelings when
you feel overwhelmed by strong emotions.
• Remind students to do the same.
Have students REFLECT on times when using their
stop signal and naming their feelings helped them
start to calm down.
Have students ANTICIPATE when they might
experience strong emotions.
Daily Practice
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Teach the lesson.
Play Rhyme Race. Have students think about and name strong feelings they felt or observed during the
game. Add new feelings to the class Feelings List.
Play the “Calm It Down” song and have students do the Calm It Down Dance. Have students use
personal stop signals in place of the word “stop” in the song.
Play Rhyme Race with challenges.
Have students complete the Weekly Skill Check. Sample check-in statements:
• I use my stop signal and name my feeling to start calming down.
• My stop signal is
.
© 2011 Committee for Children
Second Step: Skills for Social and Academic Success
Page 51
L12
Using Skills Every Day
Notice when students are managing strong emotions,
and REINFORCE use of the first two CalmingDown Steps with specific feedback: You seem really
Grade 3, Unit 3
Following Through
Lesson 12: Managing Test Anxiety
Rhyme Race
Preparation
Have students sit with their Second Step partners.
Steps
1. Say a word from the lists below (begin with an easy word).
2. Have Partner Bs say, “Go!”
3. Have Partner As say three words that rhyme with the word you said.
4. Have both partners stand after three rhyming words have been said. The first standing pair wins;
if several pairs stand simultaneously, it’s a tie.
5. Call on standing pairs at random to tell the class their rhyming words.
6. Have partners switch roles and play again. Increase the challenge as desired.
Word Lists
• Easy: sad, feel, cry
• Moderate: smile, frown, worry
• Difficult: laugh, guilt, feeling
Increasing the Challenge
Attention (A), Working Memory (WM), and Inhibitory Control (IC)
• Have Partner B repeat Partner A’s rhyming words before the pair stands up. (A, WM, IC)
• Require four or more rhyming words. (A, WM)
• Have students think of two or more synonyms or antonyms instead of rhyming words. (A, WM)
Page 52
Second Step: Skills for Social and Academic Success
© 2011 Committee for Children