Recess Club is Off to a Great Start!

      Happy Thanksgiving!  Recess Club is off to a great start!  Students have already learned about  expected and unexpected behavior, social detective tools, whole body listening, and the Zones of Regulation.  These concepts were all introduced in kindergarten and now students continue to build on their knowledge base.

      The green zone is our optimal learning state.  This is where students want to be when receiving instruction.  Blue would be if students are sad, tired, or hungry and might be expected right before lunch or after a long day.  Students might be in the yellow zone at gym or recess when they are excited or silly.  A student might be in the red zone when they are feeling very frustrated or angry.

Zones of Regulation Chart

     In November, we introduced Zone Name Plates which are kept at student tables for a specific part of each week.   The goal of the name plate is to raise students' awareness of which zone they are in.  If they are not in the green zone, they would move their paper clip to the zone that they are in and choose a strategy from the card (Lazy 8 Breathing, read, draw, write, ask for help, or think happy thoughts) to employ in an effort to return to the green zone.  After a utilizing a strategy, the hope is that the student would then be able to return their paper clip to the green zone.  

     In Recess Club, students have been practicing their strategies so that they can improve their control over their bodies and feelings.   Slow deep breathing while we trace a sideways 8 is called "Lazy 8 Breathing" and envisioning your "happy place" is a mindfulness practice that involves using your imagination to visit a spot where you feel calm, safe, and peaceful. After a short "visit" to their happy place, it is hoped that students would return to their task feeling refreshed and focused.  

Lazy 8 Breathing

Zones of Regulation Name Plate and Strategies

     Please ask your student to demonstrate Lazy 8 Breathing or to describe their "happy place!"  

1/6 Recess Club Update

Happy New Year! We are excited to get back into our weekly Recess Club lessons this month. Due to the holidays and half days we did not meet weekly throughout the months of November and December. Throughout those months we introduced to our new to Robinson school students and reviewed from Kindergarten the Zones of Regulation curriculum.

We discussed when it is expected to be in the green, blue, yellow zones. Green would be appropriate at school when you are ready to learn or at home when you are at the dinner table. Blue is expected when you are going to bed. Yellow would be expected in gym or at recess. If you would like more information on the Zones of Regulation curriculum please check out the parent resources page.

After an introduction/review of each zone, students watched a video and practiced identifying which zone they felt each character or person was in. If you would like to further practice this at home, we recommend asking your child to demonstrate each zone or check in with them as they experience a variety of emotions. Self-monitoring plays a huge role in one's ability to self-regulate.

Jonny drew himself in the blue zone

Students in Mrs. Siano and Mrs. Mannone's classes enjoyed the opportunity to show what they know after discussing the zones by drawing a picture of themselves in a zone of choice. The following lessons will include an introduction of tools/strategies students may use within each zone to help regulate their bodies back to the green zone. For example, in Jonny's picture he is in the blue zone (tired) while driving in the car. To keep himself awake he may think of a strategy/tool to use. Maybe he would try seat push ups, power breathing, or dancing in his seat to music on the radio. In each zone there are different tools and strategies one may use. Some tools may even work for more than one of the zones.


Spend some time this month having your child practice identifying what zone they are in and what tool or strategy they may be able to use!

-Mrs. Bonenfant, Ms. Casavant & Mrs. Terrio