Page 7 - 2019-2020 Leader Manual

Noticing Me in Programs

Noticing Me program checklist (part of NNN Lesson Plan):

Getting Ready  Set up: Reward Chart
checklist  Get Calm: deep breath - relaxed shoulders - smile.
Noticing Me  Do: your “Welcome” routine - Use participant names
checklist  Choose: your Noticing Me assistant
 Do: Noticing Me activity (use laminated cards). First of many checks
during the day.
 Set: group goal (reward).
 Keep: filling in group’s Reward Chart (more practice = more calming).

Leaders daily Noticing Me routine:

1. For your welcome routine, ensure that there are smiling leaders at the entrance to greet
participants by name and hear about their day. Help participants find the Noticing Us picture, and
encourage them to think about the Noticing Us theme.
2. Choose a Noticing Me assistant before you begin your program activities (and make that an
important event). This participant should have a special bracelet or other identifier that they can
wear during the program. The Noticing Me assistant will help leaders remember brain games.
Remind participants that they will get a reward if they complete 5 brain games (or whatever number
is approved by your Specialist).
3. Brain Games are 60 second games designed to build the
areas of participants’ brains that help them control and Noticing My Just Right
shift their attention, use their memory, and manage their
behavior. These skills are called executive-function skills. Brain Game: What is the fastest
This is the process for facilitating the Brain Games: animal that lives on land?
1. Pick a card (see example to the right). A: cheetah B: fox C: wolf
2. Remind participants to think of the answer in
their head, then ask the question Discovering Just Right: “Just right” is
a feeling in our bodies. In “just right” we
3. Lead the 60 second activity. (This is usually a feel calm and able to connect with
silent, solitary activity, with a self-awareness focus others. Think about one of your best
such as breathing, pulse, energy, muscles, face memories. In that memory, how close
etc.). to “just right” did you feel? How calm?
4. Collect the group’s attention again. Remind How connected?
them about the initial question. Tell the answer to
the question (10 seconds). Answer: Cheetah (Also, the fastest
5. Put a checkmark on the Noticing Me Reward bird is a falcon, which can fly 220 mph)
Chart.
4. Reward Chart (more practice = more calming) – paper with five fields (brain breaks) to be posted
visibly and connected to the young assistants (& group) work. When the Noticing Me assistant lets
the program leader know it’s time to do a Brain Game, the program leader will facilitate the Noticing
Me Brain Game, then add a star to the Reward Chart. When the chart is filled, and all five (5) brain
breaks are completed, everyone will get a prize (e.g. stickers etc.).

Leader Manual, Social Programs, Calgary Neighbourhoods page. 7