Zones of Regulation

LESSON 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE ZONES

Lesson compiled by Gina Mallard, ASD-W Psychologist, using the Zones of Regulation curriculum
 What are the Zones of Regulation?

A program that uses four zones to describe how your

brain and body feel.
Blue Green Yellow Red

Thinking about these traffic signs, how do you think

you would feel in each zone?
 Blue Zone

Your body is moving slowly

or you feel sluggish.

What emotions or feelings

are in this zone?

Tired, sick, sad, or bored

 Green Zone

You are content and alert.

You are in control.

What emotions or feelings

are in this zone?

“Good to go”:
happy, calm focused
 Yellow Zone

Emotions are slightly

elevated.
You have some control.
Need to be careful!
What emotions or feelings are
in this zone?

Starting to lose control:

Frustrated, overwhelmed, silly,
wiggly, excited, worried, anxious,
surprised
 Red Zone

Your feelings are very

intense.
You are not in control of
your body and have trouble
making good decisions.
What emotions or feelings
are in this zone?

Extreme emotions: terror,

uncontrolled anger,
aggression
 Remember…

We all experience the different zones at one time or

another.

The Yellow or Red Zones are NOT always “naughty”

OR “bad” Zones.

We just need to recognize what zone is “expected”

for the situation.
 Activity: Zones Poster

GROUP ACTIVITY:

1. Take turns selecting a picture from the container. Tell the

group what the emotion is and show them the picture.

2. Demonstrate the facial expression that goes with the

emotion.

3. As a group, discuss where to place the emotion within the

4 zones.
 Can you guess what Zone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUC5cr8CbBQ&l
ist=PL32B5D15C52DFD181

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq9hBEvFNlM&
list=PLD7C6A74DFECE6B3F

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6yYd6Pq7Ic&li
st=PL5AFC471A4D423DDE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl5Ci2OXpNA&l
ist=PLUtNB8_kihpY0tIXLHRpy1VHZhtrb-6GZ
 Wrap Up

 How will sorting the ways you feel and act into 4 zones
help you understand yourself better?

 How will it help you understand your classmates better?

 Why is it important to know what someone’s facial

expression means?

 How could reading someone’s facial expression change

how you act toward him or her?