Teens spend a lot of energy on things they cannot change, and worry only grows when everything feels equally out of their hands. The circle of control gives them a simple way to sort it. Students put worries into three rings: what I can control, what I can influence and what I cannot control. Then they turn worries into small action steps and practice letting go of the rest. I find that a hands-on card sort starts better conversations than a lecture ever does.
What’s included
15 pages, US Letter and A4.
• 12 key words with pictures
• The group project (reading and questions)
• Three circles anchor chart
• 24-card control sort plus blank cards
• My circle of control mat
• Worries into action steps
• Real-life scenarios
• Letting-go toolkit
• Reflection
• 8-question quiz and answer key
How to use it
Introduce the anchor chart, then run the card sort in small groups and talk through the choices. The mat and action steps pages can be used with a whole class or one-on-one in counseling.
Who it’s for
Grades 6-12 advisory, SEL, school counseling and special education.
Pairs well with Stress Management, Emotional Regulation and Growth Mindset.
Pictures: Fluent Emoji by Microsoft (MIT License). Fonts: Lexend, Fredoka and Caveat (SIL Open Font License). All people, businesses and phone numbers are made up for practice.
Standards: CASEL.SM.7; CASEL.SM.1; CASEL.SM.2; CASEL.RDM.3; NHES 7.8.2; NHES 6.8.3; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.6
I wrote and organized these pages with the help of AI tools, and then I checked and edited them myself. There are no AI-generated pictures.
You must log in and be a buyer of this download to submit a review.
