The Space Program is a reflective journey for 7th-12th grade students to explore foundational wellness. The overall goal of the program is to provide experiences in which students can practice being fully present and aware of their thoughts, feelings and surroundings without judging themselves or others. Engaging in these experiences may open curiosity, improve self-regulatory capacities, reduce stress, improve focus and enhance overall well-being.
Continuing with the Space theme, each section is described as a mission. Each mission builds on the last one, so that students get better at knowing themselves and practice self-regulation. The program is broken down into five missions.
Within each mission there is an objective, introduction, audio guided practice, ways to integrate that skill into daily life and a reflection activity.
The program is designed to be completed at school within groups but can also be incorporated at home. Over the course of 5 weeks, we will explore an aspect of S.P.A.C.E. Following for three weeks, teachers can select a variety of activities to target an aspect of the program that appeals to the class. In week 9, students can reflect on their overall experience and provide future implementation plans and take-home messages.
Within each lesson we have divided the activities into three 10-15 minutes segments titled:
Mindful Monday
Introduces the concept that will be covered.
Gives examples of quick 1–5-minute activities that can be completed in class.
Provides a roadmap of what the topic covered
Wellness Wednesday
Provides an audio-based activity that can be completed in class.
Most are approximately 5 minutes long.
Asked students how this applies to their own life and ways that they can incorporate this skill outside of class
Reflection Friday
The goal of reflection Friday is to give students time and space to reflect on the activity that week.
There is a short video that uses comic book flip books to discuss the concept.
At the end students can reflect, journal and/or talk about the concept in small groups.
How you incorporate these activities is up to you, but it is best complete each mission in order, as one builds on the other.
This program was designed in conjunction with the GEAR-UP grant at Auburn University. The SPACE program is looking for partner schools to implement the program to understand student, teacher and student related outcomes. If you are interested in implementing the program in your classroom or school, please complete click the link to provide your contact information: https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cLTUpUJr5BvuDMq
Let’s get started on the foundational wellness SPACE Odessey!