Chapter 1: Notice Your Brain

Chapter Introduction

This chapter is for a grown-up to read aloud with a child. Many first graders can read some words themselves. Take your time. Practice slow breaths together as you read.

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You are a first grader.

You are bigger than you were in kindergarten.

You have grown.

Take a slow breath in.

Now let it out, slowly.

Hi. I am the Turtle.

You may remember me from Kindergarten.

I taught you about your brain. About thinking, feeling, remembering, moving. About all feelings being okay. About slow breaths.

I am still the Turtle. I still teach about your brain.

This year, in first grade, we are going to notice.

Notice your thinking. Notice your feelings. Notice your remembering. Notice when your brain is busy. Notice when your brain is quiet.

Noticing your brain is one of the most useful things you can learn at your age.

The Turtle is patient. The Turtle is glad you are back.

Let's begin.

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Lesson 1.1: Notice Your Thinking

Learning Goals (for the grown-up to know)

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Notice that they think all day long
• Notice thinking as something happening "inside"
• Begin to recognize their own thinking as separate from the world around them
• Understand that all thoughts are okay (just like all feelings are okay)

Key Words

• Notice — to pay attention to something. (You learned this from the Bear at G1.)
• Thinking — what your brain does when it works on something. (You learned this from the Turtle at K.)
• Thought — one thing your brain is thinking about.
• Inside — where thinking happens (in your brain).
• Outside — the world around your body.

Your Brain Is Thinking Right Now

Right now, while you read this, your brain is thinking.

You are thinking about:

• The words on this page
• What they mean
• Maybe other things too — like your snack, your day, your favorite show

That is thinking.

Thinking is what your brain does when it works on something.

Some thinking is on purpose. Like solving a puzzle, or deciding what to wear, or counting how many cookies are on a plate.

Some thinking is not on purpose. Like when a song gets stuck in your head, or when you wonder why the sky is blue, or when you remember something you did yesterday.

Your brain thinks all day. Even when you are not trying.

Notice the Difference Between Inside and Outside

Here is something important to notice.

Some things are inside your brain. Like your thoughts. Like your feelings. Like your memories. Like the song stuck in your head.

Some things are outside. Like the room you are in. Like the trees outside. Like the people around you. Like the food on your plate.

You can have INSIDE things going on while OUTSIDE things are happening too. Both at once.

For example: you might be doing math at your desk (outside thing). And thinking about your dog (inside thing). At the same time.

Or: you might be eating dinner (outside thing). And remembering yesterday at school (inside thing). At the same time.

The inside stuff is yours. No one else can see it unless you tell them.

That is one of the most amazing things about being a person. Your brain has a private place that is only yours.

The Turtle thinks this is wonderful.

All Thoughts Are Okay

This is something the Turtle wants you to remember.

All thoughts are okay.

You learned in kindergarten that all feelings are okay. Thoughts are the same.

Some thoughts are happy. "I love my friend."

Some thoughts are silly. "What if cats could talk?"

Some thoughts are curious. "How do birds fly?"

Some thoughts are sad. "I miss Grandma."

Some thoughts are scary. "What if a monster was real?"

Some thoughts are confusing. "I don't know how I feel about this."

All of these are okay to have. Having a thought is not the same as doing something. Having a thought is not bad.

If a thought worries you or stays with you a long time, tell a trusted grown-up. They will help.

A Quiet Moment

The Turtle has one tool for noticing thinking.

Sit quietly for a few seconds.

Just sit. Not doing anything. Not reading. Not watching anything.

Just sit and notice what your brain is doing.

Are you thinking about food? About a friend? About something at school? About a song? About nothing in particular?

Notice it.

Then take a slow breath.

The thinking does not have to stop. You are just noticing it.

The Turtle does this every day. Just a few seconds of sitting and noticing.

You can try it with a trusted grown-up. Or alone — though many kids your age like a grown-up nearby the first few times.

Lesson Check (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. What is thinking?
2. Can you name something inside (in your brain) and something outside (in the world) right now?
3. The Turtle says all thoughts are okay. What does that mean?
4. Can you try the quiet-moment tool? What did you notice?

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Lesson 1.2: Notice Your Feelings

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Notice feelings as they happen
• Build vocabulary for different feelings
• Understand that feelings come and go
• Use slow breath as a tool for big feelings (preserved from K)

Key Words

• Feeling — what your brain makes when something happens. (You learned this in K.)
• Big feeling — a strong feeling.
• Small feeling — a soft feeling.
• Slow breath — a breath you take on purpose, slowly. (You learned this in K.)
• Notice — to pay attention.

Feelings Come All Day

Your brain makes feelings all day long.

Some feelings are big. Some are small.

Some are happy. Some are sad.

Some make sense. Some don't.

In kindergarten, you met some feeling words:

• Happy
• Sad
• Scared
• Mad
• Calm

This year, let's add more.

More feeling words:

• Excited — when something fun is coming up
• Worried — when you are thinking about something that might go wrong
• Frustrated — when something is hard or not working
• Surprised — when something happens you did not expect
• Embarrassed — when you feel funny because everyone is looking
• Proud — when you did something good
• Lonely — when you wish someone was with you
• Curious — when you want to know more
• Bored — when nothing feels interesting
• Grateful — when you feel thankful for something

That is more feelings. There are even more. The Turtle has watched feelings for a long, long time. There are lots of kinds.

This year, you can practice naming feelings as you have them.

"I feel excited."

"I feel worried."

"I feel proud."

Naming a feeling is part of noticing it.

Feelings Come and Go

Here is something important to notice.

Feelings come and go.

A happy feeling does not last all day. It comes for a while. Then it goes.

A sad feeling does not last all day. It comes for a while. Then it usually goes.

Some feelings stay for minutes. Some stay for hours. Some come back later.

Feelings are like clouds in the sky. Some are big. Some are small. Some come close. Some pass by. They move.

You can notice a feeling without trying to push it away or hold onto it. Just notice. It will move on its own.

This is one of the most important things kids your age can learn. Feelings move. You move with them.

Slow Breath for Big Feelings

The Turtle taught this in kindergarten. The Turtle teaches it again because it works.

When a feeling gets big, you can take a slow breath.

In through your nose if you can. Out slowly through your nose or mouth.

A few slow breaths in a row.

The big feeling does not always go away right away. But often it gets a little softer.

The Dolphin (you met the Dolphin in kindergarten too) and the Turtle work together on this. The Turtle teaches that feelings are okay. The Dolphin teaches the slow breath. We are friends — and you are part of our team.

You can try a slow breath:

• Before something hard (a test, going to a new place, meeting someone new)
• During something hard
• After something hard
• When a feeling gets bigger than you want it to be
• When you cannot sleep
• When you want to settle yourself

Three slow breaths. With a trusted grown-up if you can. Or by yourself. Any time.

When a Feeling Is Really Big — Tell a Trusted Grown-Up

Most feelings come and go on their own. Or they get smaller with slow breath and time.

Some feelings get really big. Or really stuck. Or really scary.

When a feeling is really big — tell a trusted grown-up.

Same rule as kindergarten. Same rule from every Coach.

Your trusted grown-up:

• Will sit with you
• Will listen
• Will not be mad
• Will help you figure out what is going on
• Will help you feel safer

You do not have to handle big feelings alone. Never. You are not built to.

Lesson Check

1. Can you name five feeling words?
2. What does "feelings come and go" mean?
3. What is the slow-breath tool? When can you use it?
4. What do you do if a feeling gets really big?

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Lesson 1.3: Notice Your Brain and Trusted Grown-Ups

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, the child will:

• Notice that brains work in different ways for different kids
• Understand that asking for help is brave
• Know who their trusted grown-ups are
• Lightly review the 911 framing introduced at G1 Food

Key Words

• Different — not the same.
• Brave — doing something even when it is hard.
• Trusted grown-up — a grown-up who takes care of you.
• Counselor — a grown-up who is trained to help kids with hard feelings.

Different Brains, Different Ways

The Turtle taught you in kindergarten that all brains are good brains.

This year, let's notice more.

Different brains work in different ways.

Some kids:

• Learn really fast
• Learn slower (and that is fine — slow learning is real learning)
• Love to talk
• Love to be quiet
• Like loud sounds
• Need quiet
• Love big crowds
• Need small spaces
• Notice everything
• Notice less
• Find school easy
• Find school hard
• Read fast
• Read slowly
• Love to write
• Love to draw
• Love numbers
• Love stories

All of these are real ways to be.

Some kids in your class might do things differently than you. They are not wrong. You are not wrong. Bodies and brains are different.

If a friend has a different way of being, be curious, not unkind.

The Turtle has watched many, many kids in many, many years. Every kind of brain has something to offer.

Asking for Help Is Brave

Sometimes you need help.

Maybe with schoolwork.

Maybe with a friend problem.

Maybe with a feeling.

Maybe with a thought that worries you.

Maybe with something at home.

Asking for help is brave.

Sometimes kids think asking for help means they are not smart, or not strong, or not big enough. That is not true.

The bravest kids the Turtle knows are the ones who ask for help. They figure out what they need. They tell a grown-up. They let the grown-up help.

Tell a grown-up when you need help. That is the bravest thing you can do.

The Bear, the Cat, the Lion, the Penguin, the Camel, the Dolphin, the Rooster, and the Elephant all agree. All of us.

Who Are Your Trusted Grown-Ups?

You met "trusted grown-up" in every kindergarten chapter.

This year, the Turtle wants you to name them.

Out loud or in your head — name your trusted grown-ups.

• Maybe your mom
• Maybe your dad
• Maybe a grandparent
• Maybe an aunt or uncle
• Maybe an older sibling who is grown
• Maybe a stepparent or foster parent
• Maybe a family friend
• Maybe a teacher
• Maybe the school nurse
• Maybe a school counselor
• Maybe a coach (the human kind — soccer, music, dance, art)
• Maybe a religious leader
• Maybe a neighbor your family trusts

Different kids have different trusted grown-ups. What matters is that you have at least one.

If you cannot think of anyone right now, that is the most important thing to tell a grown-up about. Tell a teacher. Tell the school nurse. Tell a friend's parent. Tell anyone safe. Tell them you need help finding trusted grown-ups.

You should have grown-ups in your life who take care of you. That is one of the most important things in your whole life.

Sometimes Counselors Help

Some kids see a special grown-up called a counselor.

A counselor is a grown-up trained to help kids with hard feelings, big worries, or things that are bothering them.

You might meet a counselor at school. Many schools have a counselor in a special office.

You might meet a counselor outside school. Some families take their kids to talk with a counselor regularly. Some go just sometimes.

Counselors are normal. Lots of kids see them. There is nothing wrong with you if you see one. There is also nothing wrong if you do not.

If you ever want to talk with a counselor, tell a trusted grown-up. They can help arrange it.

The Turtle thinks counselors are wonderful.

911 — A Quick Reminder

The Bear introduced 911 in the first-grade Food chapter.

The Turtle reminds you here:

911 is for real emergencies.

If someone is very hurt, very sick, has stopped breathing, or is in real danger — grown-ups call 911 in the United States.

Kids your age usually tell a trusted grown-up first. The grown-up makes the call.

If no grown-up is around in a real emergency AND you have been taught how, you can call 911 yourself. Real people answer. They help.

This is the same in every Coach's first-grade chapter.

(Coaches: in case of emergency. Trusted grown-ups: always.)

Lesson Check

1. Do all brains work the same way? Why does that matter?
2. Why is asking for help brave?
3. Can you name your trusted grown-ups?
4. What is a counselor?
5. What is 911 for?

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End-of-Chapter Activity: A Week of Brain Noticing

The Turtle has an activity for you and your trusted grown-up.

For the next week, notice your brain in small ways.

Each day, pick ONE thing to notice:

Day 1: Notice your thoughts during one quiet moment today. What was your brain thinking about?

Day 2: Name one feeling you have today. Use a new feeling word if you can.

Day 3: Notice when your brain is busy. What makes it busy?

Day 4: Notice when your brain feels quiet. What makes it quiet?

Day 5: Try the sit-quietly-and-notice tool with a trusted grown-up. Just for a few seconds.

Day 6: Try three slow breaths during a moment of big feeling today.

Day 7: Tell a trusted grown-up: "Here is what I noticed about my brain this week."

That is the activity. Seven small noticings.

You do not have to be perfect. The Turtle is patient. Try again the next day.

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Vocabulary Review

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Chapter Review (for grown-up and child to talk about)

1. What is thinking? Can you give an example?
2. What is the difference between "inside" things and "outside" things?
3. Can you name five feeling words?
4. The Turtle says "feelings come and go like clouds." What does that mean?
5. What is the slow-breath tool?
6. Why is asking for help brave?
7. Can you name your trusted grown-ups?
8. What is 911 for?

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Instructor's Guide

Important: this Instructor's Guide carries load-bearing parent-education work — the G1 'Notice' theme guidance for brain content, continued parent-only crisis resources (988, Crisis Text Line, SAMHSA, NA Eating Disorders), 911-in-body framing reinforcement, neurodiversity-inclusion guidance, slow-breath practice support, and pre-conversation guidance.

Pacing recommendations

This G1 Brain chapter is the SECOND chapter of the G1 cycle. Third in the Turtle's K-12 spiral. Three lessons (G1 transition pattern). Spans six to eight class periods or read-aloud sessions of ~15-25 minutes each.

• Lesson 1.1 (Notice Your Thinking): two to three sessions. Introduces noticing thinking. Inside/outside distinction. All thoughts are okay. Sit-quietly-and-notice tool.
• Lesson 1.2 (Notice Your Feelings): two to three sessions. Expanded feelings vocabulary (10 words at G1 vs 5 at K). Feelings come and go (the clouds metaphor). Slow-breath practice preserved from K. Tell-a-grown-up for really big feelings.
• Lesson 1.3 (Notice Your Brain and Trusted Grown-Ups): two to three sessions. Different brains, different ways. Asking for help is brave. Naming trusted grown-ups. Counselors introduced. Light 911 reminder.

Approach to reading

Practice the slow-breath tool during reading. Practice the sit-quietly tool during reading. G1 kids often love acting out the "feelings come and go like clouds" framing — let them.

Make the trusted-grown-up naming concrete. Have your child say their trusted grown-ups out loud. Write them down somewhere.

Lesson check answers (for grown-up reference)

Lesson 1.1

1. Thinking = what your brain does when it works on something.
2. Open-ended. Inside: a thought, a feeling, a memory. Outside: the room, a person, a tree.
3. All thoughts are okay because having a thought is different from doing something. Thoughts come on their own. They are not bad.
4. Open-ended. Encourage the child to share what they noticed.

Lesson 1.2

1. Open-ended. Five from chapter: happy, sad, scared, mad, calm, excited, worried, frustrated, surprised, embarrassed, proud, lonely, curious, bored, grateful.
2. Feelings do not last all day. They come for a while. They go. They move like clouds.
3. Three slow breaths with a trusted grown-up (or alone). Used when a feeling is big or hard.
4. Tell a trusted grown-up.

Lesson 1.3

1. No. Different brains work in different ways. That matters because all kinds of brains are good — different is not wrong.
2. Because some kids think asking means they are not smart or strong. That is not true. The bravest kids ask.
3. Open-ended. Encourage actual names.
4. A grown-up trained to help kids with hard feelings.
5. Real emergencies — someone very hurt, very sick, not breathing, in real danger.

Chapter review answer key

1. Thinking is what the brain does when it works on something. Examples: solving a problem, deciding, remembering, wondering.
2. Inside: in your brain (thoughts, feelings, memories). Outside: in the world (room, people, things).
3. Sample five from chapter list.
4. Feelings move like clouds. They come for a while, then they go. They do not last forever.
5. Three slow breaths, in through nose, out slowly, with a trusted grown-up if possible.
6. Because it requires being honest about needing help, which takes courage. Asking is not weakness — it is bravery.
7. Open-ended. Make the kid say actual names.
8. Real emergencies. Grown-ups make the call usually; kids can call directly with prior teaching when no grown-up is around.

Pre-Chapter Conversation for Parents

Before reading the chapter together:

• The Turtle returns. "Remember the Turtle from kindergarten? The Turtle taught about your brain. The Turtle is back."
• Notice your brain. "This year the Turtle wants you to notice your brain. Notice your thoughts. Notice your feelings. Notice your remembering."
• Slow breath. "Remember the slow-breath tool? Let's try one together before we read."
• Trusted grown-ups. "We'll talk about your trusted grown-ups in this chapter. Be thinking about who your trusted grown-ups are."

What This Chapter Introduces (kid-facing)

• The G1 "Notice" theme applied to brain content
• Noticing thinking as a skill
• Inside (in your brain) vs outside (in the world) distinction
• All thoughts are okay (parallel to K's "all feelings are okay")
• A sit-quietly-and-notice tool
• Expanded feelings vocabulary (10 words at G1)
• Feelings come and go (the clouds metaphor)
• Slow-breath practice preserved from K
• Different brains, different ways (neurodiversity expanded)
• "Asking for help is brave"
• Naming trusted grown-ups (concrete identification)
• Counselors introduced as one kind of helping grown-up
• Light 911 reminder (the framing was introduced at G1 Food)

What This Chapter Does NOT Teach (parent-only awareness)

• Anatomical brain parts (G4 functional, G6+ technical)
• Clinical mental-health diagnostic terms (G5+ territory; at K-G2, neurodiversity is positively framed without naming specific conditions kid-facing)
• Stuck-feeling patterns or persistent mental-health patterns (G5+ territory)
• Detailed brain biology
• Specific therapy modalities (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, etc.)
• Self-harm, suicide, or psychiatric crisis content at kid-facing level (parent-only)
• 988 / Crisis Text Line / SAMHSA / National Alliance for Eating Disorders in kid-facing body (parent-only at K-G2)
• Adult-marketed brain-optimization protocols (parent-only at K-2)
• Trauma-specific content (parent-only at K-2; specialized child psychology if needed)
• Pandemic-era topics
• Branded protocols or contemporary popularizers

Mental Health Vigilance at G1 (Parent Guidance)

Most G1 kids (ages 6-7) are still in the pre-vulnerability window for mental-health conditions that emerge more clearly in pre-adolescence. Mental-health vigilance at G1 remains light-touch but slightly more substantive than at K because G1 kids are starting to encounter more social-emotional complexity at school (friend dynamics, academic stress, more independent social navigation).

Signs that warrant a pediatrician conversation at G1:

• Persistent sadness or withdrawal lasting more than 2-3 weeks
• Significant anxiety that disrupts school or daily activities
• Sudden behavior changes (aggression, regression, severe withdrawal)
• Significant sleep changes lasting weeks
• Significant appetite changes lasting weeks
• Skill regression (toileting, language) without obvious cause
• Talking about wanting to die or hurt themselves (rare at G1; take seriously if it happens)
• School refusal that lasts more than a few days
• Frequent physical complaints (tummy aches, headaches) without clear cause

Early support helps. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mental-health screening at well-child visits beginning at age 4.

Counselor Introduction at G1 (Parent Guidance)

G1 introduces counselor as kid vocabulary. Some kids in your child's class may already see counselors. Some may not. Normalizing this:

• Counselors are normal helpers — not "for sick kids"
• School counselors are part of many schools
• Family-decision: some kids see counselors regularly; some don't
• If your child wants to talk to a counselor, support that conversation
• If you think your child needs a counselor, talk to your pediatrician for referral

The chapter framing supports kids who already see counselors and supports kids who never have. Both are normal.

Neurodiversity Inclusion at G1 (Parent Guidance)

K Brain introduced neurodiversity through "all brains are good brains." G1 Brain deepens with "different brains work in different ways" plus an extended list of differences (fast/slow learning, talking/quiet, loud/quiet preferences, etc.).

The chapter explicitly does NOT name specific conditions (autism, ADHD, dyslexia) in kid-facing body content — that naming appears at Grade 5. At G1, the framing is positive and descriptive ("some kids learn slower; that is fine — slow learning is real learning").

Kids in your child's class likely include:

• Autistic kids (about 1 in 36 US kids)
• Kids with ADHD (about 1 in 10)
• Kids with sensory processing differences
• Kids with learning differences
• Gifted kids
• Quiet introverts and loud extroverts

The chapter's "be curious, not unkind" framing supports kids whose friends differ from them and supports neurodiverse kids who see themselves reflected positively.

911 in Body Content at G1 (Parent Guidance)

G1 Brain includes a LIGHT 911 reminder — the framing was load-bearing at G1 Food (the first G1 chapter to introduce 911 in body). At G1 Brain, the chapter assumes the kid has read G1 Food first; the 911 reminder is brief.

If your child is reading G1 Brain without having read G1 Food yet, please ensure:

• They know 911 is for real emergencies
• They know to tell a trusted grown-up first
• They know to call directly only in a real emergency if no grown-up is around (with prior teaching)
• They know your home address

See the G1 Food Instructor's Guide for full 911-parent-teaching guidance.

Crisis Resources (parent reference — 988 etc. parent-only at K-G2)

For parents:

• 911 — emergencies. NOW in kid-facing body content at G1.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988. Parent-only at K-G2. Operational and verified May 2026.
• Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741. Parent-only at K-G2.
• SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357. Parent-only at K-G2.
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders — (866) 662-1235. Parent-only at K-G2.

The older NEDA helpline number 1-800-931-2237 is NO LONGER WORKING. Use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders number above instead.

What Parents Should Know About Adult-Marketed Wellness Practices

Same as K. Adult-marketed brain-optimization protocols (and the broader Wim Hof / Huberman / contemporary popularizer space) are NOT appropriate for G1 kids. At K-2, this firewall is held entirely at parent level. The Library teaches the general healthy framework without prescribing or naming any specific adult-marketed protocol.

Discussion Prompts

1. What did your brain think about today?
2. What is a feeling you had this week?
3. Can you name your trusted grown-ups?
4. Do you know any kids whose brains work differently than yours?
5. Have you ever taken slow breaths to feel better? When?
6. Have you ever asked for help with something hard? What was it like?

Common Kid Questions

1. "What if I have a thought that is mean?" — Having a mean thought is not the same as doing something mean. All thoughts are okay. If a mean thought keeps coming, talk to a trusted grown-up about it.

2. "What if my friend has a different brain than me?" — Be curious. Ask them about their way. Be a good friend. Different brains are not wrong brains.

3. "What if I cannot stop thinking about something?" — That happens to many kids. Try slow breath. Try going outside (the Lion). Try sleep (the Cat). If the thinking stays stuck, tell a trusted grown-up.

4. "What if I do not have a trusted grown-up?" — Tell a safe grown-up that you need to find one. Teachers, school nurses, school counselors are all safe grown-ups who can help.

5. "What if I need a counselor?" — Tell a trusted grown-up. They can arrange one. Counselors are normal helpers.

6. "What if I feel sad for a long time?" — Tell a trusted grown-up. Long sad feelings are something grown-ups want to know about. They will help.

7. "What if my brain feels really tired all the time?" — Tell a trusted grown-up. They will help figure out what is going on. Sometimes tired brains need more sleep (the Cat). Sometimes they need a doctor's check. Grown-ups handle it.

Family Activity Suggestions

• A daily feelings check-in. At dinner or bedtime, each family member shares one feeling they had today and why. Builds emotional vocabulary.
• A "trusted grown-ups list" on the fridge. Together, write down all the trusted grown-ups in your child's life. Hang the list somewhere visible.
• The sit-and-notice ritual. Try the sit-quietly-and-notice tool together for a few seconds before a meal or at bedtime.
• Slow-breath practice. Three slow breaths together once a day at the same time.
• Counselor conversation. If your school has a counselor, point them out to your child. Make sure your child knows they can talk to that counselor any time.

Founder Review Notes — Safety-Critical Content Protocol

This chapter is flagged founder_review_required: true because it covers safety-critical content categories appropriate for the Grade 1 age:

• Age-appropriate health messaging. FK 1-2 register. No technical brain vocabulary. No clinical mental-health labels. All language calibrated for G1.
• Mental health vigilance (light-touch at G1). Feelings normalized and expanded. All-thoughts-are-okay framing. Big-feelings-call-for-grown-up routing. Counselors introduced as normal helpers. No stuck-feeling pattern teaching at G1 (G5+ territory).
• Body image vigilance. "All brains are good brains" carryforward; "different brains work in different ways" new at G1. No comparison framing.
• Neurodiversity inclusion (load-bearing at G1). Different ways of learning, sensing, being explicitly welcomed. Positive descriptive language. No condition naming kid-facing.
• Crisis resources. 911 in body at G1 (light reminder; primary teaching was at G1 Food). 988 / Crisis Text Line / SAMHSA / NA Eating Disorders parent-only at K-G2. NEDA non-functional flag preserved.
• Parent education (load-bearing). This Guide handles G1 "Notice" theme guidance for brain content, neurodiversity-inclusion guidance, counselor-introduction guidance, mental-health vigilance for G1, adult-marketed-wellness firewall, common kid questions.

Cycle Position Notes

SECOND chapter of the G1 cycle. Third chapter in the Turtle's K-12 spiral (after K Brain). The Turtle's G1 chapter introduces noticing-brain-and-feelings as the G1 deepening. The G1 cycle continues with Sleep (Cat), Move (Lion), Cold (Penguin), Hot (Camel), Breath (Dolphin), Light (Rooster), and closes with Water (Elephant) — same nine-coach order as K, G3, G4, G5.

Parent Communication Template (send home before reading)

Dear families,

This week our classroom is meeting the Turtle again — the second G1 chapter. The chapter is called Notice Your Brain. Your child met the Turtle in kindergarten; this year the Turtle deepens that introduction through the G1 "Notice" theme.

The Turtle's G1 chapter teaches:

• Noticing thinking (inside vs outside; all thoughts are okay)
• Expanded feelings vocabulary (10 feeling words at G1 vs 5 at K)
• "Feelings come and go" (the clouds metaphor)
• Slow-breath practice (preserved from K)
• Different brains, different ways (neurodiversity inclusion)
• Asking for help is brave
• Naming trusted grown-ups (concrete identification)
• Counselors introduced as normal helpers
• Light 911 reminder

The chapter does NOT introduce clinical mental-health diagnoses or stuck-feeling patterns — those appear at Grade 5 at age-appropriate framing. At G1, mental-health vigilance remains light-touch.

988, Crisis Text Line, SAMHSA, and National Alliance for Eating Disorders are NOT introduced to kids at G1 — those remain parent-only through G2. The full crisis-resource framework appears at G3+. 911 was introduced at G1 Food; this chapter reminds the kid lightly.

At home, you can:

• Read the chapter (let your child read parts if they can)
• Make a trusted-grown-ups list together for the fridge
• Practice the sit-quietly-and-notice tool together
• Practice three slow breaths together daily
• If your school has a counselor, point them out to your child

If you have any concerns about your child's mental health, please contact your pediatrician. AAP Bright Futures includes mental-health screening at well-child visits.

Thank you for reading the Library with your child.

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Illustration Briefs

Chapter Introduction

• G1 child in a thoughtful moment with the Turtle. A child (visibly slightly older than the K kid) sitting quietly in a cozy spot — window nook with soft blanket. Thoughtful expression. The Turtle on a small cushion beside the child. Gentle morning or afternoon scene outside. Mood: peaceful, thoughtful, slightly grown-up.

Lesson 1.1

• Brain thinking right now. Child at small desk with thought bubbles showing different thoughts (math, friend memory, snack, stuck song). The Turtle beside. Caption: "Your brain is thinking right now."
• Inside vs outside. Child at school desk with "outside things" labeled around (teacher, classmates, desk, book) and "inside things" in thought-cloud above (dog memory, lunch thought, friend feeling). The Turtle nearby. Caption: "Some things are outside. Some things are inside. Both at once."
• All thoughts are okay grid. Diverse kids with different thought bubbles (happy memory, silly cat-talking, curious bird, sad missing-someone, confused-feeling). All thoughtful, not distressed. The Turtle center. Caption: "All thoughts are okay. Having a thought is not doing something."
• Sit-and-notice tool. Child on floor cushion eyes softly closed taking slow breath. Trusted grown-up beside in same posture. The Turtle on rug in front. Soft wavy breath lines. Caption: "Sit. Notice. Breathe. That is the tool."

Lesson 1.2

• Feelings grid. Friendly grid of diverse kids with different facial expressions for each feeling word — happy, sad, scared, mad, calm, excited, worried, frustrated, surprised, embarrassed, proud, lonely, curious, bored, grateful. Each labeled. The Turtle in the center. Caption: "More feelings to notice and name."
• Feelings like clouds. Child lying on grass looking up at sky with differently shaped clouds, each gently labeled with a feeling word. Clouds moving across sky. The Turtle in the grass beside. Mood: peaceful, philosophical. Caption: "Feelings come and go. Like clouds."
• Three slow breaths during big feeling. Child taking three slow breaths during a moment of big feeling (could be before going onstage, before test, before meeting new person). Eyes softly closed. Trusted grown-up nearby. The Turtle foreground. Dolphin small inset top. Soft wavy breath lines. Caption: "Three slow breaths. With a grown-up if you can."
• When feeling is really big. Child sitting close to trusted grown-up. Grown-up arm around child. Child has worried expression but calm because grown-up there. The Turtle in background. Caption: "When a feeling is really big, tell a trusted grown-up. You are not alone."

Lesson 1.3

• Different brains diversity. Diverse group of kids in classroom or playground setting, each in different activity — reading carefully, drawing animated, sensory chair with headphones, chatting, quiet puzzle, mobility supports, wheelchair, glasses, looking out window thoughtfully. All engaged and content. The Turtle in foreground. Caption: "Different brains, different ways. All good."
• Asking for help. Child at school approaching teacher or school counselor with slightly worried face. Grown-up leaning down attentively. Another panel: kid at home asking parent for help. Both grown-ups present, listening. The Turtle in background of one, looking proud. Caption: "Asking for help is brave."
• Trusted grown-ups list. Child with small notebook writing/drawing names of trusted grown-ups. Parent helping. List shows several names with simple kid-style drawings next to each. The Turtle in background. Caption: "Name your trusted grown-ups. Out loud. Write them down."
• Counselor's office. School counselor's office or kid counseling space — comfy chair, soft cushions, small couch, gentle artwork. Kid sitting comfortably across from friendly counselor who is listening. The Turtle on a shelf or near window. Mood: safe, warm, ordinary. Caption: "Counselors are grown-ups trained to help with hard feelings."

Activity / Closing

• A week of brain noticing calendar. Calendar-style multi-panel showing the seven activity days each with small noticing image. The Turtle watching warmly. Caption: "A week of brain noticing."

Aspect ratios: 16:9 digital, 4:3 print. Diverse skin tones, body sizes, body types, hair textures, gender expressions, abilities (sensory tools, mobility supports, glasses, hearing aids), and family compositions throughout. Neurodiversity representation across illustrations. G1 kids visibly slightly older than K kids. The Turtle's character design carries forward from K and matches G3-G5.

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Citations

1. Foy JM, Green CM, Earls MF, et al. (2019). Mental health competencies for pediatric practice. Pediatrics, 144(5), e20192757. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2757
2. American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule. (2024). Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care, including mental-health screening at well-child visits. https://downloads.aap.org/AAP/PDF/periodicity_schedule.pdf
3. Stiles J, Jernigan TL. (2010). The basics of brain development. Neuropsychology Review, 20(4), 327-348. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-010-9148-4
4. Greenberg MT, Domitrovich CE, Weissberg RP, Durlak JA. (2017). Social and emotional learning as a public health approach to education. The Future of Children, 27(1), 13-32. https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.2017.0001
5. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2017). Three Early Childhood Development Principles to Improve Child-Family Outcomes. https://developingchild.harvard.edu/
6. Diamond A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135-168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750 (Cited for the G1 noticing-thinking and noticing-feelings developmental framework — executive function development is the underlying capacity that begins to emerge at G1.)
7. American School Counselor Association. (2024). The Role of the School Counselor. ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/About-School-Counseling/The-Role-of-the-School-Counselor (Cited for the parent-reference on counselors introduced as normal helpers in this chapter.)