21_ flow state 6-8

“You are flow.” —Charlene Belitz & Meg LundstrombBig Ideas For This Lesson Flow State & Peak Experiences At Home Resources Level: Middle School (6-8) Concepts: • Creativity • Engagement • Mindfulness • MotivationMost of us have had “peak experiences” or “flow states” when doing something we love - where timeand thoughts seem to disappear and we are fully and radically present in the moment. The joy weexperience in these moments seems to be a product of nothing more, and nothing less, than a briefrespite from our otherwise constant flow of thoughts.The flow experience has long been linked to increases in happiness, well-being, creativity, productivity,coping, and motivation. Writers, artists, composers, business executives, and even hobbyists and gar-deners all attribute some of their best work and most fulfilling moments to the flow experience.A peak experience is a moment of complete euphoria and mindfulness of the present moment thatusually results from being in the flow state. They can happen during challenging activities, like sportsor playing music, or they can happen in simple moments of being in nature, experiencing art, or beingwith close friends and family. These are the best moments of your life. Essential VocabularyEuphoria: A feeling of intense happiness, well-being, and confidence.Extrinsic Motivation: Engaging in an activity or behavior for external rewards or outcomes; doing something becauseyou want to earn rewards like recognition, money, praise, or grades.Flow experience: A state of optimal performance and complete focus that is characterized by “getting lost in the mo-ment.”Intrinsic Motivation: Engaging in an activity or behavior for internal rewards; doing something because you enjoy theactivity itself.Peak Experience: A moment of complete euphoria and mindfulness of the present moment that usually results frombeing in the flow state.© 2017 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 1 of 2 All rights reserved.

FLOW STATE & PEAK EXPERIENCES | GRADES 6-8 PracticeCreate an “activity list” with your student of engaging activities that are likely to result in a flow state or peak ex-perience. These activities can be as simple as coloring, reading, and walking at sunset or they can be more involvedlike taking a family vacation or going on a hike.When considering which activities to include, consider the following conditions necessary for entering flow: • There are clear goals every step of the way. • You receive immediate feedback on your actions. • You are challenged just beyond your comfort zone, but not beyond your skills (e.g., the task is difficult, but doable). • You are not worried about failure. • You are not distracted by anything else. • You enjoy the activity just for the sake of doing it.Engage in these activities as often as possible with your student and reflect on any experiences of flow. Student Resources• Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry (Grades 5 – 6)• Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Grades 7 – 10)• Ice Island by Sherry Shahan (Grades 4 – 7)• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (Grades 4 – 8)• Safekeeping by Karen Hesse (Grades 7+)• The River by Gary Paulsen (Grades 7+)• Wildlife by Cynthia DeFelice (Grades 3 – 7)• The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin W. Sandler (Grades 5+)• The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch (Grades 5 – 7)• The Plant Hunters: True Stories of Their Daring Adventures to the Far Corners of the Earth by Anita Silvey (Grades 3 – 7)Adult Resources• Bangor University (UK) Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice - Free Guided Meditations• UCSD Center on Mindfulness: Guided Audio Files to Practice Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction• The Art of Mindfulness for Children: Mindfulness exercises that will raise happier, confident, compassionate, and calmer children (Book) by Alisa Reddy• The Feeling Brain: The Biology and Psychology of Emotions (Book) by Elizabeth Johnston, D.Phil. & Leah Olson, Ph.D. © 2017 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 2 of 2 All rights reserved.