Interoception 301 Activity Guide

Activity guide
Interoception 301
Lean, C., Goodall, E., Leslie, M., Milanese, L., May, H., and Heays, D. (2019) Interoception Activity Guide
301, Department for Education, South Australia.
Interoception 301 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The legal code can be
viewed at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode
1 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

Contents
1. Foreword ........................................................................................................................ 5
2. Introduction to interoception ........................................................................................... 5
2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense ............................................................................. 5
2.2 What is interoception? ............................................................................................. 5
2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception ............................................................................ 5
2.4 Models of interoception for Department for Education sites ..................................... 6
2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching ........................................................... 6
2.6 What is an interoception activity? ............................................................................ 6
2.7 Structure of an interoception activity? ...................................................................... 7
2.8 Interoception research ............................................................................................. 7
3. 301 Advice 301 Advice ................................................................................................... 8
3.1 Muscles activities | Follow the leader ....................................................................... 9
3.2 Muscles activities | Spinal Twist............................................................................. 10
3.3 Muscles activities | Perfect Posture ....................................................................... 11
3.4 Muscles activities | Overhead Reach ..................................................................... 12
3.5 Muscles activities | Knee Pump ............................................................................. 13
3.6 Muscles activities | Wrist Stretch wings ................................................................. 14
3.7 Muscles activities | Seated Bicycle Crunch ............................................................ 16
3.8 Muscles activities | Leg Liftsknuckle cracker .......................................................... 17
3.9 Muscles activities | The plank ................................................................................ 18
3.10 Muscles activities | The star ................................................................................... 19
3.11 Muscles activities | The floss ................................................................................. 20

3.12 Muscles activities | Giraffe stretch ......................................................................... 21
3.13 Muscles activities | Rocking bug ............................................................................ 22
3.14 Muscles activities | Meerkat look-out ..................................................................... 23
3.15 Muscles activities | Row, row, row your boat .......................................................... 24
3.16 Breathing activities | Progressive muscle focus ..................................................... 25
3.17 Breathing activities | Emperor Penguin breathing boat .......................................... 26
3.18 Breathing activities | Rainbow breathing boat ........................................................ 27
3.19 Breathing activities | Balloon breathing boat .......................................................... 28
3.20 Breathing activities | Back to back breathing boat .................................................. 29
3.21 Breathing activities | 10 steps breathing boat ......................................................... 30
3.22 Pulse activities | Mountain climbers ....................................................................... 31
3.23 Pulse activities | Frog Squat Jump ......................................................................... 32
Heart rate interoception activities...................................................................................... 33
Heart rate interoception activities...................................................................................... 34
Autonomic Nervous System activities ............................................................................... 35
Connecting Curriculum ..................................................................................................... 38
Interoception Unit Plan ..................................................................................................... 39
Interoception Resoures .................................................................................................... 43
Week 1: Comprehension Task: ............................................................................................... 44

Interoception, the Mind and the Body .................................................................................... 44
Interoception and Self-Regulation .............................................................................................. 44
Week 2/3: Summative Task – Emotions Poster ...................................................................... 46
Week 2/3: Summative Task Rubric ......................................................................................... 47
Week 4: Ted ED Video ............................................................................................................. 48
Week 5: Sugar and your Emotions ......................................................................................... 49
Week 5: Summative Task Rubric ............................................................................................ 50
References ....................................................................................................................... 52
REVISION RECORD
Version Approved by Approved date Review date Amendments
V1.0 Dr Emma Goodall October 2019 October 2022 Guideline developed

1. Foreword
If you are new to Interoception and are only starting to implement the approach, please read Interoception
101 which is located on the Department for Education’s website.
The Interoception 101 Activity Guide will provide you with an in-depth theory of Interoception and
beginning exercises.
The Interoception 201 Activity Guide is to be used when you have exhausted the beginning activities and
are looking for new activities.
2. Introduction to interoception
2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense
1. Sight 5. Hearing
2. Smell 6. Proprioception
3. Taste 7. Vestibular
4. Touch 8. Interoception
2.2 What is interoception?

Interoceptive awareness can be broadly defined as the conscious perception of an internal bodily state,
for example, one’s heart beating and breathing. These senses are related to emotional experiences.
Awareness of both biological and emotional internal body cues are impacted in individuals who are
affected by trauma, including intergenerational trauma, and neurodevelopmental disabilities including
the autism spectrum (Schauder, Mash, Bryant, & Cascio, 2015, Mahler, 2016).
2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception

 To help children/students connect to and learn to understand their own bodies and emotions.
 It is a pre‐requisite skill for self‐management and self‐regulation. It provides children/students
with the tools to know when they are developing emotional reactions and the skills to be in
control of those reactions.
 Without interoception, social skills are just the application of rules and not a meaningful way of
interacting – it enables students to develop a sense of belonging.
 Classrooms where interoception is being taught have decreasing behavioural challenges over
the school year and those where it is not have static or increasing behavioural challenges
(school wide behaviour reporting analysis)

2.4 Models of interoception for Department for Education sites
Please note that interoception is a complement to quality differentiated teaching and does not replace
this.
1. In class teaching for individual classes
2. In class teaching across whole school
3. In class teaching across whole school with specific groups of intensive interoception
4. In class teaching across whole school plus use of an interoception room
2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching

(These do not require any additional resourcing as they are implemented as part of quality
differentiated teaching practice)
 Two to three short sessions a day, each session covering one or two interoception activities.
Activities are done twice. After the first time students are asked where they felt the difference
or what they felt. They are then guided where/what to feel and asked to focus on that for the
second time the activity is done. Sessions are most beneficial after breaks, so 2/3 of first thing
in the morning, after recess, after lunch.
 Multiple short sessions a day, each session covering one or two interoception activities.
Activities are done twice. After the first time students are asked where they felt the difference
or what they felt. They are then guided where/what to feel and asked to focus on that for the
second time the activity is done. Sessions are after every transition and/or whenever the
students require refocusing.
 One or two long sessions a day, each session lasting 15-20 minutes. Usually chosen for use in
specific classrooms where children/students arrive dysregulated and struggle all day.
Interoception activities are presented as a sequence of movements and actions with directions
to focus on specific muscles or other aspects of interoceptive awareness.
2.6 What is an interoception activity?

An interoceptive activity focuses on creating and noticing a change in some aspect of one’s internal
self, such as muscular system, breathing, temperature, pulse or touch. People with atypical
Interoception are not able to identify the physiological changes that signal mood changes or bodily self ‐
regulation needs. Interoception activities teach us to connect with these.

2.7 Structure of an interoception activity?
An interoception activity focuses on a particular part of the body for at least 30 seconds.
 It enables a change to occur in one’s body state while labelling the movement and part of the
body involved (e.g. toes, stretch and curl up or curl under)
 Repeat the same activity for a second time
 The individual is encouraged to identify a change in their body state (e.g. hot‐cold, soft‐hard,
stretch‐relax) and where they felt that change (arch or ball of foot, on top).
2.8 Interoception research

Department for Education research indicates that the act of interoception - noticing aspects of one’s
body:
Within 8-10 weeks
 Decreases heart rate during the interoception activity

 Decreases externalising challenging behaviours
 Increases engagement in learning
 Increases prosocial behaviours—kindness, helpfulness, connections to others
Over 16+ weeks
 Decrease stress
 Can help manage anxiety
 Promotes caring and empathy

3. 301 Advice 301 Advice
Be relatable – share your experiences with body signals and emotions.
Share examples –
 “when I feel anxious I feel my heart beating faster, I sometimes sweat and I get a dry mouth”
 “when I feel angry I feel my fists clenching so then I focus on where I can feel it and I stop focussing on what
is making me angry”
Promote discussion –
 What did you have for breakfast?

 What did you do at recess?
 What did you do on the weekend?
Noticing for the student –
 I can see that you are getting “hangry” because you haven’t eaten and you are using a tone of voice that
sounds grumpy
 I can see that you are getting frustrated because you have started tapping you knee
Suggest strategies –
 Would you like to go for a walk to reset your calm?

 Would you like to use an interoception activity to interrupt your train of thought?
 Would you like to listen to some music to reset your calm?
Replace existing ‘withdrawal rooms’ to create an Interoception space:
 Explain the purpose of the space to both teachers and students – “this is an opportunity for you to reset to
calm”
 Skilled staff to discuss with students after they have been given the opportunity to reset their calm – allow
the student sufficient amount of time – however long it takes – understand there is nothing to be learned
until the child / student is calm
 Structured process –
o When the student has reset their calm – explicitly teach an area of the Regulation Scales OR
o Complete an Understanding Behaviour Template OR
o Take the time to have discussions with the students – share services available on the neurodiversity
page OR
o Complete a Health Support Plan suited to the individual – with the individual – “Nothing about me
without me” – e.g. Interoception Support Plan, Emotional Wellbeing Plan, Wellness, Stress &
Distress Questionnaire

Interoception activity
3.1 Muscles activities | Follow the leader
Follow the leader

Find a partner to work with.
Hold both of your left pointer fingers up and press your pointer finger against your
partner’s finger. Choose one of you to be the leader.
The leader will move the pointer finger around, the other partner needs to follow the
leader’s finger and try to stay connected.
Which body part did you feel when we were completing that activity?
Now switch roles, the other person will now be the leader.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time the new leader will control the
direction of the fingers.
Now join both of your pointer fingers together, each person will lead a finger each.
This time we are going to focus on the pressure between our fingers as we try to stay
connected.
What did you notice about the pressure between your fingers?

3.2 Muscles activities | Spinal Twist
Spinal Twist
In a seated position, ensure your feet are placed on the ground and you sit up straight.
Place both of your hands to the right side of your chair.
Gently rotate your torso to the right.
Only twist as far as you feel comfortable and keep your back straight while your hips
square.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Where did you feel it in your body when we held that stretch?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our back
muscles.
How did your back muscles feel while holding that stretch?

3.3 Muscles activities | Perfect Posture
Perfect Posture
Pull your shoulders backwards and hold that stretch for 30 seconds.
Where did you feel it in your body when we were stretching?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our
shoulder blades.
How did your shoulder blades feel while completing that stretch?

3.4 Muscles activities | Overhead Reach
Overhead Reach
Extend each arm overhead.
Reach to the opposite side.
Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Where did you feel it in your body when we were completing the stretch?
We are going to repeat the activity again on the other side, but this time we are going to
focus on our shoulder muscles.
How did your shoulder muscles feel while completing that stretch?

3.5 Muscles activities | Knee Pump
The Toe Toucher

Stretch your legs out straight.
Reach your arms out straight and extend your arms to your toes.
Where did you feel it in your body when we were stretching?
hamstrings.
How did your hamstrings feel while completing that stretch?

3.6 Muscles activities | Wrist Stretch wings
Knee Pump
In a seated position, place your feet on the ground and sit up straight.
Cross your leg with your ankle placed on your knee.
Gently push down on your knee, as your pushing down on your knee remember to exhale
slowly.
Where did you feel it in your body when we pushed down on our knees?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our inner
thigh muscles.
How did your inner thigh muscles feel while holding that stretch?

3.7 Muscles activities | Seated Bicycle Crunch
Wrist stretch
Press your palms together in front of your chest and hold for 15 seconds.
Where did you feel it in your body when we were holding this stretch?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to push the backs of
your hands together for a reverse stretch and hold for another 15 seconds
How did your wrists feel while holding that stretch?

3.8 Muscles activities | Leg Liftsknuckle cracker
Seated Bicycle Crunch

Sit in your chair with your feet flat on the floor.
Position your hands behind your head and lift one knee towards the opposite elbow,
twisting your body down towards it, then return to the seated straight-back position. Then
continue to switch sides.
Where did you feel it in your body?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our core
muscles.
How did your core muscles feel while holding that stretch?

3.9 Muscles activities | The plank
Leg Lifts
Start by sitting up straight in a chair.
Place your hands either side of your chair to help balance your body.
Slowly lift one of your legs off the ground and hold it in mid-air.
Repeat with the other leg.
For more of a challenge, we are going to see if we can lift both legs off the ground at the
same time and hold both legs up.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our core
muscles.
How did your core muscles feel while holding that stretch?

3.10 Muscles activities | The star
Arm Circles
Stand tall and pull your shoulders back.
Put your arms out straight, hold them up at shoulder height.
Start to make mini circles in the air with your arms.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our bicep
muscles
How did your bicep muscles feel while completing the activity?

3.11 Muscles activities | The floss
Hand Press
Start by placing your hands on a table, resting upwards on your pinkie fingers.
Press down on the side of your hands.
Now with your hands still resting on the table, spread open your fingers wide.
Now try to press down on the side of your hands with your fingers still spread out open
wide.
Where did you feel it now in your hands when you had your fingers spread out wide?
Was there a difference compared to having your fingers closed when we pushed down?

3.12 Muscles activities | Giraffe stretch
Interhemispheric Switching
Start by sitting tall in your chair.
Extend your right arm all the way up to the ceiling.
Straighten your left leg out and raise it up as you bring your right arm down and try and
not touch your left foot.
Do 8-10 on each side.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our arm
muscles.
How did your arm muscles feel while doing the activity?

3.13 Muscles activities | Rocking bug
Side Leg Swing

Find your own space in the room, stand up tall and put your hands on your hips.
Swing your leg out wide to the side – out and in.
Switch legs and continue to repeat swinging each leg in and out.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our hip
muscles.
Where did you notice it this time when we focused on our hip muscles?

3.14 Muscles activities | Meerkat look-out
Tricep Dips
For this activity you will need a stationary chair.
Scoot to the front of the chair and place your hands facing forward to the edge of the
chair. Bend your elbows straight back and lower your body straight down.
Keep your back at close to the chair as possible.
Then straighten your arms to rise back to the starting position.
Where can you feel it in your body?
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our tricep
muscles.
What could you notice about your tricep muscles?

3.15 Muscles activities | Row, row, row your boat
Chair Squats
For this activity you will need a stationary chair.
Stand up tall and have your feet hip width apart.
Bend your knees and squat down just above the seat, without sitting down entirely.
Push your body upwards and straighten your legs to stand up straight.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our thigh
muscles
How did your thigh muscles feel while moving?

3.16 Breathing activities | Progressive muscle focus
Lunges
Start by standing up tall.
With one leg in front of the other, gently lower the knee of your back leg down towards the
ground.
Repeat 10 times on each leg.
hamstring muscles.
What did you notice in your body after focusing on your hamstring muscles?

3.17 Breathing activities | Emperor Penguin breathing boat
Hamstring Stretch
Start by finding a spare space of wall and ensure that your heels are against the wall.
Push your back against the wall.
Keep your legs straight and bend from the hips with straight arms.
Try to touch your toes without bending your knees.
hamstring muscles
What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your hamstring muscles?

3.18 Breathing activities | Rainbow breathing boat
Nostril breathing
Sit in a comfortable position.
Place your left hand on your left knee.
Lift your right hand up towards your nose.
Exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril.
Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers.
Open the right nostril and exhale through this side.
Inhale through the right nostril and then close this nostril.
Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our deep
inhales and exhales through our nose.
What change did you notice in your body after focusing on your breathing?

3.19 Breathing activities | Balloon breathing boat
Infinity breathing
Start by sitting in a chair.
With your index finger, start to trace an infinity symbol on your table.
Start in the middle, go up to the left and trace the left part of the infinity symbol while
breathing in through your nose.
When you get back to the middle of the 8 again, breathe out through your mouth while
you trace the right part of your infinity symbol.
breathing in through our nose and out through our mouth.
BREATHE OUT
BREATHE IN

3.20 Breathing activities | Back to back breathing boat
8-4-7 breathing
Find a comfortable position.
Exhale deeply through the mouth for 8 seconds.
Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds.
Hold breath in for 7 seconds.
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on our deep
breaths in through our nose and out through our mouths.

3.21 Breathing activities | 10 steps breathing boat
Single Leg Lift

Find a space in the room and stand tall.
Stare at a focal point on the floor in front of you and slowly lower your torso to the ground
while lifting your left leg behind you.
Keep your spine straight and reach hands to the floor.
Repeat with the other leg.
hamstring muscles.

3.22 Pulse activities | Mountain climbers
One Legged Squat

Stand on one leg with the other leg held straight out in front of you.
Slowly lower into a squat position keeping the airborne leg straight.
Once you’ve reached the squat position, pause for a second and then push back up by
driving through your heel.
You may need to hold your arms out straight in front of you to help you balance.
hamstring muscles.

3.23 Pulse activities | Frog Squat Jump
Feet Squish
Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet placed on the ground.
With your feet on the ground, raise your toes upwards.
Try and spread your toes apart.
Lower your toes to the ground – see if you can try to keep your toes open!
We are going to repeat the activity again, but this time we are going to focus on the webs
of your toes
What change did you notice in your body after focusing on the webs of your toes?

Interoception Resources
Heart rate interoception activities
These activities can either be completed using a smart watch, pulse oximeter or by manually taking your pulse. For
manual readings you will require a watch or timer or a phone to use as a timer. Some phones can also record your
pulse.
Time of Activity immediately prior to Pulse rate Estimated

day taking pulse (beats per zone of
minute) regulation
My heart rate/pulse

Heart rate interoception activities
What can you do to increase your heart rate by more than five beats per minute?
What can you do to decrease your heart rate by more than five beats per minute?
When you notice your heart beating, can you accurately tell how fast/hard it is beating?
If not, are you assuming your heart rate is faster or slower than it really is?
What can you do to remind yourself to check the accuracy of your heart rate assumptions?
When you think you are heading towards sympathetic nervous system overload, how does your pulse feel on your
wrist?
If you do one – two minutes of interoception activities, can you not only lower your heart rate but change the
feeling of your pulse in your wrist? YES/NO/MAYBE/SOMETIMES
What interoception activities did you do?
How did it change?
Is this different if you do a different interoception activity?

Autonomic Nervous System activities
When you are in your parasympathetic nervous system dominant zone, where are you usually (location), and who
with, and doing what?
What can you control in your life when you are in your parasympathetic nervous system dominant zone?
When you are in a sympathetic nervous system dominant zone, what can you control in your life?
What about when you are heading into sympathetic nervous system overload, what can you control then?

Respiration rate (rate of breathing)
Your respiration rate is the number of breaths you take per minute. The
rate is usually measured when sitting down or lying at rest by
counting how many times the chest rises, as it rises with each intake of
breath, and falls with each exhalation. Respiration rates may increase with
fever, illness, and other medical conditions. Normal respiratory rates for children in breaths per minute are as follows:
 birth to 1 year: 30 to 60
 1 to 3 years: 24 to 40
 3 to 6 years: 22 to 34
 6 to 12 years: 18 to 30
 12 to 18 years: 12 to 16
You can measure your own respiration rate by lying or sitting with your hand just below your collar bone. Set the
timer for one minute and then count each time you feel your chest rise. To measure someone else’s respiration rate,
sit next to, or in front of them and simply observe the rise and fall of their chest and count for the duration of one
minute.
Time of Activity immediately prior to Respiration Estimated zone of

day measuring respiration (breaths per minute) regulation
My respiration rate

Respiration rate (rate of breathing)
Label the below:
How does asthma impact respiration?
How can you slow down respiration?
How can speed up respiration?
Why would you want to speed up or slow down respiration?

Connecting Curriculum
Physical Education/Health
 Teach heart rate by researching optimal heart rate for learning

 Year 8 Nutrition course – focus on types of food being eaten, sugar content, reading labels correctly, healthy
diets (what a diet looks like), deeper understanding of sugar in fruit – link with impact on emotions,
wellbeing, energy levels, ability to focus and concentrate
 Personal best tracking record
 Explicitly teach body language – e.g Power Pose
 Circadian rhythms – sleep patterns – explicitly teaching how sleep affects wellbeing, emotions
Maths/Science
 Nervous system – explicitly teaching the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
 Personal best tracking record – creating a maths data graph
 Before oral presentations: Explicitly teach body language – e.g Power Pose
Home Economics
 Incorporate into Food and You Unit –

o How sugar affects emotions
o Dehydration chart
o Food diaries – add a column for how do I feel?
o Use “My Fitness Pal” app to track calories / water intake / exercise / weight
 Explicit discussions around hunger – what does it feel like to be hungry? How do you know you’re not
dehydrated? Comfort eating – link it to anxiety and other emotions
English/Literacy
 English – be explicit about why they need to be able to regulate their emotions –link to adjectives –
describe myself and more explicitly describe how I feel
 Weave into learning intentions – today there might be an opportunity to speak aloud
 Knowledge, skills and understanding –interoception goal today is…… use this as an opportunity to
explicitly teach a strategy to manage emotions e.g. Power Pose
Visual Arts/Dance
 Flexibility program – incorporate personal best tracking record

 PD about public speaking – PVLEGS – Poise, Voice, Life, Eye contact, Gestures, Speed
 Performance – starting pose, ending pose – all sits in Poise
 Learning intentions – start of every lesson – not just dance – explicitly sharing the wh

Interoception Unit Plan
Title of Unit / Big Idea Interoception + Sugar = How it affects your emotions Year 8-9
Curriculum Area Food and Technology Time Frame 6 week unit
Developed By Louisa Milanese and Hannah May (Paralowie R-12 School)
Identify Desired Results

Content Descriptions:
Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS073) Students will…
- Research a variety of snacks and drinks that teenagers commonly consume in order
to understand their nutritional value
- Analyse food and nutrition labels
- Investigate how sugar affects your wellbeing (interoception)
Analyse factors that influence emotions, and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy Students will….
and sensitivity (ACPPS075)
- Gain understanding of the concept of interoception and the bodies physical
response in connection to their emotions
- Understand self - regulation and ways to respond
- Investigate personal / social choices in foods and how it can affect individuals
emotional response
Investigate the ways in which products, services and environments evolve locally, regionally Students will…
and globally and how competing factors including social, ethical and sustainability
considerations are prioritised in the development of technologies and designed solutions - Investigate the ways in which products evolve through advertising techniques
(Hidden sugars).
for preferred futures (ACTDEK029)
- Understand the social factors influencing our sugar intake.

Achievement Standards
Students will …
- Evaluate the impact on wellbeing, their own and others in connection to sugar intake
- Analyse factors (sugar) that influence emotional responses
- Investigate strategies (Self -Regulation) to enhance safety and wellbeing in connection to interoception
General Capabilities Cross-curriculum Priorities
Personal and Social – This will be achieved through students gaining a deeper understanding of their Sustainability (Technologies)
emotions and strategies to self-regulate.
The Australian Curriculum: Technologies enables consideration of preferred
Literacy – This will be achieved through students learning subject specific language (Tiered Language) futures. When students identify and critique a problem, need or opportunity;
including using strategies such as close reading tasks. generate ideas and concepts; and create solutions, they give prime
consideration to sustainability by anticipating and balancing economic,
Numeracy – This will be achieved through students understanding of how to read nutrition labels and environmental and social impacts.
refined sugar content in foods in regards to nutritional value.
This will be achieved through students gaining a deeper knowledge on the
effects of sugar on their wellbeing and how society and identity can contribute
to sugar intake. Students will have the opportunity to promote healthier eating
and the social impacts on sugar to their peers and the wider community.

Weekly overview
Week 1 Resource:
Formative Task: Interoception close Reading
Formative Task: Emotions VS physical Response Task
Introduction to Interoception Learning and understanding:
Interoception: Emotions and physical response
Tasks:
Feelings Check in (Beginning of every lesson)
Anxiety - Mindfulness activity (See Resources) End of every lesson.
Week 2 Resource:
Summative task: Emotions Poster
Learning and understanding:

Self-Regulation strategies in connection to chosen emotion
Tasks:
Feelings check in (Beginning of every lesson)
Angry - Mindfulness activity (See Resources) End of every lesson.
Resource:
Continue Emotions poster task
Week 3

Tasks:
Sad – Mindfulness activity (See Resources) End of every lesson.
Week 4 Resource:
Formative task: Ted Ed Video Comprehension
Learning and understanding:

Introduction to sugar and how it affects the brain The connection sugar has on emotions
Tasks:
Watch That Sugar Film
Hyperactive – Mindfulness activity (see Resources) End of every lesson
Week 5 Resource:
Formative task: Food and My emotions Diary
Summative task: Advertisement
Tasks:
Survey monkey on emotions and sugar
Nervous – Mindfulness activity (see Resources) End of every lesson
Week 6 Advertisement + poster DUE
Tasks:
Summarize food and my emotions diary: Whole class interactive task.
Teacher to create a table on the board with various emotion headings. Students to describe what foods they
ate when feeling that particular emotion.

Interoception Resoures
Feelings check in: Beginning of every lesson
This happens at the beginning of every lesson. Students use post it notes to express what emotion they are currently
feeling. You could then have a discussion about what are the body signals that students are noticing with each
emotion.
Mindfulness activities: End of every lesson
Anxiety: The rule of 3
- Name three things you see

- Name three sounds you hear
- Move three parts of your bod
This activity can help centre your mind and bring you back to the present moment.
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/ways-to-reduce-anxiety
Angry: Mentally Escape
- Teacher to find a landscape image and display on the board

- Students to visualize themselves in that image.
- Who would you be with?
- What would you be doing?
- What would you be wearing?
- What would the weather be like?
Sad: communication
Understanding the importance of talking about your feelings when you are sad and how the problem can be fixed.
Teacher to introduce websites and where to go for help.
Hyperactive: Bring it down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRkILioT_NA
Nervous: Breathe
Reach out Breathe App

https://au.reachout.com/tools-and-apps/reachout-breathe

Week 1: Comprehension Task:
Interoception, the Mind and the Body

Receptors in your muscles and joints tell you where your body
parts are. That’s the basis for your proprioceptive sense, which
makes you aware of where your body is in space. When you take
a step, for example, you know your foot is off the ground without
having to think about it. People with poor proprioception have
trouble with this.
Interoception is a similar concept. Just as there are receptors in

your muscles and joints, there are also receptors inside your
organs, including your skin. These receptors send information
about the inside of your body to your brain. This helps regulate
our vital functions like body temperature, hunger, thirst,
digestion and heart rate.
Interoception helps you understand and feel what’s going on

inside your body. For instance, you know if your heart is beating
fast or if you need to breathe more deeply. You’re able to tell if
you need to use the bathroom. You know if you’re hungry, full,
hot, cold, thirsty, nauseated, itchy or ticklish.
Interoception and Self-Regulation

Having trouble with this sense can also make self-regulation a challenge. When you’re able to tell that
you’re thirsty, you know to take a drink. When you can feel that your bladder is full, you know to use the
bathroom. When you feel a sense of frustration, you know to explain what’s troubling you.
Interoception and understanding how to self-regulate helps you to learn to respond to your physical and
emotional needs instead of reacting in a negative way.
Interoception can connect to mindfulness tasks including yoga, meditation and using your senses to
understanding your body’s needs.

Once you have read through and discussed the Close Reading fill in the following table. Think of words or sentences
that connect to how you mentally feel during these emotions and how you may physically feel during these
emotions.
Emotion Physically how do I feel? Mentally how do I feel? What can I do to regulate this emotion?
Happy
Excited
Silly
Nervous
Anxious
Sad
Tired
Irritated
Angry

Week 2/3: Summative Task – Emotions Poster

Subject: Food & Technology Topic: Interoception and Sugar
Name: Due Date
Purpose:
The purpose of this task is to research various emotions and how the body responds. Students will need to
investigate one specific emotion where they will then need to analyse different strategies to help regulate (self-
regulation) the emotion. This will be completed on a poster in order for other students to view the poster to help
support and regulate their emotions.
Format: Poster Word Count: 400
This assignment will be completed as a poster using ICT (Word/Power Point/Publisher/Canva) or, hand written.
Part 1: Emotion
You will firstly need to choose one of the following emotions for your research task:
Sad Angry Agitated Nervous Scared
Part 2: Research
Once you have chosen the emotion you must research and answer the following questions:
1. What is the emotion? Elaborate on the meaning of the

emotion.
2. What are the synonyms that connect to the emotion?
3. What is interoception? How does interoception help us to
understand our emotions?
4. What are the bodies physical reaction to the emotion?
Example: Angry the body can become overheated and heart
rate increases.
5. What is a mindful activity that can help lower the emotional
and physical response to this emotion? Include photo evidence
of how this activity can be completed. Example: Anxious
emotion, one can complete a sensory task.
Don’t forget!
Don’t forget to include a bibliography and to also draft your work for spelling and grammar corrections!
*****Make your poster engaging to ensure students will read and use your strategies for your chosen emotion****

Week 2/3: Summative Task Rubric
A B C D E
Excellent Good Satisfactory Some Unsatisfactory
understanding
An excellent A good A satisfactory Some understanding Unsatisfactory
understanding of understanding of understanding of of the specific understanding of
specific emotion specific emotion specific emotion emotion. Examples specific emotion
along with the along with the along with the are given with little along with the
bodies physical bodies physical bodies physical depth. bodies physical
response to this response to this response to this response to this
emotion giving a emotion giving a emotion giving an emotion with little
clear and concise clear example. example. to no examples
example. given.
Excellent use of Good use of mostly Satisfactory use of Some use of online Little use of reliable
reliable online reliable online online resources. resources. Little online resources.
resources ensuring resources ensuring Most language and language and Language and
language and language and information has information has information has not
information has information has been collated into been collated been collated
been collated been collated into own words. correctly into own correctly into own
correctly into own own words. Bibliography words. Partial words. No
words. Detailed Bibliography completed. bibliography bibliography
bibliography completed. completed. completed.
completed.
Extends their clear Has clear Has a satisfactory Some understanding Unsatisfactory
understanding of understanding of understanding of of the importance of understanding of
the importance of the importance of the importance of self-regulation. the importance of
self-regulation and self-regulation and self-regulation and Superficial / self-regulation. No
gives detailed strategies that can includes a strategy incomplete strategy strategy given to
strategies that can be used to respond to respond that can be used to respond positively to
be used to respond positively to specific positively to specific respond positively specific emotion.
positively to specific emotion. emotion. to specific emotion.
emotion.
Uses clear and Uses mostly clear Uses some clear and Needs improvement Uses little clear and
concise language and concise concise language in their language concise language
throughout language throughout throughout throughout
assessment throughout assessment assessment assessment
including correct assessment including correct including correct including correct
grammar, including correct grammar, grammar, grammar,
punctuation and grammar, punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and
spelling. punctuation and spelling. spelling. spelling.
spelling.

Week 4: Ted ED Video

Ted ED Video and Comprehension:
https://ed.ted.com/lessons/targetText=When%20you%20eat%20something%20loaded,and%20leaves%20y
ou%20craving%20more.

Week 5: Sugar and your Emotions

Subject: Food & Technology Topic: Sugar and your Emotions
Name: Due Date
Purpose:
The purpose of this task is to research the affect sugar has on our body and our emotions. Students will need to
create a persuasive advertisement for teens. This advertisement must include the negative response our body has to
sugar and healthier alternatives to eat instead of high-sugar content foods.
Format: A3 Advertisement Word Count: 400
This assignment will be completed as an A3 Advertisement using ICT (Word/Power Point/Publisher/Canva) or, hand
written.
Part 1: Research
You will firstly need to answer the following information for your advertisement to inform teens of the negatives of
sugar on their emotional and physical health.
1. What is sugar? What types of foods contain sugar?

2. What does hidden sugar mean? Give advice on how teens can check for sugar content in their foods
(nutritional label and how to read it).
3. Give an example of a food or drink with hidden sugar.
Include label and amount (grams) of hidden sugar.
4. How does the brain react to sugar? Discuss the ‘sugar
high’ and the low after consuming sugar.
5. Discuss emotional state if too much sugar is consumed.
Example; silly, agitated, memory loss, low concentration.
6. Discuss the physical effects sugar has on the body.
7. List types of food and dishes that are high in nutrition but
low in sugar that students would like. Examples; smoothie
bowls, fruit salads, home-made burgers, fresh juices.
This is an advert to promote healthy eating and make teens aware of sugar and its effect on the body. Ensure
you have a catchy slogan, images, and language targeted at teenage audience.
Don’t forget!
***Use reference to information you have used through the term including, That Sugar Film and Ted Ed Sugar and
the Brain*****
Don’t forget to include a bibliography and to also draft your work for spelling and grammar corrections!

Week 5: Summative Task Rubric

A B C D E
Excellent Good Satisfactory Some understanding Unsatisfactory
An excellent A good A satisfactory Some understanding Unsatisfactory
understanding of the understanding of the understanding of the of the bodies understanding of the
bodies physical and bodies physical and bodies physical and physical and bodies physical and
emotional response emotional response emotional response emotional response emotional response
to sugar. Student has to sugar. Students to sugar. Students to sugar. Students to sugar. Student has
given clear evidence have given evidence have given some have given little given no evidence of
of sugars effects and of sugars effects and evidence of sugars evidence of sugars sugars effects and
appropriate food appropriate food effects and effects and appropriate food
alternatives for alternatives for alternative food for appropriate food alternatives for
teens. teens. teens. alternatives for teens.
teens.
Excellent use of Good use of mostly Satisfactory use of Some use of online Little use of reliable
reliable online reliable online online resources. resources. Little online resources.
resources ensuring resources ensuring Most language and language and Language and
language and language and information has information has information has not
information has information has been collated into been collated been collated
been collated been collated into own words. correctly into own correctly into own
correctly into own own words. Bibliography words. Partial words. No
words. Detailed Bibliography completed. bibliography bibliography
bibliography completed. completed. completed.
completed.
Extends their Has good knowledge Has satisfactory Has some Has no
knowledge of the of the importance of knowledge of the understanding of the understanding of the
importance of a a balanced diet and importance of a importance of a importance of a
balanced diet and the hidden sugars balanced diet and balanced diet and balanced diet and
the hidden sugars found in food and the hidden sugars the hidden sugars the hidden sugars
found in food and drinks. Has good found in food and found in food and found in food and
drinks. Has a clear understanding of drinks. Has a found drinks. Has little drinks. Has partial
understanding of how to read and understanding of understanding of understanding of
how to correctly explain a nutritional how to read and how to read a how to read and use
read and explain a label to others. explain a nutritional nutritional label. a nutritional label.
nutritional label to label to others.
others.
Uses clear and Uses mostly clear Uses some clear and Needs improvement Uses little clear and
concise language and concise concise language in their language concise language
throughout language throughout throughout throughout throughout
assessment including assessment including assessment including assessment including assessment including
correct grammar, correct grammar, correct grammar, correct grammar, correct grammar,
punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and punctuation and
spelling. Evidence of spelling. Evidence of spelling. Evidence of spelling. Little spelling. Evidence of
persuasive language persuasive language some persuasive evidence of persuasive language
used correctly and to used connected to language used. persuasive language used correctly and to
the targeted the targeted used. the targeted
audience. audience. audience.

My Food - Emotions + Body Signals Diary
Day Hunger out Situation Body Signals/Feelings Food Hunger out Body Signals/Feelings
of 1/10 of 1/10
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

References
Barrett LF, Quigley KS, Hamilton P. 2016 An active inference theory of allostasis and interoception in
depression. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20160011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0011
Craig, A. D., & Craig, A. D. (2009). How do you feel--now? The anterior insula and human awareness.
Nature reviews neuroscience, 10(1). Doi: 10.1038/nrn2555
Critchley, H. D., & Garfinkel, S. N. (2017). Interoception and emotion. Current opinion in psychology,
17, 7-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.04.020
Davies, Catherine, Di Rodd, Kerry Parsons, and Emma Goodall. "The 8 th Sense: Interoception."
DECD, Adelaide
Fiacconi, C. M., Kouptsova, J. E., & Köhler, S. (2017). A role for visceral feedback and interoception in
feelings-of-knowing. Consciousness and cognition, 53, 70-80.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.06.001
Garfinkel, S. N., & Critchley, H. D. (2013). Interoception, emotion and brain: new insights link internal
physiology to social behaviour. Commentary on: “Anterior insular cortex mediates bodily sensibility and
social anxiety” by Terasawa et al.(2012). Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 8(3), 231-234.
Garfinkel, S. N., Tiley, C., O'Keeffe, S., Harrison, N. A., Seth, A. K., & Critchley, H. D. (2016).
Discrepancies between dimensions of interoception in autism: Implications for emotion and anxiety.
Biological psychology, 114, 117-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.12.003
Goodall, E. (2016). Interoception 101. DECD, Adelaide.
Mahler, K. J. (2016). Interoception: The Eighth Sensory System: Practical Solutions for Improving Self-
Regulation, Self-Awareness and Social Understanding of Individuals With Autism Spectrum and
Related Disorders. AAPC Publishing.
Mehling, W. E., Chesney, M. A., Metzler, T. J., Goldstein, L. A., Maguen, S., Geronimo, C., ... &
Neylan, T. C. (2018). A 12‐week integrative exercise program improves self‐reported mindfulness and
interoceptive awareness in war veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of clinical
psychology, 74(4), 554-565. DOI: 10.1002/jclp.22549
Shah, P., Catmur, C., & Bird, G. (2017). From heart to mind: linking interoception, emotion, and theory
of mind. Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior, 93, 220.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2017.02.010
Shah, P. (2016). Interoception: the eighth sensory system: practical solutions for improving self-
regulation, self-awareness and social understanding of individuals with autism spectrum and related
disorders. J Autism Dev Disord (2016) 46: 3193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2848-8
Tsakiris M, Critchley H. 2016 Interoception beyond homeostasis:affect, cognition and mental health.
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20160002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0002
Weiss, C., Tsakiris, M., Haggard, P., & Schütz-Bosbach, S. (2014). Agency in the sensorimotor system
and its relation to explicit action awareness. Neuropsychologia, 52, 82-92.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.09.03

Interoception 301 Activity Guide

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Activity guide

1 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

2. Introduction to interoception ........................................................................................... 5

2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense ............................................................................. 5

2.2 What is interoception? ............................................................................................. 5

2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception ............................................................................ 5

2.4 Models of interoception for Department for Education sites ..................................... 6

2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching ........................................................... 6

2.6 What is an interoception activity? ............................................................................ 6

2.7 Structure of an interoception activity? ...................................................................... 7

2.8 Interoception research ............................................................................................. 7

3. 301 Advice 301 Advice ................................................................................................... 8

3.1 Muscles activities | Follow the leader ....................................................................... 9

3.2 Muscles activities | Spinal Twist............................................................................. 10

3.3 Muscles activities | Perfect Posture ....................................................................... 11

3.4 Muscles activities | Overhead Reach ..................................................................... 12

3.5 Muscles activities | Knee Pump ............................................................................. 13

3.6 Muscles activities | Wrist Stretch wings ................................................................. 14

3.7 Muscles activities | Seated Bicycle Crunch ............................................................ 16

3.8 Muscles activities | Leg Liftsknuckle cracker .......................................................... 17

3.9 Muscles activities | The plank ................................................................................ 18

3.10 Muscles activities | The star ................................................................................... 19

3.11 Muscles activities | The floss ................................................................................. 20

2 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

3.13 Muscles activities | Rocking bug ............................................................................ 22

3.14 Muscles activities | Meerkat look-out ..................................................................... 23

3.15 Muscles activities | Row, row, row your boat .......................................................... 24

3.16 Breathing activities | Progressive muscle focus ..................................................... 25

3.17 Breathing activities | Emperor Penguin breathing boat .......................................... 26

3.18 Breathing activities | Rainbow breathing boat ........................................................ 27

3.19 Breathing activities | Balloon breathing boat .......................................................... 28

3.20 Breathing activities | Back to back breathing boat .................................................. 29

3.21 Breathing activities | 10 steps breathing boat ......................................................... 30

3.22 Pulse activities | Mountain climbers ....................................................................... 31

3.23 Pulse activities | Frog Squat Jump ......................................................................... 32

Heart rate interoception activities...................................................................................... 33

Heart rate interoception activities...................................................................................... 34

Autonomic Nervous System activities ............................................................................... 35

Autonomic Nervous System activities ............................................................................... 36

Autonomic Nervous System activities ............................................................................... 37

Connecting Curriculum ..................................................................................................... 38

Interoception Unit Plan ..................................................................................................... 39

Interoception Unit Plan ..................................................................................................... 40

Interoception Unit Plan ..................................................................................................... 41

Interoception Resoures .................................................................................................... 43

Week 1: Comprehension Task: ............................................................................................... 44

3 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

4 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

2.1 Interoception is our eighth sense

2.2 What is interoception?

2.3 Benefits of teaching interoception

5 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

1. In class teaching for individual classes

2. In class teaching across whole school

4. In class teaching across whole school plus use of an interoception room

2.5 Models of interoception for in class teaching

2.6 What is an interoception activity?

6 | Interoception 301 | October 2019

2.8 Interoception research

Within 8-10 weeks