What Makes Me Anxious - 3

by Roxanne Quow

Lesson Plan

Goal: Given a visual or verbal prompt, the student will use a learned strategy to manage his/her anxiety in 8 out of 10 observable opportunities, as measured by a teacher assessment tool.

Objectives:
1. Recognize their personal signs that indicate they are feeling anxious.
2. Identify the activities or situations that make the student feel anxious.
3. Use a rehearsed and learned coping strategy to manage his/her anxiety.

Definitions of Key Terms: Anxiety is the feeling of worry or nervousness; an uneasy feeling.

Discussion Points:

  • Everyone feels anxiety, some more than others.
  • What happens when a person feels anxious?
  • What are other emotions a person can experience while they are anxious? (ex. worry, sad, anger, fear)
  • You can learn coping skills to control your anxiety.

Discuss with students what anxiety is. Review the discussion points.

Possible activities to review the discussion points or use your own:

Think. Pair. Share: The teacher will pose questions related to the discussion points. Explain to students that the purpose of the activity is to think about the question and activate prior knowledge. The teacher will model the procedure to facilitate student understanding.

  • T (Think): Teacher begins by asking a specific question using the discussion topics.
  • P (Pair): Each student should be paired with another student, small group or work with a teacher. Pairs write brief answers on sticky notes or scrap paper.
  • S (Share): Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher then leads a whole-group conversation using students’ answers.

SEL Categories Activity:

  • Ask students to create a list of words associated with the topic (give them 2-5 minutes to complete).
  • Once time is up, ask each student to share a word or thought from their list.
  • Other students must cross that word or thought off their list.
  • Continue the process until all words or thoughts have been listed.

Directions for In-Person or Virtual Learning: You have three options for students to complete this lesson.

  • Option 1: Print the Student Activity Sheet for each student. Complete the lesson as a group and assign the activity sheet to the students.
  • Option 2: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and post to your Learning Management System (if your school has one) or send the link to the student. The student may complete the activity sheet electronically within the classroom on a shared computer or device.
  • Option 3: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and send the link to the student. The student may access the link from a home computer, chromebook, iPad or other device.

Activity 1: Knowing Your Signs

As a group discuss and create a list of signs that an individual may feel anxious or is starting to feel anxious. Record signs on the board or chart paper.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board
  • Student Activity Sheet A - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

Discuss with students which ones each of them have seen or noticed in others, such as siblings, parents, teammates, etc.

Examples: Restlessness, crying, picking your skin.

Ask students to complete Student Activity Sheet A. When all students have finished, discuss their answers.

Student Activity Sheet A

Directions: What signs or indications do you have when you are becoming anxious? Finish the sentence below.

When I’m becoming anxious I:

Activity 2: What Are Your Causes of Anxiety?

Review the key points from Activity 1 and the discussion points. Encourage students to think about what situations or activities make them fearful or worried.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Activity Sheet B - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

You can begin by sharing a personal experience of an activity or situation that makes you anxious. Record their ideas on the chart paper or board.

Allow time to complete Student Activity Sheet B.

Review answers when all students have finished.

Student Activity Sheet B

Directions: Think of five items (situations or activities or some of both) that cause you to feel anxious.

I feel anxious over:

Activity 3: Coping Skills

Review key points from Activities 1 and 2 with the students. Explain to students that coping skills are strategies we use to help us. Coping strategies can help us feel less angry, sad, or worried. Ask students to think about strategies they already use or could use when they feel anxious or worried.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board

Create a list of strategies the students use already or have seen others use. Examples could include counting to ten, taking a walk, etc. Record their answers on the board or chart paper.

Ask students to review the list created and choose one or two strategies to try that they have not used before. Pair students and instruct them to practice using the new strategies.

Application Activity

Script Prompt: Develop a script and create an animation that includes two characters in a setting related to the script prompt.

Materials Needed:

The dialogue between the characters must include:

  • Identifying what made the character anxious.
  • Words or body language that express anxiety.
  • A strategy to avoid the situation and/or avoid getting anxious at the same situation in the future.
  • An acceptable way to handle anxiety.

Script Extensions: Click the following hyperlinks to have students choose their Characters, Background and Props prior to writing scripts. For examples of script writing accommodations, click Here.


Methods for completing this activity include (choose one or a few, depending on your students’ levels and abilities):


Script Writing Practice: Teacher-led discussion of script creation. As a group, write both an appropriate and inappropriate version of the script. In small groups or individually, have the students independently create scripts that demonstrate the script prompt. Use the script sheet to create students' scripts.


Independent Script Recording: Pair students together to complete two scripts using the same script prompt detailed above. Direct each student to take turns being character one and character two.


Animation Creation: Have students record their scripts using the SiLAS software. Remind students to name and save their work. Premiere the movies with the group members at the end of each session.


Lesson Extension: Incorporate ELA standards by discussing both spoken and written grammar rules (dialogue punctuation, correct verb tense, sentence structure, character, setting, problem, solution). Consider using both the final animation and written script as an ELA grade/assignment.

Topic Checkout

Review the key points from previous activities with the students. Allow students time to complete the Student Topic Checkout. Discuss their answers when all students have finished.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Topic Checkout- 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student
    •

Student Topic Checkout

Directions: List and describe two coping strategies that help you when you are becoming anxious.