Coping With Stress - 3
Continued Growth
Lesson Plan
Goal: Given a social situation that may be stressful, the student will choose a learned coping skill to use, in 8 out of 10 observable opportunities, as measured by a teacher assessment tool.
Objectives:
1. Identify why a given or presented situation may be stressful.
2. Choose a coping skill to use from a student-generated list.
3. Inform a trusted adult of his/her need in a stressful situation.
Standards: Click on the appropriate link below to view Language Arts standards included in this lesson.
Definitions of Key Terms: Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand.
Discussion Points:
- We all experience stress in life.
- What are possible reasons a person may feel stressed?
- How do you know you are stressed?
- Do you have ways to deal with your stress?
- There are healthy and unhealthy ways to cope with stress.
Review Discussion Points: Provide students with examples for each point.
Possible activities to review the discussion point:
60 Second Paper:
- Share Discussion Points with students.
- What are possible reasons a person may feel stressed?
- Give the students 60 seconds to write down any thoughts, ideas, experiences or questions they may have regarding the topic.
- Have students share what they have written or collect the papers and discuss content anonymously.
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: What is Stress?
Discuss with students that a normal part of life is experiencing stress. Stress affects everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, or background. Stress is the body’s reaction to a challenge or demand placed on a person. Stress may result from a variety of life situations that become overwhelming.
- Chart paper or interactive board
Develop a list of possible situations that may cause stress. Record them on the board or chart paper (ex. a test at school, parents' divorce, moving to a new home or school).
Activity 2: How Does Stress Affect Me?
Explain that stress affects everyone differently. Share a personal story about how you or someone you know might be affected by stress. Discuss potential effects that stress has on individuals, such as depression, irritability, or sleeplessness. Ask students to share ideas and record them on chart paper or the board.
- Chart paper or interactive board
- Student Activity Sheet A - 1 Per Person
- Pencil for Each Student
Allow students time to complete Student Activity Sheet A. Discuss their answers when all students have finished.
Student Activity Sheet A
Activity 3: What Can I Do About Stress?
Review the key points from Activities 1 and 2 with the students. Discuss with students the importance of appropriately dealing with stress. Talk about ways they currently cope with stress. Record those ideas on the board or chart paper. Discuss which ones are positive coping skills and which ones are negative ways to cope with stress.
- Chart paper or interactive board
- Student Activity Sheet B - 1 Per Student
- Pencil for Each Person
Allow students time to complete Student Activity Sheet B. Ask for volunteers to share the positive ways a person can handle stress.
Student Activity Sheet B
Directions: Put a check next to each coping skill that you use in stressful situations.
Application Activity
Script Prompt: Develop a script and create an animation that includes two characters in a setting based on the script prompt below.
- Chart paper or interactive board
- Script sheet and pencil or word processor for each group
The dialogue between the characters must include:
- A stressful scenario as indicated by body language and spoken words.
- Suggestions for coping with the stress.
- Ways to use coping strategies to avoid feeling stressed or frustrated in the future.
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 the previous activities and discussions with students. Allow students time to complete the Student Topic Checkout. Discuss their answers when all students are finished.
- Student Topic Checkout - 1 Per Student
- Pencil for Each Student