Session 1 Script

Introduction & Objectives (3 minutes)

Teacher: “Good morning, everyone! Welcome to our first session of ACTion Against Anxiety. Over the next four weeks, we’re going to learn what anxiety is, how it shows up in our lives, and some simple skills from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy—or ACT—to notice and work with anxious thoughts and feelings.

Teacher: “Today’s goals are:

1. Define what anxiety is.
2. Explore common symptoms of anxiety.
3. Get a quick introduction to the ACT framework.”

Teacher: “Before we begin, remember our ground rule: what we share here stays here. That means we listen without judgment and respect each other’s experiences. Does anyone have questions about that?”

Define Anxiety (6 minutes)

Teacher: “Let’s start with a simple question: What is anxiety? How does it feel in your body or mind? Take a moment to think on your own.”

Teacher: “Now turn to a partner, share your thoughts, and listen to theirs. I’ll let you talk for about 60 seconds each.”

Teacher: “Okay, let’s hear some ideas. Who would like to share what anxiety means to them?”

Pause and call on volunteers.

Teacher (after responses): “Great definitions! Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived threat. It can feel like your heart racing, your mind swirling with ‘what-ifs,’ or the urge to run away.”

Teacher: “I’m going to highlight a few key words on the board/poster.”
Points to the board or poster and underlines “stress,” “threat,” “body reaction,” “thoughts.”

Teacher: “Any questions before we move on?”

Explore Symptoms (7 minutes)

Teacher: “Next, we’ll look at specific symptoms. I’m passing out the Anxiety Symptoms Worksheet. Please take one.”

Teacher hands out worksheets.

Teacher: “Read through the list and circle any symptoms you’ve experienced. Be honest—there are no right or wrong answers.”

Teacher: “Alright, put down your pens. Who noticed a physical symptom—like a racing heart or sweaty palms? Raise your hand.”

Teacher writes responses under “Physical” on the board.

Teacher: “Great. Now, how about emotional symptoms—maybe feeling restless, irritable, or on edge?”

Teacher captures these under “Emotional.”

Teacher: “And finally, behavioral signs—what might we do when we feel anxious? Avoid situations, bite our nails, fidget?”

Teacher notes under “Behavioral.”

Teacher: “Thank you. Notice how anxiety shows in different ways for each of us. Understanding these symptoms helps us spot anxiety early.”

Introduce ACT Framework (6 minutes)

Teacher: “Now, let’s turn to a tool that can help us notice and work with anxiety: the ACT framework. I’m displaying our ACT Framework Overview Poster.”

Teacher points to the poster.

Teacher: “There are six core processes in ACT. Today we’ll focus on the first one: Notice. That means simply noticing your thoughts and feelings without fighting them.”

Teacher: “I’ll model this skill. Right now, I’m noticing a thought that says, ‘I hope this session goes well.’ I label it: ‘I’m having the thought that I want to do a good job.’”

Teacher: “Your turn. On a sticky note, write one anxious thought you’ve had—just one short phrase.”

Teacher: “When you’re done, stick your note under ‘Notice’ on the poster. No names—just the thought itself.”

Teacher: “I see lots of notes—‘I’ll fail the test,’ ‘People will judge me,’ ‘I can’t handle this.’ Perfect. Thank you for sharing.”

Reflection & Close (3 minutes)

Teacher: “To wrap up, please take one more sticky note. Write one takeaway from today. For example: ‘Anxiety can show up as …’ or ‘I learned I can notice my thoughts.’”

Teacher: “Hand your note to me as you leave—this will be our exit ticket.”

Collects notes.

Teacher: “Great work today. Next time, we’ll dive into coping strategies and acceptance exercises to help us work with these anxious thoughts rather than try to push them away. Have a wonderful rest of your day!”

Sticky Note Thought Notice

Objective: Students will practice noticing and labeling their anxious thoughts by writing them on sticky notes and placing them under the “Notice” section of the ACT Framework Overview Poster.

Time: 6 minutes

Materials:

• Sticky notes (2 per student)
• Markers (1 per student)
• ACT Framework Overview Poster

Instructions:

1. Setup (1 minute)
   • Display the ACT Framework Overview Poster in a visible area.
   • Hand out two sticky notes and one marker to each student.
2. Write and Post Thoughts (3 minutes)
   • Ask students to think of one anxious thought they’ve experienced recently (e.g., “I’ll fail the test”).
   • Model the activity: write your own thought on a sticky note and place it under “Notice” on the poster.
   • Instruct students to write their thought—one per sticky note—and stick it under “Notice.”

1. Group Reflection (2 minutes)
   • Have the class look at all the notes posted.
   • Ask: “What patterns or common themes do you notice? How does it feel to see our thoughts out in the open?”
   • Facilitate a brief discussion to validate experiences and normalize these thoughts.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters (e.g., “I’m thinking…,” “I worry that…”) for students who need support.
• Allow students to draw a representation of their thought or feeling if writing is challenging.
• For students with language needs, offer to scribe their thought or let them respond verbally.

ACT Match-Up

Objective:
Reinforce students’ understanding of common anxiety symptoms and the six core ACT processes by matching symptoms to the ACT skill that can help manage them.

Time: 8 minutes (optional extension if time allows)

Materials:

• Pre-printed Symptom Cards (e.g., “Racing heart,” “Restlessness,” “Avoiding people,” etc.)
• Pre-printed ACT Process Cards (one for each of the six core processes: Notice, Accept, Defuse, Observe Self, Values, Committed Action) with a brief definition on the back
• Small envelopes or bags to hold each set of cards (one per group)
• Answer key for the teacher

Instructions:

1. Group Setup (1 minute)
   • Divide students into small groups of 3–4.
   • Give each group one envelope of Symptom Cards and one envelope of ACT Process Cards.
2. Match-Up Challenge (5 minutes)
   • Explain that each symptom can be paired with one ACT process that would be most helpful in noticing or working with that symptom.
   • Groups spread their cards face-up on the table and work together to match every Symptom Card with the appropriate Process Card.
   • Encourage them to discuss why they chose each pairing (e.g., “I matched ‘I can’t sit still’ with ‘Notice’ because first we just notice the restlessness.”).
   • Once a group thinks they have all matches, they raise their hand. The teacher checks using the answer key.
   • First group with all correct matches wins a round of applause and earns a “point” (no prizes needed—focus is on learning).
3. Whole-Class Debrief (2 minutes)
   • Ask: “Which matches surprised you? Was there more than one process that could help with a certain symptom?”
   • Highlight that ACT processes often overlap and that it’s okay to use multiple skills for one symptom.

Differentiation:

• Provide a cheat sheet listing each ACT process with a one-sentence example for EL learners or students with processing needs.
• Allow students to draw connections instead of writing—e.g., draw arrows between cards.
• For students needing extra support, create paired decks where each Symptom Card includes a small icon or color code matching its Process Card.

Note: If your session is already time-tight, use this game as an optional take-home reflection: distribute Symptom and Process cards for students to match in partners and submit their matches at the start of Session 2.