lenny

Anxiety Avengers

Lesson Plan

Anxiety Avengers Lesson Plan

Students will learn three evidence-based coping strategies to manage school-related anxiety and practice them through discussion and role-play, gaining confidence in their emotional self-regulation.

New students experiencing severe anxiety need tangible tools and a supportive space to build community, reduce stress, and improve their focus and well-being at school.

Audience

High School Students (9th Grade Small Group)

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive teaching, reading, discussion, and role-play practice.

Materials

Anxiety Avengers Slide Deck, Coping Skills Reading Passage, Anxiety Avengers Role-Play Activity Worksheet, and Pens and Notebooks

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and acknowledge that starting at a new school can feel overwhelming
  • Review group norms: confidentiality, respect, and active listening
  • Briefly share the session’s goal: learning ways to feel more in control of anxiety

Step 2

Identify Anxiety Triggers

5 minutes

  • Ask: “What situations or thoughts make you feel anxious at school?”
  • Record responses on the board or chart paper
  • Validate each student’s experience and normalize anxiety as a common reaction

Step 3

Teach Coping Skills

10 minutes

  • Use slides 3–7 in the Anxiety Avengers Slide Deck to introduce three strategies:
    • Deep breathing exercises (box breathing)
    • Positive self-talk and affirmations
    • Grounding techniques (5-4-3-2-1 method)
  • Model each strategy and invite students to practice briefly together

Step 4

Reading & Guided Discussion

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Coping Skills Reading Passage
  • Give students 3–4 minutes to read silently or in pairs
  • Facilitate a discussion:
    • What did you notice about how coping skills help reduce anxiety?
    • Which strategy resonated most with you?
  • Provide sentence starters (e.g., “I feel less anxious when…”) and read aloud for students who need support

Step 5

Role-Play Activity

10 minutes

  • Pair students and assign each pair a scenario from the Anxiety Avengers Role-Play Activity Worksheet
  • Instruct each student to practice using one coping skill in their scenario while their partner observes and gives feedback
  • After 5 minutes, rotate roles or switch scenarios
  • Circulate to offer prompts, reassurance, and model strategies as needed

Step 6

Reflection & Wrap-Up

5 minutes

  • Ask each student to share one coping strategy they will try this week
  • Have students write a quick exit ticket in their notebook:
    • “The coping skill I plan to use is… because…”
  • Collect exit tickets to inform any follow-up support
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Anxiety Avengers

Coping Skills to Manage School-Related Anxiety

A 45-Minute Workshop for 9th Grade Students

Welcome and set a positive, calm tone. Explain the gradient background is soothing and invite students to focus on the session’s purpose.

Today’s Objectives

• Identify common anxiety triggers at school
• Learn three evidence-based coping strategies
• Practice skills through discussion and role-play
• Choose one strategy to try this week

Read objectives aloud and check for understanding. Emphasize that these goals guide today’s activities.

What Triggers Our Anxiety?

Think about your school experience:

• When do you feel the most nervous or worried?
• What thoughts pop into your head in those moments?

Write or share one trigger below:

Encourage students to share briefly. Capture responses on board if available.

Coping Skill #1: Box Breathing

  1. Inhale for 4 seconds (trace up the box side)
  2. Hold breath for 4 seconds (top of box)
  3. Exhale for 4 seconds (down the box)
  4. Hold for 4 seconds (bottom of box)

Repeat 3–5 times to calm your nervous system.

Demonstrate box breathing step by step. Invite students to follow along for one cycle.

Coping Skill #2: Positive Self-Talk

Turn negative thoughts into supportive messages:

• “I’ve got this” instead of “I can’t do this”
• “I am prepared” instead of “I’ll fail”
• “I can ask for help” instead of “I’m alone”

Write your own affirmation below:

Provide examples of positive phrases. Encourage students to craft personal affirmations.

Coping Skill #3: Grounding (5-4-3-2-1)

Use your senses to reset:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can touch
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

Explain each sense and model: name 5 things you see, etc. Lead one quick group demonstration.

Reading & Group Discussion

  1. Read the Coping Skills Reading Passage silently or in pairs (3–4 min).
  2. Discuss:
    • How do these strategies reduce anxiety?
    • Which skill stands out to you?
    • Use: “I feel less anxious when…” to start.

Hand out the Coping Skills Reading Passage. Give clear instructions and time limit. Prepare sentence starters.

Role-Play Activity

• Pair up and pick a scenario from the Anxiety Avengers Role-Play Activity Worksheet.
• Practice your chosen coping skill while your partner observes and gives feedback.
• Switch roles after 5 min.

Explain the role-play process and circulate to support pairs. Remind students to focus on one skill at a time.

Reflection & Exit Ticket

  1. Share one coping strategy you’ll try this week and why.
  2. In your notebook, write:
    “The coping skill I plan to use is… because…”

Turn in your exit ticket as you leave.

Invite each student to share briefly. Collect exit tickets for follow-up and encouragement.

lenny

Reading

Coping Skills Reading Passage

Starting a new school can feel exciting—but it can also bring a lot of nerves. When we notice our heart racing, our breathing speeding up, or a rush of worrying thoughts, we are experiencing anxiety. Left unchecked, these feelings can make it hard to focus in class, join clubs, or even talk with new friends. The good news is that there are simple, research-backed coping skills you can use anytime, anywhere to feel more calm and in control.

1. Box Breathing (Deep Breathing)

Box breathing is an easy way to slow down your racing thoughts by focusing on your breath:
• Inhale slowly for a count of 4 (imagine tracing one side of a box).
• Hold your breath for a count of 4 (top of the box).
• Exhale slowly for a count of 4 (down the other side).
• Hold for 4 seconds (bottom of the box).
Repeat this cycle 3–5 times. As you breathe, picture each side of the box in your mind. This technique signals your body that it’s safe to relax and helps clear distracting thoughts.

Why it helps: Deep breathing activates the body’s “rest and digest” response, slowing your heart rate and lowering stress hormones so you can think more clearly.

2. Positive Self-Talk and Affirmations

Our inner voice has a huge impact on how we feel. Anxiety often shows up as negative thoughts like “I can’t handle this” or “Everyone’s judging me.” Positive self-talk turns those ideas around. Try statements like:
• “I’ve studied for this test—I can do well.”
• “It’s okay to ask for help; I’m not alone.”
• “I’ve faced hard days before and made it through.”
Write an affirmation that feels true to you, keep it in your pocket or notebook, and repeat it when worries pop up.

Why it helps: Replacing negative thoughts with realistic, encouraging messages boosts confidence and reduces the power of anxiety.

3. Grounding Technique (5-4-3-2-1)

Grounding brings your focus to the present moment by using your five senses:

  1. Name 5 things you can see around you.
  2. Name 4 things you can touch (your jacket, the desk, your hair).
  3. Name 3 things you can hear (birds outside, the hum of the projector).
  4. Name 2 things you can smell (fresh paper, lunch in the cafeteria).
  5. Name 1 thing you can taste (gum, water, your own breath).

Why it helps: Grounding shifts your attention away from anxious thoughts by fully engaging your senses in the here and now.

Putting It All Together

When you practice these skills regularly, they become easier to use in stressful moments—like before a big presentation or on the first day of a new class. Experiment with each strategy to discover which one feels most natural for you. Over time, you’ll build a toolbox of coping skills that help you face new challenges with confidence and calm.

lenny
lenny

Activity

Anxiety Avengers Role-Play Activity Worksheet

Instructions:

  1. Form pairs and choose one scenario below.
  2. Decide which coping skill you will practice: Box Breathing, Positive Self-Talk, or Grounding (5-4-3-2-1).
  3. Partner A acts out feeling anxious and practices the chosen skill aloud. Partner B observes and completes the feedback section.
  4. After 5 minutes, switch roles or select a new scenario.

Scenarios & Reflection

Scenario 1: Pre-Presentation Jitters
You’re about to give a presentation in front of the class and notice your hands shaking.

  • Coping Skill: _________________________
  • Observer Feedback:
    • What worked well?






    • Suggestion for next time:





Scenario 2: Social Worry
You see a group of classmates laughing and you worry they’re laughing at you.

  • Coping Skill: _________________________
  • Observer Feedback:
    • What worked well?






    • Suggestion for next time:





Scenario 3: Crowded Hallway Panic
You’re walking into a crowded cafeteria and feel your heart race.

  • Coping Skill: _________________________
  • Observer Feedback:
    • What worked well?






    • Suggestion for next time:





Scenario 4: Surprise Quiz Stress
You receive a surprise quiz and worry you didn’t study enough.

  • Coping Skill: _________________________
  • Observer Feedback:
    • What worked well?






    • Suggestion for next time:





Scenario 5: Joining a New Club
You must introduce yourself at a club meeting but feel too nervous to speak.

  • Coping Skill: _________________________
  • Observer Feedback:
    • What worked well?






    • Suggestion for next time:





Reflection Questions (for individual notes)

  1. Which scenario felt most challenging? Why?










  2. Which coping skill did you find most helpful, and when will you use it next?










lenny
lenny