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Are Your Thoughts Running the Show?

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Lesson Plan

Mindful Thinking Lesson Plan

Students will recognize their own thought patterns, identify automatic negative thoughts (ANTs), and begin to understand how these thoughts influence their emotions and behavior. They will also learn initial strategies to challenge unhelpful thoughts.

Understanding our thoughts is crucial for emotional well-being and making conscious choices. By recognizing and challenging negative thought patterns, students can develop greater self-awareness and cultivate a more positive internal dialogue, leading to improved resilience and mental health.

Audience

9th Grade Students

Time

50 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, guided reflection, and practical application.

Materials

The Power of Your Thoughts (slide-deck), Thought Detective Log (worksheet), and Catching Our Inner Critic (discussion)

Prep

Preparation Steps

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: The Power of Your Mind (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Begin with a quick warm-up question: "How much do you think your thoughts impact your day?" Allow a few students to share.
  • Introduce the lesson: "Today, we're going to become 'thought detectives' and explore how our thoughts really run the show, whether we realize it or not. We'll learn to spot unhelpful thought patterns and start building a stronger, more positive inner voice."
  • Present the lesson objective using The Power of Your Thoughts slide 1.

Step 2

Understanding Thought Patterns (15 minutes)

15 minutes

  • Use The Power of Your Thoughts slides 2-4 to explain what thought patterns are, particularly focusing on the concept of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs).
  • Provide clear examples of common ANTs (e.g.,

Step 3

Becoming a Thought Detective (15 minutes)

15 minutes

  • Distribute the Thought Detective Log worksheet.
  • Explain how to use the worksheet to identify and record ANTs.
  • Lead a brief guided reflection or provide scenarios for students to practice identifying ANTs and their potential impact.
  • Encourage students to think about a recent, low-stakes situation where their thoughts influenced their feelings. (e.g., "I didn't get invited to that thing, everyone hates me.")

Step 4

Challenging Our Inner Critic (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Introduce the concept of challenging ANTs and reframing negative thoughts into more balanced ones using The Power of Your Thoughts slide 5.
  • Facilitate a short group discussion using the Catching Our Inner Critic prompts. Focus on strategies like asking for evidence, considering alternative perspectives, and practicing positive self-talk.

Step 5

Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Review key takeaways: Thoughts influence feelings and actions; we can learn to identify and challenge ANTs.
  • Encourage students to continue using their Thought Detective Log to practice self-awareness throughout the week.
  • End with a positive affirmation: "Your thoughts are powerful, and you have the power to guide them!"
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Slide Deck

Are Your Thoughts Running the Show?

Learning Objective:

  • Recognize how thought patterns, especially Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs), influence emotions and behavior.
  • Begin to challenge unhelpful thoughts and practice more positive self-talk.
  • Become a 'thought detective'!

Welcome students and introduce the lesson's big question. This slide sets the stage and piques curiosity.

What Are Thought Patterns?

Our brains are super busy! They produce thousands of thoughts every day.

Some thoughts happen automatically, like background noise.

These automatic thoughts can create 'patterns' in how we think about ourselves, others, and the world.

Explain that our brains are constantly thinking, often without us even realizing it. Introduce the idea of 'Automatic Thoughts.'

Meet the ANTs: Automatic Negative Thoughts

ANTs are thoughts that pop into our heads without us trying, and they usually make us feel bad.

  • They can be about ourselves, others, or situations.
  • They often feel like facts, even when they aren't true.

Examples:

  • "I'm going to fail this test."
  • "No one likes my idea."
  • "This is too hard; I give up."

Introduce the concept of ANTs. Give a few simple, relatable examples that 9th graders might experience. Emphasize they are 'automatic' and 'negative.'

Thoughts, Feelings, Actions Cycle

Our thoughts don't just hang out in our heads; they have a HUGE impact!

Thought --> Feeling --> Action

  • Negative Thought: "I'm terrible at this!"
  • Feeling: Frustration, sadness, anger
  • Action: Give up, avoid trying, lash out

What happens if you have a Positive Thought?

Connect ANTs to emotions and behavior. Use the image as a visual cue to show the cycle. Ask students to share how different thoughts might make them feel.

Become a Thought Detective!

Good news! You don't have to believe every thought you have.

As a Thought Detective, you can:

  1. CATCH the ANTs: Notice when a negative thought pops up.
  2. CHECK the evidence: Is it really true? What's another way to look at it?
  3. CHANGE your thought: Reframe it into something more balanced or helpful.

Ask yourself:

  • What's the evidence for this thought?
  • What's the evidence against it?
  • Is there another perspective?
  • What would I tell a friend in this situation?

Introduce the idea of challenging ANTs. This is where the 'Thought Detective' work comes in. Encourage critical thinking about their own thoughts.

You're In Charge of Your Thoughts!

Remember:

  • Your thoughts are powerful, but you have control over them.
  • Becoming a Thought Detective takes practice.
  • Challenging ANTs leads to more positive feelings and actions.

Keep practicing your mindful thinking!

Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the main message and encouraging continued practice.

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Worksheet

Thought Detective Log

Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________

Instructions: Be a thought detective! Over the next few days, notice when you have automatic negative thoughts (ANTs). Write them down, identify the feeling they caused, and then try to challenge them.

ANT #1

Situation: What happened? (Briefly describe the event or situation that triggered the thought.)



My Automatic Negative Thought (ANT): What was the exact thought that popped into your head?



How I Felt: What emotion did this thought make you feel? (e.g., sad, anxious, angry, frustrated)



Evidence FOR this thought: What facts or reasons make you believe this thought is true?






Evidence AGAINST this thought: What facts or reasons suggest this thought might NOT be entirely true, or that there's another way to see it?






My Reframed/Balanced Thought: What's a more helpful or realistic thought you could have instead?






How I Feel Now: What emotion do you feel after challenging and reframing the thought?



ANT #2

Situation: What happened? (Briefly describe the event or situation that triggered the thought.)



My Automatic Negative Thought (ANT): What was the exact thought that popped into your head?



How I Felt: What emotion did this thought make you feel? (e.g., sad, anxious, angry, frustrated)



Evidence FOR this thought: What facts or reasons make you believe this thought is true?






Evidence AGAINST this thought: What facts or reasons suggest this thought might NOT be entirely true, or that there's another way to see it?






My Reframed/Balanced Thought: What's a more helpful or realistic thought you could have instead?






How I Feel Now: What emotion do you feel after challenging and reframing the thought?



ANT #3

Situation: What happened? (Briefly describe the event or situation that triggered the thought.)



My Automatic Negative Thought (ANT): What was the exact thought that popped into your head?



How I Felt: What emotion did this thought make you feel? (e.g., sad, anxious, angry, frustrated)



Evidence FOR this thought: What facts or reasons make you believe this thought is true?






Evidence AGAINST this thought: What facts or reasons suggest this thought might NOT be entirely true, or that there's another way to see it?






My Reframed/Balanced Thought: What's a more helpful or realistic thought you could have instead?






How I Feel Now: What emotion do you feel after challenging and reframing the thought?



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Discussion

Catching Our Inner Critic: A Discussion

Instructions: Discuss the following questions in small groups or as a class. Be respectful of each other's experiences and perspectives.

Discussion Prompts:

  1. Share an experience: Can you recall a time when an automatic negative thought (ANT) made you feel a certain way or influenced what you did? (e.g., "I thought I'd mess up, so I didn't even try.") How did that feel?






  2. Challenging ANTs: What are some ways we can "talk back" to those negative thoughts? What kinds of questions can we ask ourselves when an ANT pops up?






  3. The power of perspective: How can looking at a situation from a different angle help us change our thoughts and feelings?






  4. Positive self-talk: What does "positive self-talk" mean to you? How can we practice being kinder and more encouraging to ourselves?






  5. Supporting others: How can we help a friend or classmate who might be struggling with negative thoughts?






Reflection:

  • What's one new strategy you learned today to manage your thoughts?



  • Why do you think it's important to be aware of your thought patterns?



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