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Bounce Back to School

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Lesson Plan

Stepping Into School

Students will identify personal root causes of school avoidance and collaboratively develop personalized coping strategies and an actionable plan to improve attendance consistency.

This lesson supports students facing school avoidance by normalizing their experiences, building peer support, and equipping them with concrete tools to reduce anxiety and increase engagement.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided discussion, peer sharing, and hands-on strategy practice.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up & Introductions

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the session’s purpose: exploring school avoidance and building support.
  • Establish group norms: confidentiality, respect, and active listening.
  • Quick icebreaker: each student shares one word describing how they feel about coming to school today.

Step 2

Explore Root Causes

7 minutes

Step 3

Peer Sharing & Support

8 minutes

  • In pairs or triads, students share insights from their reflection handout.
  • Prompt pairs to ask supportive questions: “When does this feeling come up most?” or “What helps you feel more comfortable?”
  • Reconvene and invite volunteers to share one insight or takeaway with the whole group.

Step 4

Practice Coping Strategies

7 minutes

  • Introduce the Coping Strategies Cards.
  • Model one strategy (e.g., deep breathing or positive self-talk).
  • In small groups, students pick two cards, practice each strategy, and discuss how they might use them at school.
  • Circulate and offer feedback, highlighting realistic application in the school setting.

Step 5

Action Planning & Closing

3 minutes

  • Distribute the Personal Action Plan Sheet.
  • Ask students to choose one strategy they will try tomorrow and write a small, concrete step (e.g., use deep breathing in first-period class).
  • Invite volunteers to share their commitment.
  • Reinforce encouragement: remind students they can lean on peer supports and revisit strategies as needed.
lenny

Lesson Plan

Bounce Back to School

Students will pinpoint their personal triggers for avoiding school, learn and practice three coping strategies to manage their anxiety, and create a concrete attendance goal to try in the coming week.

Understanding root causes of school avoidance and gaining practical coping tools builds student confidence, reduces anxiety around attendance, and fosters peer support to re-engage with school.

Audience

9th Grade Tier 2 Group

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided discussion, peer sharing, and hands-on strategy practice.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up & Introductions

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the session’s goal: exploring feelings around school avoidance and building support.
  • Establish group norms: confidentiality, respect, and active listening.
  • Quick icebreaker: each student shares one word describing how they feel about coming to school today.

Step 2

Explore Root Causes

7 minutes

Step 3

Peer Sharing & Support

8 minutes

  • In pairs or triads, students share insights from their reflection handout.
  • Prompt partners to ask supportive questions: “When do you feel this most?” or “What helps you feel safer?”
  • Reconvene and invite volunteers to share one insight or takeaway with the whole group.

Step 4

Practice Coping Strategies

7 minutes

  • Introduce the Coping Strategies Cards.
  • Model one strategy (e.g., deep breathing or positive self-talk).
  • In small groups, students pick two cards, practice each strategy, and discuss how they might use them at school.
  • Circulate and offer feedback, highlighting realistic application in the school setting.

Step 5

Action Planning & Closing

3 minutes

  • Distribute the Personal Action Plan Sheet.
  • Ask students to choose one coping strategy to try tomorrow and write a specific, small step (e.g., use deep breathing in first-period class).
  • Invite volunteers to share their commitment.
  • Reinforce encouragement: remind students they can lean on peers and revisit strategies as needed.
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Slide Deck

Bounce Back to School

A 30-minute group session for 9th graders to understand and overcome school avoidance.

Welcome everyone to our session, “Bounce Back to School.” Briefly introduce yourself and the purpose: to explore feelings about school, find coping strategies, and set an attendance goal. Highlight that this is a safe, supportive space.

Group Norms & Icebreaker

• Keep it confidential
• Speak with respect
• Listen actively

Icebreaker: Share one word that describes how you feel about coming to school today.

Explain group norms: confidentiality, respect, active listening. Then lead the icebreaker: ask each student to share one word describing how they feel about coming to school today.

Root Causes of School Avoidance

Refer to the chart and discuss:
• Which cause stands out to you?
• Can you share a brief example?

Display or project the Root Causes of School Avoidance Chart. Ask students to look it over and name any cause that resonates with them. Encourage brief examples.

Identifying Your Triggers

On your reflection handout, quietly list two personal situations or feelings that make attending school difficult for you.

Hand out the Student Reflection Handout. Ask students to work silently for a few minutes and list two of their personal triggers or fears related to attending school.

Peer Sharing & Support

• Share your two triggers with a partner
• Ask: “When does this happen most?” or “What makes you feel safer?”
• We’ll regroup to hear one takeaway each.

Put students into pairs or triads. Invite them to share the triggers they wrote down. Offer these prompts: “When do you feel this most?” and “What helps you feel safer?” After 6 minutes, bring the group back and ask for volunteers to share one insight.

Practice Coping Strategies

  1. Pick two strategy cards
  2. Practice each with your group
  3. Talk about how you’d use them in school

Introduce the Coping Strategies Cards and briefly model a strategy (e.g., deep breathing). Then in small groups, have students choose two cards, practice those strategies, and discuss how to use them at school.

Action Planning & Closing

• Choose one strategy to try tomorrow
• Write a small, specific step on your action plan sheet
• Share your commitment with the group

Distribute the Personal Action Plan Sheet. Ask students to choose one strategy to try tomorrow and write a concrete step (e.g., use deep breathing before first period). Invite volunteers to share their plan. Close by encouraging them to support each other and revisit strategies.

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Activity

Root Causes of School Avoidance Chart

Use this chart to guide our discussion. Ask students which causes resonate with them and invite examples for each.

Academic Factors

  • Fear of failure or not understanding material
    • Feeling overwhelmed by homework and tests
    • Lack of study skills or support resources

Social Factors

  • Bullying or peer conflicts
    • Feeling excluded or lonely at school
    • Pressure to fit in or impress others

Emotional Factors

  • Anxiety about performance or grades
    • Symptoms of depression (e.g., low mood, lack of motivation)
    • Low self-esteem or negative self-talk

Environmental Factors

  • Family stress or responsibilities (e.g., caring for siblings)
    • Transportation or logistical challenges getting to school
    • Unsafe or chaotic school/home environment

Use this as a springboard: Which cause stands out to you? Can you share a brief example?

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Worksheet

Student Reflection Handout

Use this handout to identify your personal triggers for school avoidance and to reflect on how you cope. Be as honest and detailed as you can.

1. Identify Your Triggers

Trigger #1: _______________________________________________

Description / Example:










When does this trigger occur most often?





What helps you feel more comfortable or supported when this happens?





Trigger #2: _______________________________________________

Description / Example:










When does this trigger occur most often?





What helps you feel more comfortable or supported when this happens?





2. Reflect on a Recent Anxious Day

Think of a specific day in the past week when you felt anxious about coming to school.

What happened that day?











How did you cope, and how well did it work?










Take this sheet home or keep it in your folder. We’ll use it to guide our discussion and to help build strategies in our next steps.

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lenny

Activity

Coping Strategies Cards

Use these cards to practice different coping techniques. In small groups, pick two cards, follow the steps, and discuss how you can use them at school.

Card: Deep Breathing

• Sit or stand comfortably.
• Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for 2 seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6.
• Repeat 4 times.

Card: Positive Self-Talk

• Notice a negative thought (e.g., “I can’t do this”).
• Rewrite it as a kinder statement (e.g., “I’ve handled hard things before; I can try again”).
• Say your new statement out loud or silently.
• Repeat until you feel more confident.

Card: 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

  1. Look around and name 5 things you can see.
  2. Name 4 things you can touch.
  3. Name 3 things you can hear.
  4. Name 2 things you can smell.
  5. Name 1 thing you can taste.

Card: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Tense one muscle group (e.g., shoulders) for 5 seconds.
• Release tension and notice the relaxation for 10 seconds.
• Move to the next group (e.g., arms) and repeat.
• Continue until you’ve relaxed your whole body.

Card: Quick Stretch Routine

• Reach arms overhead and stretch for 5 seconds.
• Roll shoulders forward and backward 3 times each.
• Gently twist your torso side to side.
• Take a deep breath between each move.

Card: Create a Worry Box

• Take a small piece of paper.
• Write down one worry or anxious thought.
• Fold the paper and place it in your “worry box” (a pouch or container).
• Tell yourself you’ll revisit it at a set time, then focus on the present.

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Worksheet

Personal Action Plan Sheet

Use this sheet to plan and track your attendance goal and coping strategy.

1. Select Your Coping Strategy

Which strategy will you try from Coping Strategies Cards?

Strategy Name: _________________________________


Why did you choose this strategy? Explain how it might help you at school:







2. Set Your Attendance Goal

My goal: I will attend school _____ days this week because ____________________.







3. Plan Your Action Steps

List three small, specific steps you will take to reach your goal:

  1. Step 1: ________________________________________


  2. Step 2: ________________________________________


  3. Step 3: ________________________________________


4. Identify Support

Who can you ask for support when you feel anxious or unsure? (e.g., friend, teacher, family)

Name/Role: _____________________________________


5. Schedule & Reminders

When will you use your chosen strategy? (Day/time)

_____________________________________________


How will you remind yourself to practice it? (alarm, sticky note, buddy)

_____________________________________________


6. Measuring Success

What will you notice if your plan is working? (Feelings, attendance record, teacher feedback)







Keep this sheet in your planner or folder. We will revisit your plan and reflect on progress in our next session.

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lenny