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Coping Quest

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Nicole Green

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Coping Quest Lesson Plan

Students will learn and practice three healthy coping skills through a cooperative card game and a brief reflective exercise, enabling them to identify and apply stress-management strategies.

Integrating coping skills via interactive games fosters emotional regulation, resilience, and self-awareness in 7th-grade boys, helping them manage stress effectively both in and out of the classroom.

Audience

7th Grade, Middle School Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Gamified challenges and reflective exercises.

Materials

  • Coping Quest Challenge Cards, - Coping Quest Reflection Worksheet, - Timer or Stopwatch, and - Stress-Buster Spinner (Optional)

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print and cut out enough sets of Coping Quest Challenge Cards so each group receives three cards.
  • Print a copy of the Coping Quest Reflection Worksheet for each student.
  • Set up a Timer or Stopwatch and, if available, prepare the Stress-Buster Spinner for added variety.

Step 1

Hook: Game Setup

5 minutes

  • Explain that today's mission is to discover new ways to cope with stress through fun challenges.
  • Divide students into teams of 3–4.
  • Distribute three Coping Quest Challenge Cards to each team.

Step 2

Coping Challenge Game

15 minutes

  • Each team selects one card and reads the scenario or strategy aloud.
  • Teams discuss and role-play the coping strategy for 2 minutes.
  • After time is up, teams pass their cards to the next group and repeat until all cards are used.
  • Encourage creativity and ask open-ended questions to deepen understanding.

Step 3

Reflect and Share

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Coping Quest Reflection Worksheet.
  • Students spend 5 minutes writing about which coping strategy resonated most and how they might use it.
  • Prompt: What was the situation? How did the strategy help? When will you try it?

Step 4

Debrief and Closing

3 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share their reflections or favorite strategies.
  • Summarize the key coping skills practiced.
  • Encourage students to apply these techniques when they feel stressed.
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Slide Deck

Coping Quest: Discover Healthy Coping Skills

30-Minute Session | 7th Grade | Tier 1

Welcome students and introduce yourself. Explain that today’s session is called Coping Quest, where they’ll discover fun and effective ways to manage stress.

Today's Mission

• Learn 3 healthy coping skills
• Team up for fun challenges
• Reflect on your go-to strategies

Walk through the mission points. Emphasize that they’ll learn, play, and reflect. Set a positive tone.

Hook: Game Setup

  1. Form teams of 3–4 students
  2. Grab 3 Coping Quest Challenge Cards
  3. Get a timer or stopwatch ready

Explain how to form teams and distribute materials. Circulate to ensure each group has cards and a timer.

Coping Challenge Game

• Select a card and read the scenario aloud
• Discuss and role-play the coping strategy for 2 minutes
• Pass cards to the next team and repeat
• Continue until all cards are used

Model one round if needed. Encourage students to role-play and be creative. Remind them to switch cards after each round.

Healthy Coping Skills

Examples you practiced:
• Deep Breathing
• Positive Self-Talk
• Physical Activity
• Mindful Observation
• Creative Expression

Briefly describe each skill. Ask for quick examples from students. Tie back to scenarios they just role-played.

Reflect & Share

• Complete the Coping Quest Reflection Worksheet
• Which strategy resonated most?
• How and when will you use it?
• Write for 5 minutes

Hand out the reflection worksheet. Explain the prompts and set a 5-minute timer. Offer support as needed.

Debrief & Closing

• Volunteers share favorite strategies
• Summarize key takeaways
• Encourage daily practice of chosen techniques

Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their reflections. Reinforce the importance of practicing these skills regularly.

Mission Complete!

You’re now equipped with tools to manage stress. Stay resilient, 7th Grade!

Congratulate students on completing the quest. Remind them that managing stress is a skill they can strengthen over time.

lenny

Activity

Coping Quest Challenge Cards

Print and cut each card for group play. Each card includes a scenario with a matching coping strategy and quick instructions for practice.

Card 1: Deep Breathing Challenge

Scenario: You’re about to present a project in front of the class and feel your heart racing.

Coping Strategy: Deep Breathing

How to Practice:

  1. Sit or stand comfortably.
  2. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds.
  3. Hold your breath for 2 seconds.
  4. Exhale gently through your mouth for 6 seconds.
  5. Repeat 3–5 times.

Card 2: Positive Self-Talk Challenge

Scenario: You just missed an important basket during PE and feel frustrated.

Coping Strategy: Positive Self-Talk

How to Practice:

  1. Pause and take a steady breath.
  2. Silently repeat encouraging phrases, e.g., “I learn from mistakes,” “I’ll nail it next time.”
  3. Focus on what you did well before and build confidence.

Card 3: Physical Activity Challenge

Scenario: You’ve been sitting and studying for hours, and your legs feel restless.

Coping Strategy: Physical Activity

How to Practice:

  1. Stand up and push your chair back.
  2. Do 10 standing calf raises.
  3. Stretch your arms overhead and lean side to side.
  4. Shake out your hands, wrists, and shoulders.

Card 4: Mindful Observation Challenge

Scenario: Noise from the hallway is distracting you during independent work.

Coping Strategy: Mindful Observation

How to Practice:

  1. Pick one object in the room (a poster, a pencil, etc.).
  2. Spend 1 minute studying every detail: color, shape, texture.
  3. If your mind wanders, gently bring attention back to that object.

Card 5: Creative Expression Challenge

Scenario: You have to write a long essay and feel overwhelmed by the blank page.

Coping Strategy: Creative Expression

How to Practice:

  1. Grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen or pencil.
  2. Set a 3-minute timer.
  3. Doodle, write a short poem, or sketch freely without judgment.
  4. Notice how creativity shifts your focus.

Card 6: Deep Breathing Challenge

Scenario: You’re nervous before tryouts for the school basketball team.

Coping Strategy: Deep Breathing

How to Practice:

  1. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
  2. Inhale deeply so your belly rises first (4 seconds).
  3. Exhale slowly (6 seconds).
  4. Do 5 rounds, focusing on calm and steady breaths.

Card 7: Positive Self-Talk Challenge

Scenario: You received a lower-than-expected grade on a quiz and feel discouraged.

Coping Strategy: Positive Self-Talk

How to Practice:

  1. Say to yourself: “I can improve with practice,” “I’ll ask questions to learn more.”
  2. Write down two things you did well.
  3. Plan one step you’ll take to do better next time.

Card 8: Physical Activity Challenge

Scenario: You’ve been in a long lecture and your back is stiff and sore.

Coping Strategy: Physical Activity

How to Practice:

  1. Stand up and walk around the desk.
  2. Perform 5 shoulder rolls forward and backward.
  3. Do 10 gentle lunges (5 per leg).
  4. Return to your seat feeling more awake.

Card 9: Mindful Observation Challenge

Scenario: Your mind is racing with thoughts about upcoming exams.

Coping Strategy: Mindful Observation

How to Practice:

  1. Close your eyes for a moment and notice sounds around you.
  2. Open your eyes and scan the room left to right slowly.
  3. Observe three shapes, three colors, and three textures you see.

Card 10: Creative Expression Challenge

Scenario: You just had an argument with a friend and feel upset.

Coping Strategy: Creative Expression

How to Practice:

  1. On a worksheet, write or draw how you’re feeling.
  2. Spend 3 minutes journaling or sketching the situation.
  3. Reread or look at your drawing to understand your emotions.

Print these for groups of 3–4. Each team takes turns reading, acting out, and practicing the strategy before passing the card on.

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Worksheet

Coping Quest Reflection Worksheet

Name: ________________________ Date: _______________

  1. Which coping strategy did your team practice? (Pick one from the Coping Quest Challenge Cards)




  2. Describe the scenario you role-played or discussed during the game:







  3. How did you feel before using this coping strategy?




  4. Explain how the strategy helped you feel more calm or focused:







  5. Identify two specific times or situations when you will try this technique in real life:

    • ________________________________________________


    • ________________________________________________






  6. What is one new idea about stress management that you discovered today?







  7. Any additional thoughts or questions about coping skills:







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Warm Up

Stress Snapshot

A quick check-in to start the class. Take a moment to notice how you’re feeling right now.

  1. Rate your current stress level by circling a number on the scale below:

    1 – Calm 2 3 4 5 – Very Stressed


  2. In one word, describe how you feel at this moment:




(Optional) If time allows, turn to a partner and share your number and one-word snapshot.

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Cool Down

Coping Exit Ticket

Name: ________________________ Date: _______________

  1. Which single coping strategy from our Coping Quest will you commit to trying this week?
    (e.g., Deep Breathing, Positive Self-Talk, Physical Activity, Mindful Observation, Creative Expression)




  2. When or where will you practice this strategy? Be as specific as possible.




  3. What is one thing you hope to notice or feel after using this strategy?




  4. Any remaining questions or thoughts about coping skills?




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