Lesson Plan
Coping Skill Champions Plan
Students will learn the definition and importance of coping skills, identify examples, and practice categorizing them. By lesson’s end, they’ll name at least three strategies and demonstrate them via a sorting worksheet and a Bingo game.
Helping students build a toolkit of healthy coping strategies fosters emotional regulation, resilience, and better classroom behavior. Early practice boosts lifelong well-being.
Audience
5th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, hands-on sorting, and a game-based wrap-up.
Materials
Coping Skills Sorting Worksheet, - Coping Skills Bingo Cards, - Whiteboard and Markers, and - Timer or Stopwatch
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Coping Skill Champions Plan to familiarize yourself with objectives and flow.
- Print enough copies of the Coping Skills Sorting Worksheet for each student.
- Print or assemble the Coping Skills Bingo Cards and calling cards.
- On the whiteboard, draw two columns labeled Emotion-Focused and Problem-Focused.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Activate Prior Knowledge
5 minutes
- Ask students to recall a recent time they felt stressed, worried, or upset.
- Invite 2–3 volunteers to briefly share how they felt and what they did to feel better.
- List their responses on the whiteboard without labeling them.
- Explain that today they’ll learn about healthy coping skills and sort them into categories.
Step 2
Define and Explore Coping Skills
7 minutes
- Define coping skills: strategies people use to manage stress, big emotions, or challenges.
- Give 3–4 examples (e.g., deep breathing, talking to a friend, taking a walk).
- Ask: “Why might it help to have many coping skills in your toolbox?”
- Emphasize that different skills work for different situations.
Step 3
Sorting Activity
8 minutes
- Distribute the Coping Skills Sorting Worksheet.
- Students work individually or in pairs to cut and paste or write each skill under Emotion-Focused or Problem-Focused.
- Circulate and prompt with questions: “Why did you place this skill here?”
- Review as a class: call on groups to explain one of their placements.
Step 4
Coping Skills Bingo Game
7 minutes
- Hand out a Bingo card from the Coping Skills Bingo Cards to each student.
- Shuffle calling cards (coping skills) and draw one at a time.
- Students mark the skill on their card if they have it, then share a quick example of using it.
- First student to get Bingo (a full row) calls out and names one of their used skills to win.
Step 5
Reflection and Wrap-Up
3 minutes
- Ask students to name one new coping skill they’ll try this week.
- On the whiteboard, list top three skills from the class.
- Encourage them to practice when they feel upset or stressed.
- Thank students for being Coping Skill Champions today!
Slide Deck
Coping Skill Champions
Building a toolbox of healthy strategies for big feelings and challenges.
Welcome students and introduce the session. Say: “Today you’re going to become Coping Skill Champions! We’ll learn strategies to manage stress and big feelings and practice them in fun activities.”
Today’s Objectives
• Define what coping skills are
• Identify emotion-focused vs problem-focused strategies
• Practice and play with new coping skills
Read each objective aloud. Emphasize that by the end they’ll name at least three coping skills, sort them correctly, and play a Bingo game using them.
Warm-Up: Your Experiences
• Recall a moment you felt upset or stressed
• Share briefly what you did to feel better
• We’ll list your ideas on the board
Explain the warm-up: “Think of a time you felt stressed or upset. What did you do to feel better?” Invite 2–3 volunteers, list responses on the board without category labels.
What Are Coping Skills?
• Strategies to manage stress or big feelings
• Examples: deep breathing, talking to a friend, taking a walk
• Why have a toolbox of strategies?
Define coping skills: “They are strategies people use to manage stress, big emotions, or challenges.” Offer examples: deep breathing, talking to a friend, taking a walk. Ask: “Why is it helpful to have many strategies in your toolbox?”
Activity: Sorting Coping Skills
• Distribute the worksheet
• Sort skills into Emotion-Focused vs Problem-Focused
• Discuss and share your reasoning
Distribute the Coping Skills Sorting Worksheet. Instruct students to work alone or in pairs, cutting and placing or writing each coping skill under Emotion-Focused or Problem-Focused. Circulate and ask why they chose each category. Then review as a class.
Game: Coping Skills Bingo
• Hand out Bingo cards & calling cards
• Draw a skill and mark if you have it
• Share an example of using the skill
• First to Bingo wins!
Hand out one Coping Skills Bingo Cards per student and mix the calling cards. Draw one skill at a time, have students mark it if they have it, and share an example. First to complete a row calls Bingo and names one skill they used.
Reflection & Wrap-Up
• Name one new skill to try
• List the top 3 skills we learned
• Practice when you feel stressed
Ask each student to name one new coping skill they’ll try this week. Record the class’s top three skills on the board. Encourage them: “Practice these when you feel upset or stressed.”
You’re Coping Skill Champions!
Celebrate your toolkit and keep practicing these strategies every day.
Congratulate students: “You’ve earned the title Coping Skill Champion! Keep using these strategies to help manage your feelings.”
Worksheet
Coping Skills Sorting Worksheet
Instructions:
- Read each coping skill listed below.
- Decide whether it’s Emotion-Focused (helps you calm down or manage feelings) or Problem-Focused (helps you solve the issue causing stress).
- Cut out or rewrite each skill and place it under the correct category in the spaces provided.
Emotion-Focused Coping Skills
Problem-Focused Coping Skills
Coping Skills List (cut or copy each skill)
- Deep Breathing
- Writing in a Journal
- Talking to a Friend
- Going for a Walk
- Listening to Music
- Visualizing a Calm Place
- Making a Step-by-Step Plan
- Brainstorming Solutions
- Cleaning Up Your Space
- Practicing Gratitude
- Seeking Help from an Adult
- Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps
Activity
Coping Skills Bingo Cards
Instructions:
- Hand out one unique bingo card to each student.
- Shuffle calling cards (coping skills) and draw one at a time.
- When a skill is called, mark it on your card if you have it.
- First to cover five in a row—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—shouts Bingo! and names one skill they’ve used this week.
Card 1
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Breathing | Writing in a Journal | Talking to a Friend | Going for a Walk | Listening to Music |
| Visualizing a Calm Place | Making a Step-by-Step Plan | Brainstorming Solutions | Cleaning Up Your Space | Practicing Gratitude |
| Seeking Help from an Adult | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps | Free Space | Counting to Ten | Doing a Quick Stretch |
| Drawing or Coloring | Humming a Favorite Song | Taking a Short Break | Doing Jumping Jacks | Positive Self-Talk |
| Using a Stress Ball | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Imagining a Safe Space | Setting a Small Goal | Reading a Book |
Card 2
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counting to Ten | Talking to a Friend | Taking a Short Break | Brainstorming Solutions | Imagining a Safe Space |
| Positive Self-Talk | Deep Breathing | Listening to Music | Doing a Quick Stretch | Practicing Gratitude |
| Reading a Book | Making a Step-by-Step Plan | Free Space | Seeking Help from an Adult | Writing in a Journal |
| Humming a Favorite Song | Visualizing a Calm Place | Cleaning Up Your Space | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Doing Jumping Jacks |
| Going for a Walk | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps | Setting a Small Goal | Using a Stress Ball | Drawing or Coloring |
Card 3
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Using a Stress Ball | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps | Writing in a Journal | Humming a Favorite Song | Cleaning Up Your Space |
| Doing a Quick Stretch | Deep Breathing | Visualizing a Calm Place | Setting a Small Goal | Making a Step-by-Step Plan |
| Listening to Music | Seeking Help from an Adult | Free Space | Talking to a Friend | Practicing Gratitude |
| Positive Self-Talk | Going for a Walk | Taking a Short Break | Brainstorming Solutions | Imagining a Safe Space |
| Reading a Book | Counting to Ten | Drawing or Coloring | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Doing Jumping Jacks |
Card 4
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning Up Your Space | Counting to Ten | Going for a Walk | Doing Jumping Jacks | Writing in a Journal |
| Seeking Help from an Adult | Drawing or Coloring | Making a Step-by-Step Plan | Deep Breathing | Imagining a Safe Space |
| Listening to Music | Visualizing a Calm Place | Free Space | Humming a Favorite Song | Talking to a Friend |
| Doing a Quick Stretch | Practicing Gratitude | Brainstorming Solutions | Using a Stress Ball | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps |
| Setting a Small Goal | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Taking a Short Break | Reading a Book | Positive Self-Talk |
Card 5
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Going for a Walk | Making a Step-by-Step Plan | Seeking Help from an Adult | Using a Stress Ball | Drawing or Coloring |
| Cleaning Up Your Space | Deep Breathing | Reading a Book | Listening to Music | Doing Jumping Jacks |
| Talking to a Friend | Taking a Short Break | Free Space | Doing a Quick Stretch | Visualizing a Calm Place |
| Practicing Gratitude | Humming a Favorite Song | Brainstorming Solutions | Writing in a Journal | Positive Self-Talk |
| Setting a Small Goal | Counting to Ten | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Imagining a Safe Space |
Card 6
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doing a Quick Stretch | Cleaning Up Your Space | Positive Self-Talk | Writing in a Journal | Breaking a Task into Smaller Steps |
| Making a Step-by-Step Plan | Humming a Favorite Song | Reading a Book | Going for a Walk | Setting a Small Goal |
| Doing Jumping Jacks | Progressive Muscle Relaxation | Free Space | Deep Breathing | Counting to Ten |
| Listening to Music | Seeking Help from an Adult | Practicing Gratitude | Using a Stress Ball | Drawing or Coloring |
| Visualizing a Calm Place | Talking to a Friend | Brainstorming Solutions | Taking a Short Break | Imagining a Safe Space |