Lesson Plan
Session 1 Lesson Plan
By the end of Session 1, Aliannah will understand what coping skills are and will select 2–3 strategies she feels comfortable practicing when upset.
Building rapport and introducing coping options empowers Aliannah to take ownership of her emotions, laying the foundation for self‐regulation and confidence in future sessions.
Audience
6th Grade Female Student
Time
15–30 minutes
Approach
Interactive overview plus student choice
Materials
Coping Skills Overview Handout, Emotion Thermometer Scale, Coping Skill Choice Board, Blank Index Cards, and Pens or Pencils
Prep
Review and Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Print and review Coping Skills Overview Handout, Emotion Thermometer Scale, and Coping Skill Choice Board.
- Gather blank index cards and writing utensils.
- Familiarize yourself with Aliannah’s background (shyness, low cognitive ability) to use simple language and prompts.
Step 1
Build Rapport
5 minutes
- Greet Aliannah warmly: “Hi Aliannah, I’m glad you’re here. How’s your day been so far?”
- Use open questions and active listening: “What’s something that went well today?”
- Acknowledge any hesitation: “It’s okay if you feel shy; I’m here to help.”
Step 2
Introduce Coping Skills
10 minutes
- Show the Coping Skills Overview Handout.
- Teacher Script: “Coping skills are tools we use to feel better when we’re stressed or anxious.”
- Briefly describe each strategy (deep breathing, grounding, journaling, art, seeking support, routines, cognitive restructuring) in 1–2 sentences using simple examples.
- Display the Emotion Thermometer Scale and explain: “This helps us see how upset we feel, from calm to very overwhelmed.”
Step 3
Select Favorite Coping Skills
10 minutes
- Give Aliannah the Coping Skill Choice Board and say: “Take a look and pick 2 or 3 you’d like to try first.”
- Provide blank index cards: ask her to write each chosen skill’s name and draw a small icon or word that reminds her of it.
- Prompt gently: “Which one feels easiest to start with?”
- Reinforce choice: “Great pick! That will be fun to practice.”
Step 4
Wrap Up and Preview
5 minutes
- Summarize: “You chose ___, ___, and ___. Awesome!”
- Teacher Script: “Next time, we’ll practice these together and see how they help.”
- Praise participation and remind Aliannah she can use the cards anytime she feels upset.
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Script
Session 1 Script
1. Build Rapport (5 minutes)
Teacher: “Hi Aliannah, I’m so glad you’re here today. How’s your day been so far?”
Teacher (follow-up if needed): “Even little things count—did you have a fun lunch or a nice chat with a friend?”
Teacher: “Thank you for sharing. It can feel a bit shy to talk sometimes, and that’s okay.”
2. Introduce Coping Skills (10 minutes)
Teacher: “Today we’re going to talk about coping skills. Coping skills are tools or tricks we use to help us feel better when we’re worried, sad, or upset.”
Teacher: “Think of coping skills like little superheroes inside you, ready to help.”
Teacher: “Let’s look at this handout together.”
Show: Coping Skills Overview Handout
Deep Breathing
Teacher: “Deep breathing is breathing in slowly through your nose and out through your mouth.”
Teacher: “Let’s try it together: breathe in… (pause) breathe out… (pause).”
Grounding
Show: Emotion Thermometer Scale
Teacher: “Grounding means noticing what’s right around you. Can you tell me one thing you see, one thing you hear, and one thing you feel on your skin?”
Journaling
Teacher: “Journaling is writing or drawing how you feel on paper—like talking to a diary.”
Art
Teacher: “Art means using drawing or coloring to show your feelings. Our markers and crayons become magic wands.”
Seeking Support
Teacher: “Seeking support means talking with someone you trust—like an adult or friend—when you need help.”
Routines
Teacher: “Routines are simple plans, like doing homework right after snack every day. They help your day feel steady.”
Cognitive Restructuring
Teacher: “This means checking our thoughts. We ask, ‘Is there another way to think about this?’ It’s like being a detective of your own thoughts.”
3. Select Favorite Coping Skills (10 minutes)
Teacher: “Now I’m going to give you this choice board.”
Show: Coping Skill Choice Board
Teacher: “Take your time. Which two or three skills feel easiest or most fun for you?”
Teacher: “Great! You picked ____, ____, and ____. Why do those feel right for you?”
Teacher: “Here are some blank index cards and pens.”
Materials: Blank Index Cards, Pens or Pencils
Teacher: “On each card, write the name of one skill and draw a small picture or symbol that will remind you of it. It doesn’t have to be perfect!”
4. Wrap Up and Preview (5 minutes)
Teacher: “You chose ____, ____, and ____. Those are wonderful tools to have.”
Teacher: “Next time, we’ll practice these together and see how they help you when you feel upset.”
Teacher: “Remember, you can use these cards anytime you feel stress or big feelings.”
Teacher: “Thank you for working with me today, Aliannah. You did a great job. See you next time!”
Worksheet
Coping Skills Overview Handout
When you’re feeling upset, worried, or anxious, try one of these “superhero” tools to help you feel better. Use the space under each to draw, write, or plan how you might use it.
Deep Breathing 🧘
Description: Breathe in slowly through your nose to a count of four, then breathe out through your mouth to a count of four. Repeat until you feel calmer.
My practice notes or drawing:
Grounding 🌳
Description: Notice things around you right now. Name three things you can see, three things you can hear, and one thing you can feel on your skin.
My grounding ideas:
Journaling ✍️
Description: Write or draw your thoughts and feelings in a notebook or on paper. It’s like talking to yourself on the page.
Space for a quick journal prompt or doodle:
Art 🎨
Description: Use drawing, coloring, or painting to show how you feel. Let colors and shapes be your words.
My art idea:
Seeking Support 🗣️
Description: Talk with someone you trust (a friend, teacher, or family member) when you need help or someone to listen.
Who can I talk to and when?:
Routines 📅
Description: Create a simple plan for your day (for example, snack ➔ homework ➔ free time). Routines help your day feel more predictable and calm.
My routine plan:
Cognitive Restructuring 🕵️
Description: Notice a negative thought, then ask yourself, “Is there another way to look at this?” Find a kinder or more realistic thought to replace it.
My new thought/reframe:
Use this handout anytime you feel big feelings. Circle or check off the skill you want to try first!
Worksheet
Emotion Thermometer Scale
Use this scale to show how you’re feeling right now. Circle or mark the number that matches your current level of stress or upset.
0 ⚪ Calm — 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 😐 Neutral — 6 — 7 — 8 — 9 — 10 🔥 Overwhelmed
How I’m feeling right now: ___
What happened to make me feel this way?
What coping skill might help me move toward a lower number?
Worksheet
Coping Skill Choice Board
Use this board to pick two or three coping skills you want to practice first. Circle or check the squares below.
| [ ] 🧘 Deep Breathing | [ ] 🌳 Grounding |
|---|---|
| [ ] ✍️ Journaling | [ ] 🎨 Art |
| [ ] 🗣️ Seeking Support | [ ] 📅 Routines |
| [ ] 🕵️ Cognitive Restructuring | [ ] ✨ My Own Strategy |
My choices:
2. _____________________________
3. _____________________________
Lesson Plan
Coping Practice: My Calm Power-Ups
By the end of Session 2, Aliannah will actively practice 1-2 of her chosen coping skills and identify their immediate impact on her emotional state.
Practicing coping skills with guidance builds confidence and reinforces their effectiveness, empowering Aliannah to utilize them independently when facing challenging emotions.
Audience
6th Grade Female Student
Time
15–30 minutes
Approach
Guided practice and reflection
Materials
Aliannah's chosen coping skill cards, Emotion Thermometer Scale, Coping Skills Practice Log, and Pens or Pencils
Prep
Review and Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Review Aliannah's selected coping skills from Session 1.
- Print and review Coping Skills Practice Log.
- Gather Aliannah's index cards from Session 1 (if she brought them back; if not, have a blank set ready to quickly recreate her chosen skills).
Step 1
Check-in & Review
5-7 minutes
- Greet Aliannah warmly: “Hi Aliannah, welcome back! How are you feeling today?”
- Use the Emotion Thermometer Scale for a quick check-in: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how are you feeling right now?”
- Review the 2-3 coping skills Aliannah chose in Session 1, referencing her index cards.
- Teacher Script: “Last time, you picked [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. How do you feel about trying one of them today?”
Step 2
Guided Practice
8-15 minutes
- Invite Aliannah to choose one skill to practice first, or gently suggest one if she’s shy. “Which one feels good to try right now?”
- Teacher Script: “Great choice! Let’s try [Chosen Skill Name] together. I’ll guide you through it.”
- Provide simple, clear steps for the chosen skill (e.g., for deep breathing: “Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 2, then breathe out slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.”).
- After practice, ask open-ended questions: “How do you feel now compared to before we started? What did you notice about doing that skill?”
- If time and comfort allow, repeat with a second chosen skill.
Step 3
Introduce Practice Log
5 minutes
- Introduce the Coping Skills Practice Log worksheet. “This log is a special notebook for your superhero skills. It’s a way to remember and practice them at home.”
- Teacher Script: “We’ll fill out the first entry together for the skill we just practiced. What was the skill? How did you feel before and after?”
- Model how to fill out the log with the practiced skill and Aliannah’s observations.
Step 4
Wrap Up & Preview
2-3 minutes
- Summarize the practiced skills and offer positive feedback: “You did a fantastic job practicing [Skill 1] today. Remember, practice makes our superhero skills stronger!”
- Teacher Script: “Keep your practice log somewhere you’ll remember to use it. Next time, we’ll check in on your log and try another skill or talk about how these skills are helping you.”
- Praise participation and encourage her to try a skill if she feels upset before the next session.
Lesson Plan
Coping Detective: Unmasking My Triggers
By the end of Session 3, Aliannah will identify at least one personal trigger for her feelings of anxiety or depression and connect it to when she might use a coping skill.
Understanding triggers helps Aliannah proactively use coping skills, fostering self-awareness and empowering her to manage her emotions more effectively.
Audience
6th Grade Female Student
Time
15–30 minutes
Approach
Guided reflection and discussion with a new worksheet.
Materials
Aliannah's Coping Skills Practice Log, Emotion Thermometer Scale, My Feeling Triggers Worksheet, and Pens or Pencils
Prep
Review and Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Review Aliannah's Coping Skills Practice Log (if she brought it back) to understand her recent coping skill experiences.
- Print and review My Feeling Triggers Worksheet.
- Familiarize yourself with simple language to explain 'triggers' to a 6th-grade student.
Step 1
Check-in & Review Practice Log
5-7 minutes
- Greet Aliannah warmly: “Hi Aliannah, it’s great to see you! How’s your day been so far?”
- Use the Emotion Thermometer Scale for a quick check-in: “On our scale, how are you feeling right now?”
- Review Aliannah's Coping Skills Practice Log: “How was it using your superhero skills this week? Did you get to try any of them?”
- Discuss any successes, challenges, or questions she has about practicing her skills.
Step 2
Introduce "Triggers" Concept
5-8 minutes
- Teacher Script: “Today we’re going to talk about something called a 'trigger.' Think of a trigger like a little signal, a specific thing that sometimes makes our big feelings, like worry or sadness, start to bubble up inside us. It’s not good or bad, it just is.”
- Give simple, relatable examples: “Maybe a test at school makes you feel worried, or a friend not playing with you makes you feel sad. Those would be your feeling triggers.”
- Teacher Script: “Just like a superhero needs to know when a villain appears, we need to know what makes our big feelings show up so we can use our coping skills.”
Step 3
Identify Personal Triggers
10-12 minutes
- Introduce the My Feeling Triggers Worksheet. “This worksheet will help us be a coping detective and figure out what some of your triggers might be.”
- Guide Aliannah through the worksheet, prompting her gently: “Can you think of a time recently when you felt really worried or sad? What was happening right before that feeling started?”
- Help her list 1-2 specific situations, thoughts, or physical feelings. For each identified trigger, ask: “When you notice [trigger], which of your chosen coping skills could be your superhero to help you?”
- Encourage her to draw or write about one trigger and a helpful coping skill on the worksheet.
Step 4
Wrap Up & Preview
2-3 minutes
- Summarize the identified triggers and the coping skills Aliannah plans to use. “You did a great job today thinking about what makes your big feelings start and which coping skills can help.”
- Teacher Script: “Remember, knowing your triggers is a powerful superhero skill! Next time, we’ll talk more about how to notice these triggers and use your coping skills even faster.”
- Praise her participation and encourage her to keep thinking about her triggers and using her practice log.
Script
Session 3 Script
1. Check-in & Review Practice Log (5-7 minutes)
Teacher: “Hi Aliannah, it’s great to see you today! How’s your day been so far?”
Teacher: “Let’s check in with our Emotion Thermometer Scale. On a scale from 0 (calm) to 10 (overwhelmed), how are you feeling right now?”
Teacher: “Thanks for sharing. Last time, we talked about your coping skills and started your Coping Skills Practice Log. How was it using your superhero skills this week? Did you get to try any of them?”
Teacher: “That’s really brave of you to try! What did you notice when you used [mention a skill she practiced]? Or, if you didn’t use them, what got in the way?”
2. Introduce "Triggers" Concept (5-8 minutes)
Teacher: “You know, sometimes our big feelings don’t just pop up out of nowhere. There are often little signals, or clues, that tell us they might be coming. We call these signals ‘triggers.’”
Teacher: “Think of a trigger like a small event, a thought, or even a feeling in your body that sometimes makes our big feelings, like worry or sadness, start to bubble up inside us. It’s not good or bad, it just is.”
Teacher: “For example, maybe a test at school makes you feel worried, or if a friend isn’t playing with you, it makes you feel sad. Those could be your feeling triggers.”
Teacher: “Just like a superhero needs to know when a villain might appear, we need to know what makes our big feelings show up so we can use our coping skills even faster.”
3. Identify Personal Triggers (10-12 minutes)
Teacher: “Now, I have a special worksheet for us today. We’re going to be ‘Coping Detectives’ and try to figure out what some of your personal triggers might be.”
Show: My Feeling Triggers Worksheet
Teacher: “Let’s think about it together. Can you remember a time recently when you felt really worried or sad? What was happening right before that feeling started?”
Teacher: “That’s a great observation. Let’s write that down as one of your triggers. Now, when you notice [identified trigger], which of your chosen coping skills could be your superhero to help you?”
(Guide Aliannah to think of 1-2 triggers and link a coping skill to each. Encourage drawing or writing in the worksheet.)
Teacher: “It doesn’t have to be perfect, just something that helps you remember.”
4. Wrap Up & Preview (2-3 minutes)
Teacher: “You did a great job today being a coping detective and thinking about what makes your big feelings start and which coping skills can help you.”
Teacher: “Remember, knowing your triggers is a really powerful superhero skill! It helps you be ready.”
Teacher: “Next time, we’ll talk more about how to notice these triggers and use your coping skills even faster, before those big feelings get too big.”
Teacher: “Thank you for your wonderful work today, Aliannah. See you next time!”
Worksheet
My Feeling Triggers Worksheet
Sometimes, certain things can make our big feelings (like worry or sadness) start to grow. These are called triggers. Being a detective and finding your triggers can help you use your coping skills!
What are some things that make your big feelings start?
Think about times you felt worried or sad. What was happening right before?
Trigger 1:
What happened or what did you think?
Which coping skill can be your superhero for this trigger?
Trigger 2:
What happened or what did you think?
Which coping skill can be your superhero for this trigger?
Draw or write about one of your triggers and the coping skill you would use!
Script
Session 2 Script
1. Check-in & Review (5-7 minutes)
Teacher: “Hi Aliannah, welcome back! I’m glad to see you. How’s your day been so far?”
Teacher: “Let’s use our Emotion Thermometer Scale for a quick check-in. On a scale from 0 (calm) to 10 (overwhelmed), how are you feeling right now?”
Teacher: “Thanks for sharing. Last time, you chose a few coping skills that felt good to you, like [refer to her cards: Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. How do you feel about trying one of them today?”
2. Guided Practice (8-15 minutes)
Teacher: “Which one of your superhero skills feels like the easiest or most interesting one to try first right now?”
Teacher: “Great choice! Let’s try [Chosen Skill Name] together. I’ll guide you through it.”
(Guide Aliannah through the chosen skill. Example prompts for Deep Breathing:)
Teacher: “Let’s sit comfortably. Close your eyes if you like, or just look down at your hands. Now, breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four... (pause)... hold your breath gently for a count of two... (pause)... and then breathe out slowly through your mouth for a count of six. Feel your belly rise and fall. Let’s do that a few more times.”
(After practicing for a few minutes:)
Teacher: “Okay, let’s come back. How do you feel now compared to before we started? What did you notice about doing that skill?”
(If time and Aliannah's comfort allow, repeat with a second skill. Example prompts for Grounding:)
Teacher: “That was excellent. Would you like to try another one, or should we stick with this for today?”
(If she agrees to another skill:)
Teacher: “Okay, let’s try Grounding. Can you tell me three things you can see in this room right now?”
Teacher: “Good! Now, what are three things you can hear?”
Teacher: “And lastly, what is one thing you can feel on your skin? Maybe your shirt, or the chair?”
Teacher: “How do you feel after that grounding exercise?”
3. Introduce Practice Log (5 minutes)
Teacher: “You did such a great job practicing today. To help you remember and keep using these amazing skills, I have something called a Coping Skills Practice Log.”
Show: Coping Skills Practice Log
Teacher: “This log is like your personal superhero training journal. You can write down when you use a skill, how you felt before and after, and what helped. We’ll fill out the first entry together for [Skill 1] that we just practiced.”
Teacher: “You can use this at home whenever you feel big feelings, or even just to practice when you’re calm.”
4. Wrap Up & Preview (2-3 minutes)
Teacher: “Today you bravely practiced [Skill 1] and [Skill 2, if applicable]. That’s fantastic work. You are really building your calm power-ups!”
Teacher: “Keep your practice log somewhere you’ll remember to use it. Next time, we’ll check in on your log and try another skill or talk more about how these skills are helping you.”
Teacher: “Thank you for being so wonderful today, Aliannah. See you next time!”
Worksheet
Coping Skills Practice Log
Use this log to track when you practice your coping skills and how they help you. It's okay if you don't use it every day, just try your best!
| Date | Coping Skill Used | How I Felt Before (0-10) | How I Felt After (0-10) | What I Noticed/Helped |
|---|---|---|---|---|