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Inside the Stressed Brain

trevohn

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Inside the Stressed Brain Lesson Plan

Students will identify how stress affects key brain structures and functions, connect biological responses to real-life stressors, and apply stress management strategies to personal experiences.

Understanding the stressed brain empowers students to recognize mental health signals, reduces stigma, improves coping skills, and fosters wellbeing in academic and personal life.

Audience

10th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive lecture, group analysis, and personal reflection.

Materials

  • Stress and the Brain Slide Deck, - Neurobiology of Stress Handout, - Stress Management Strategies Infographic, and - Reflection Prompt Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

  • Review Stress and the Brain Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with brain structure images.
  • Print copies of the Neurobiology of Stress Handout and Reflection Prompt Worksheet for each student.
  • Queue up the Stress Management Strategies Infographic for display.
  • Test classroom technology for presenting slides.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Ask students to pair-share a recent stressor they’ve experienced.
  • Invite volunteers to briefly describe physical or emotional reactions.
  • Transition by explaining the brain’s role in these responses.

Step 2

Direct Instruction

10 minutes

  • Present Stress and the Brain Slide Deck covering amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex.
  • Distribute Neurobiology of Stress Handout.
  • Highlight key hormones (cortisol, adrenaline) and neural pathways.
  • Check for understanding with quick Q&A.

Step 3

Group Activity

10 minutes

  • Organize students into small groups and assign each a common stress scenario.
  • Using the handout, groups map out which brain structures and hormones activate during their scenario.
  • Groups share findings, discussing potential impacts on behavior and learning.

Step 4

Reflection and Debrief

5 minutes

  • Display Stress Management Strategies Infographic.
  • Distribute Reflection Prompt Worksheet and ask students to write one strategy they will try and how it targets the brain’s stress response.
  • Conclude by reinforcing the importance of proactive stress management.
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Slide Deck

Your Brain Under Stress

Exploring how stress changes our brain and what we can do about it.

Welcome students and introduce the topic: today we’ll explore how stress affects your brain and learn ways to manage it.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Identify key brain structures involved in stress responses
  • Explain the roles of cortisol and adrenaline
  • Map stress scenarios to brain activity using the handout
  • Choose and apply a stress-management strategy

Read through each objective with students and clarify any terms.

Key Brain Structures

  • Amygdala: Detects threats and triggers the stress response
  • Hippocampus: Processes memories and can be impaired by chronic stress
  • Prefrontal Cortex: Regulates decision-making and self-control; often inhibited under stress

Point to each structure on a brain diagram as you describe its function.

Stress Hormones: Cortisol & Adrenaline

  • Cortisol: Increases blood sugar, suppresses non-essential functions, can harm the hippocampus over time
  • Adrenaline: Boosts heart rate and energy, prepares muscles for immediate action

Explain how each hormone affects the body when students read the bullet points.

The HPA Axis in Action

  1. Hypothalamus senses stress and releases CRH
  2. Pituitary gland releases ACTH into the bloodstream
  3. Adrenal glands produce cortisol and adrenaline
  4. Body mobilizes energy and heightens alertness

Describe the HPA axis step by step: hypothalamus → pituitary → adrenal glands.

Group Activity: Stress Scenario

  1. Form small groups and choose a common stressor scenario
  2. Use the Neurobiology of Stress Handout to map activated structures and hormones
  3. Prepare a 1-minute share-out of your findings

Explain the group instructions and distribute the Neurobiology of Stress Handout.

Managing Stress Strategies

  • Deep Breathing: Lowers cortisol by activating the parasympathetic system
  • Physical Activity: Releases endorphins and reduces adrenaline levels
  • Mindfulness: Strengthens prefrontal control over the amygdala
  • Healthy Sleep & Nutrition: Supports hippocampal health

Highlight each strategy briefly and connect back to brain function.

Reflection & Next Steps

Use the Reflection Prompt Worksheet to write:

  1. One stress-management strategy you will try
  2. How it targets your brain’s stress response

Prompt students to complete the worksheet and share one actionable strategy.

lenny

Worksheet

Neurology of Stress Handout

Part 1: Label the Brain Structures

Below is an outline of your brain. On your printed handout or projection, label each numbered region with the correct structure name (Amygdala, Hippocampus, Prefrontal Cortex).

[Insert Brain Diagram Here]

  1. 1. ________________________



  1. Region 2: _________________________



  1. Region 3: _________________________



Part 2: Functions & Stress Responses

For each brain structure, write its primary function and describe how stress affects it.

  1. Amygdala
  • Function:





  • Effect of Stress:





  1. Hippocampus
  • Function:





  • Effect of Stress:





  1. Prefrontal Cortex
  • Function:





  • Effect of Stress:





Part 3: Stress Hormones

Complete the table by describing each hormone’s primary role and its effect during a stress response.

HormonePrimary Role in the BodyEffect During Stress
Cortisol________________________________


________________________________


Adrenaline________________________________


________________________________


Part 4: The HPA Axis Sequence

Fill in the blanks to show the correct order of events in the HPA axis:

  1. The ____________ senses stress and releases CRH.







  2. The ____________ gland releases ACTH into the bloodstream.







  3. The ____________ glands produce cortisol and adrenaline.







  4. The body mobilizes energy and heightens ____________.







Use this handout during our group activity to map scenarios to brain structures and hormones. Good luck!

lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Reflection Prompt Worksheet

Using the Stress Management Strategies Infographic, respond to the prompts below.

1. Strategy Selection

  1. Choose one stress-management strategy you are willing to try:



  1. Briefly explain why this strategy appeals to you:






2. Connecting to Brain Response

  1. Identify which brain structure(s) or hormone(s) this strategy most directly influences:









  1. Describe how this strategy helps modulate your brain’s stress response:









3. Personal Action Plan

  1. When and where will you practice this strategy this week?



  1. What obstacles might you face, and how will you address them?






4. Reflection

What is one thing you learned today about your own stress response?













lenny
lenny

Reading

Stress Management Infographic

A visual guide to help you calm your brain, lower stress hormones, and reclaim focus and well-being.

1. Deep Breathing

• What It Does: Activates your parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) system to counteract the fight-or-flight response.

• Brain Connection: Lowers cortisol, signals the amygdala to relax, and increases oxygen flow to the prefrontal cortex for clearer thinking.

2. Physical Activity

• What It Does: Uses up excess adrenaline, releases endorphins (your body’s natural mood lifters), and improves circulation.

• Brain Connection: Enhances prefrontal cortex function, helping with decision-making and impulse control, while reducing stress signals from the amygdala.

3. Mindfulness & Meditation

• What It Does: Builds awareness of thoughts and body sensations, interrupting stress loops before they escalate.

• Brain Connection: Strengthens neural pathways in the prefrontal cortex that regulate the amygdala, fostering calm and resilience.

4. Healthy Sleep & Nutrition

• What It Does: Restores energy, repairs neural tissue, and balances hormones.

• Brain Connection: Supports hippocampal health for memory and learning, and keeps cortisol rhythms in check.

5. Social Connection & Support

• What It Does: Releases oxytocin (the “bonding hormone”), reduces feelings of isolation, and provides emotional perspective.

• Brain Connection: Dampens amygdala overactivity and lowers overall cortisol production.

Quick Practice Tips

  • 3-3-3 Breathing: Inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
  • Micro-Break Walk: Stand up and walk for 2–5 minutes to flush out adrenaline.
  • Mindful Moment: Close your eyes for 1 minute, notice 5 sounds around you, then open your eyes slowly.

Learn More & Reflect

• Dive deeper into how stress hormones and brain structures interact in the Neurobiology of Stress Handout.
• After trying a strategy, record your experience on the Reflection Prompt Worksheet.

lenny
lenny