Lesson Plan
Coping Tools Overview
Introduce the student to a range of evidence-based coping strategies and collaboratively set personalized practice goals to enhance stress management.
Equipping an 8th grader with concrete coping tools fosters self-efficacy, reduces anxiety, and builds long-term resilience in academic and personal contexts.
Audience
8th Grade Student
Time
40 minutes
Approach
Interactive overview plus goal-setting
Materials
Pens and Markers, Construction Paper, Stress-Buster Toolkit, Build Your Toolbox Activity, Tool Reflection Sheet, Tool Usage Tracker, and Toolbox Affirmation
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Review the Stress-Buster Toolkit slide deck.
- Print copies of the Tool Reflection Sheet.
- Ready the Tool Usage Tracker journal format.
- Gather craft supplies for the Build Your Toolbox Activity.
- Familiarize yourself with the Toolbox Affirmation script.
Step 1
Welcome & Check-In
5 minutes
- Greet the student and ask how they’re feeling today.
- Reinforce confidentiality and a safe space.
- Briefly explain the session’s purpose: exploring new coping strategies.
Step 2
Coping Strategies Discussion
10 minutes
- Define coping tools and their importance in stress-management.
- Offer examples (e.g., deep breathing, journaling, mindfulness, physical movement).
- Ask the student which strategies they’ve tried and what worked or didn’t.
Step 3
Stress-Buster Toolkit Slide Deck
10 minutes
- Present the Stress-Buster Toolkit slides.
- Highlight 4–5 key techniques with visuals and brief demonstrations (e.g., 2-minute breathing exercise).
- Encourage questions and relate each tool to the student’s personal experiences.
Step 4
Build Your Toolbox Activity
10 minutes
- Provide materials and explain the Build Your Toolbox Activity.
- Student selects three strategies from the slide deck to create ‘tool’ cards on construction paper.
- Decorate each card and label with the strategy name and a reminder of when to use it.
Step 5
Reflection & Affirmation
5 minutes
- Have the student complete the Tool Reflection Sheet, writing one short-term goal per tool (e.g., “Use deep breathing before tests”).
- Lead the student through the Toolbox Affirmation to reinforce confidence.
- Remind the student to log each tool’s use in their Tool Usage Tracker before the next session.
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Slide Deck
Stress-Buster Toolkit
In this session, we’ll explore 5 simple coping strategies to help you manage stress and build resilience. As we go, think about which ones resonate with you.
Welcome the student. Explain that this deck will introduce five practical stress-management techniques. Encourage them to ask questions and share experiences.
1. Deep Breathing
• Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 4 seconds
• Exhale gently through your mouth for 4 seconds
Prompt: Let’s practice together now. How does it feel in your body?
Demonstrate the 4-4-4 breathing pattern with the student. Guide them through 2–3 cycles. Ask how their body feels afterward.
2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Tense one muscle group (e.g., fists) for 5 seconds
• Release and notice the relaxation for 10 seconds
• Move progressively from toes up to your head
Prompt: Which muscle group felt the most tension when you released it?
Lead the student through a brief progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercise. Focus on noticing tension before release and the contrast after relaxing each group.
3. Guided Visualization
• Close your eyes and imagine a calm, safe place
• Engage your senses: what do you see, hear, or smell?
Prompt: Describe your safe place. What stands out most?
Invite the student to close their eyes and guide them through a short visualization. Afterwards, ask them to describe what they saw, heard, or felt.
4. Mindfulness Body Scan
• Bring attention to your feet, notice any sensations
• Slowly move your focus up through your legs, torso, arms, and head
• Observe without trying to change anything
Prompt: What sensations do you notice right now?
Guide a quick body-scan mindfulness exercise. Encourage non-judgmental awareness and noticing present sensations.
5. Journaling
• Write freely about your thoughts and feelings for 5 minutes
• Don’t worry about spelling or grammar—just express yourself
Prompt: What’s one emotion or thought you’d like to explore in writing today?
Explain the benefits of journaling for processing thoughts and emotions. Offer prompts if the student feels stuck and encourage at-home practice.
Activity
Build Your Toolbox Activity
Purpose: Help the student personalize three coping strategies by creating visual “tool” cards they can reference whenever they need support.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials:
- Construction paper (pre-cut into index-card size pieces)
- Markers, colored pencils, stickers
- Scissors and glue (for collage or extra decorations)
- Stress-Buster Toolkit slide deck (for reference)
Instructions:
- Explain & Model (2 minutes)
- Say: “We’re going to turn three of the strategies we just learned into ‘tool cards.’
Each card will remind you what the tool is, how to do it, and when to use it.” - Show a quick example: draw a card for Deep Breathing with the steps and a little cloud or wave doodle.
- Say: “We’re going to turn three of the strategies we just learned into ‘tool cards.’
- Select & Create Your Cards (6 minutes)
- Ask the student to choose three coping strategies from the slide deck.
- Provide three pieces of construction paper. For each:
• Write the strategy name at the top.
• Jot down 2–3 quick bullet-point steps.
• Add a small reminder of when to use it (e.g., “Before a test,” “When I feel tight in my chest,” “If my mind races at night”).
• Decorate with colors, drawings, or stickers that help them remember how the tool feels.
- Share & Label (2 minutes)
- Have the student hold up each card and explain, in their own words, when and how they’ll use it.
- Prompt: “Which tool feels easiest to remember? Which one might you need to practice most?”
- Transition to Reflection
- Ask the student to place their tool cards in a small box or folder. Next, they’ll complete the Tool Reflection Sheet to set a goal for each tool.
Next Up: Reflection & Affirmation with the Tool Reflection Sheet and Toolbox Affirmation.
Worksheet
Tool Reflection Sheet
Use this sheet to reflect on each of your three tool cards and set a clear practice goal for the week.
Tool 1
Tool Name: ____________________________
- Purpose: Why is this tool helpful to me?
- Specific Situation: When might I use this tool?
- Weekly Goal (SMART): I will use this tool ______ times when ________________.
- Tracking Progress: How will I know I met my goal?
Tool 2
Tool Name: ____________________________
- Purpose: Why is this tool helpful to me?
- Specific Situation: When might I use this tool?
- Weekly Goal (SMART): I will use this tool ______ times when ________________.
- Tracking Progress: How will I know I met my goal?
Tool 3
Tool Name: ____________________________
- Purpose: Why is this tool helpful to me?
- Specific Situation: When might I use this tool?
- Weekly Goal (SMART): I will use this tool ______ times when ________________.
- Tracking Progress: How will I know I met my goal?
Next, remember to record each use of your tools in your Tool Usage Tracker journal before our next session!
Journal
Tool Usage Tracker
Use this journal to record each time you use one of your coping tools. Tracking your use helps you build consistency and notice what works best.
Entry #: ____________
Date: ____________________________
Tool Used: ________________________
Situation: What was happening when I used this tool?
Feeling before using the tool:
Feeling after using the tool:
Helpfulness Rating (1 = Not helpful, 5 = Very helpful): ________
Reflection: What did I learn about using this tool today?
(Repeat this template each time you practice a tool. Bring this tracker to our next session to discuss your progress!)
Cool Down
Toolbox Affirmation
Take a moment to sit comfortably and hold your three tool cards in your hands. Feel their weight and remember you created these tools to help yourself.
- Centering Breath (30 seconds)
- Close your eyes if you’d like, or softly focus on a point in front of you.
- Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds… hold for 2 seconds… exhale gently through your mouth for 6 seconds.
- Affirmation Repeats (1–2 minutes)“I am capable of handling stress with calm and confidence.”
“My Mind Toolbox is full of tools I can use anytime I need support.”
“When I feel overwhelmed, I trust myself to choose the right tool.”
“Each time I practice, I grow stronger and more resilient.”
- Read each statement aloud, then pause and let it sink in before moving to the next.
- Closing Reflection (30 seconds)
- Take one more deep breath in… and out. Notice how your body feels.
- Whisper or think your own personal reminder, for example: “I’ve got this.”
Great job! Keep your tool cards somewhere you can see them, and remember you have the power to calm your mind whenever you need.