My Stress-Busting Toolkit

Latisha Smith

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

My Stress-Busting Toolkit

Students will be able to identify a personal stressor and choose a healthy coping strategy to manage it.

Learning to manage stress is crucial for 3rd graders to develop emotional resilience, improve focus, and maintain a positive attitude in school and at home. This lesson provides practical tools for everyday challenges.

Audience

3rd Grade Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through discussion, examples, and hands-on activities, students will build a personal stress-busting toolkit.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Slide Deck Presentation, and Design a Stress-Less Plan Worksheet

Prep

Preparation

10 minutes

Review the Slide Deck Presentation to familiarize yourself with the content.
* Print copies of the Design a Stress-Less Plan Worksheet for each student.
* Ensure a whiteboard or projector is available for the presentation.
* Gather markers or pens for students to use on their worksheets.
* Review the generated materials as needed.

Step 1

Welcome & Warm-Up: What Makes You Say 'Ugh'?

5 minutes

Begin by asking students to share things that sometimes make them feel a little stressed or say 'Ugh!' (e.g., big tests, losing a game, a messy room). Emphasize that everyone feels this way sometimes.
* Introduce the idea of stress as a feeling our bodies get when something feels challenging or overwhelming.
* Transition to the idea of building a 'Stress-Busting Toolkit' to help with these feelings. (Refer to Slide Deck Presentation - Slide 1 & 2)

Step 2

Introduce Key Concept: Stress Signals & Coping Strategies

7 minutes

Using the Slide Deck Presentation (Slides 3-5), explain common 'stress signals' in our bodies (e.g., tummy ache, fast heart, grumpy mood).
* Introduce healthy coping mechanisms as 'tools' for our toolkit (e.g., deep breaths, talking to an adult, drawing, playing). Discuss why these are 'healthy' choices compared to unhealthy ones.
* Briefly touch on Time Management and Self-Care as big ideas that include many coping tools.

Step 3

Guided Practice: Design Your Stress-Less Plan

5 minutes

Distribute the Design a Stress-Less Plan Worksheet.
* Guide students through the worksheet, helping them identify one personal stressor and then choose 2-3 healthy coping strategies that they think would work for them.
* Encourage students to draw or write their strategies in their toolkit section. (Refer to Slide Deck Presentation - Slide 6).

Step 4

Reflect & Share: Our Awesome Toolkits!

3 minutes

Invite students to share one stressor and one coping strategy from their Design a Stress-Less Plan Worksheet with a partner or the class.
* Reiterate that it's okay to feel stressed and that we all have tools to help ourselves feel better.
* Conclude by emphasizing the importance of using their new 'Stress-Busting Toolkit' when they encounter tricky situations. (Refer to Slide Deck Presentation - Slide 7)

0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Feeling the 'Ugh'?

Sometimes things make us feel a little... Ugh! 😬

Maybe a big test?
Losing a game?
A really messy room?

It's okay! We all feel this way sometimes!

Welcome students and set a positive tone. Introduce the topic of feelings and challenges without using the word 'stress' yet. Encourage students to think about things that make them feel a bit 'grumpy' or 'overwhelmed'.

What is 'Stress'?

That 'Ugh' feeling is what we call stress.

It's how our body feels when things are:

Challenging
Overwhelming

Good news: We can build a Stress-Busting Toolkit to help!

Explain that this 'Ugh' feeling is what we call stress. Define stress simply as how our body responds when things feel challenging or overwhelming. Introduce the idea of having tools to help.

Your Body's Stress Signals 🚨

How does your body tell you it's feeling stressed?

Tummy aches?
Fast heartbeat?
Feeling grumpy or worried?
Feeling tired?

These are your body's signals!

Ask students how their bodies feel when they are stressed. Guide them to identify physical and emotional signals. Emphasize that these are 'signals' to pay attention to.

Healthy Coping: Your Toolkit!

What can you put in your Stress-Busting Toolkit to feel better?

Deep Breaths: Inhale calm, exhale 'Ugh'!
Talk it Out: Share with a trusted adult or friend.
Get Moving: Play, run, dance!
Creative Fun: Draw, write, build.
Quiet Time: Read a book, listen to music.

Introduce the concept of healthy coping mechanisms. Give concrete examples that 3rd graders can relate to. Contrast briefly with unhealthy coping (e.g., yelling, hitting) without dwelling on it.

Big Ideas for Stress-Less Living

These tools help with Self-Care and Time Management.

Self-Care: Taking good care of YOU!
Time Management: Planning your day so things feel less rushed.

Briefly mention self-care and time management as broader categories for stress relief, connecting them to the tools discussed. Keep it simple and age-appropriate.

Design Your Stress-Less Plan!

Time to build your own Stress-Busting Toolkit!

Identify ONE stressor: What makes YOU say 'Ugh'?
Choose 2-3 tools: What will you do to feel better?

Let's get creative on your Design a Stress-Less Plan Worksheet!

Explain the worksheet activity. Instruct students to think of ONE thing that stresses them and then brainstorm 2-3 tools from their toolkit that could help.

Your Awesome Toolkit!

Great job building your personal Stress-Busting Toolkit!

Remember:

It's okay to feel stressed.
You have tools to help you feel better.
Use your toolkit when you need it!

Go forth and be stress-less awesome! ✨

Facilitate sharing. Emphasize that everyone's toolkit will look different and that it's good to have options. Conclude with a positive message about using their new skills.

Worksheet

Design Your Stress-Less Plan!

Name: ____________________________ Date: ______________

Part 1: What makes YOU say "Ugh"? (Your Personal Stressor)

Think about one thing that sometimes makes you feel stressed, worried, or just a bit "Ugh!".

My Stressor is:

Part 2: Build Your Stress-Busting Toolkit!

What healthy tools will you use to feel better when you face your stressor? Choose 2 or 3 tools!

Draw or write your tools in the boxes below!

My Stress-Busting Tool 1	My Stress-Busting Tool 2	My Stress-Busting Tool 3

Part 3: Share Your Plan!

Tell a friend or your teacher about your stressor and one tool you picked. How will this tool help you?