Lesson Plan
Self-Care First
Students will learn to distinguish between situations where they should focus on their own well-being and when they might try to help others, understand healthy boundaries, and practice self-care strategies.
This lesson is important for 5th graders to develop a strong sense of self, understand healthy boundaries, and prioritize their own mental and emotional well-being. It empowers them to practice self-care and recognize that they cannot always 'fix' others' problems.
Audience
5th Grade Student (Individual)
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Individual discussion, guided reflection, and practical application of self-care strategies.
Materials
Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Self-Care First Slide Deck, My Self-Care Plan Journal, and Self-Care Check-Out Cool Down
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Self-Care First Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Read through the My Self-Care Plan Journal and Self-Care Check-Out Cool Down to understand the activities.
- Prepare a whiteboard or chart paper and markers for brainstorming.
Step 1
Introduction: What Does 'Worry' Mean?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking the student: "What does it mean to 'worry'?" Allow them to share their initial thoughts.
- Explain that worry can be about ourselves or about others. Introduce the idea that sometimes our worry for others can become overwhelming and take away from our own well-being. Use the Self-Care First Slide Deck to guide this discussion. (Slides 1-2)
Step 2
My Circle of Control
10 minutes
- Introduce the concept of a 'Circle of Control' using the Self-Care First Slide Deck (Slide 3).
- Discuss what kinds of things are inside our control (our actions, our reactions, our thoughts) and what things are outside our control (other people's feelings, other people's choices, things that happen unexpectedly).
- Engage the student in a short brainstorming activity: "What are some things you can control? What are some things you cannot control?" Write down their ideas on the whiteboard/chart paper.
- Emphasize that when we worry about things outside our control, it can be draining and unproductive.
Step 3
Prioritizing Self-Care
10 minutes
- Transition to discussing self-care. Explain that taking care of ourselves is not selfish, but necessary, especially when we feel overwhelmed by worries about others. (Slides 4-5)
- Introduce the My Self-Care Plan Journal. Guide the student through the prompts, encouraging them to think about specific activities that help them feel calm, happy, or re-energized.
- Help them create a simple, actionable self-care plan they can use daily or weekly.
Step 4
Wrap-Up: When to Ask for Help
5 minutes
- Reiterate that while it's important to focus on self-care, it's also important to know when a situation is too big for them to handle alone. Discuss the importance of talking to a trusted adult (parent, teacher, counselor) if they are worried about themselves or a classmate in a significant way. (Slide 6)
- Complete the Self-Care Check-Out Cool Down activity. Review their responses to assess understanding and provide any final support.
Slide Deck
Understanding when to focus on your own well-being.
It's okay to put yourself first sometimes!
Let's learn how to do it in a healthy way.
Greet the student warmly. Explain that today's lesson is about understanding our feelings and how to take good care of ourselves. Introduce the topic: knowing when to focus on our own needs.
Worry is when our minds focus on problems or difficult situations.
We can worry about things that happen to us.
We can also worry about things that happen to our friends or family.
When does worrying about others start to affect you?
Ask the student: "What does it mean to 'worry'?" Listen to their thoughts. Explain that worry can be about ourselves or about others. Introduce the idea that sometimes worrying too much about others can make us feel overwhelmed and forget about our own needs.
Some things are in our control, and some things are not.
Things I CAN Control:
- My actions
- My effort
- My reactions
- What I say
Things I CANNOT Control:
- Other people's choices
- Other people's feelings
- Things that happen unexpectedly
Which circle do you spend most of your energy on?
Introduce the 'Circle of Control'. Explain that some things we can control and some things we cannot control. Use examples. Brainstorm with the student: What can you control? What can't you control? Emphasize that worrying about things outside our control can be very tiring.
Self-care means taking time to do things that make you feel good.
It helps you stay healthy and happy.
It gives you energy to handle challenges.
Self-care is NOT selfish! It's necessary.
Explain that taking care of ourselves (self-care) is super important. It's not selfish; it helps us have enough energy and happiness to deal with life's challenges. Ask: "What do you do that helps you feel good?"
- Physical: Get enough sleep, eat healthy snacks, play outside.
- Emotional: Talk to a trusted person, write in a journal, listen to music.
- Mental: Read a book, solve a puzzle, take a quiet break.
What are some things you can do for self-care?
Introduce different types of self-care (physical, emotional, mental). Encourage the student to think about their own self-care activities. Guide them towards the journal activity.
It's important to take care of yourself, but some worries need extra help.
If you are worried about:
- Your own safety or strong sad feelings
- A classmate who seems to be in serious trouble
Always talk to a trusted adult! (Parent, teacher, counselor)
Conclude by emphasizing that while self-care is important, some worries are too big to handle alone. Remind them to always talk to a trusted adult if they are seriously worried about themselves or a classmate. Introduce the cool-down activity.
Script
Self-Care First: Why Worrying About YOU Matters! - Script
Teacher: "Hi [Student's Name]! Thanks for joining me today. We're going to talk about something super important: how to take care of yourself and understand when it's okay to focus on your own well-being. Sometimes, we worry a lot about our friends or family, and while that comes from a kind heart, it can sometimes make us feel overwhelmed. Has that ever happened to you?"
Teacher: "Great. Let's start by thinking about what 'worry' means to you. What comes to mind when you hear that word?" (Wait for student response, acknowledge and affirm their thoughts.) "That's a really good way to put it. Worry is when our minds focus on problems or difficult situations. We can worry about things that happen to us, like a test at school, or we can worry about things that happen to our friends or family. For example, if a friend is sad, it's natural to worry about them, right?" (Pause for agreement.) "But when does worrying about others start to affect you? We're going to use our Self-Care First Slide Deck to help us think through this." (Advance to Slide 1, then Slide 2).
Teacher: "Now, let's talk about something called a 'Circle of Control.' This idea helps us figure out what we can actually do something about, and what we can't. Take a look at this slide." (Advance to Slide 3). "Some things are in our control, and some things are not. For example, I can control if I study for a test, but I can't control what questions are on the test, right? Or I can control how I react when someone says something unkind, but I can't control what they say. What are some things you think you can control? And what are some things you might worry about but can't really control? Let's jot down some ideas on the whiteboard/chart paper." (Facilitate brainstorming, writing down their responses in two columns: 'My Control' and 'Not My Control'. After a few minutes, summarize.) "See? It's easy to get caught up worrying about things outside our control. But that can be really draining and doesn't usually help solve the problem."
Teacher: "This leads us to self-care. It might sound like a grown-up word, but it just means taking time to do things that make you feel good and help you stay healthy and happy. And here's the big secret: Self-care is NOT selfish! It's necessary! If your own cup is empty, it's hard to pour into someone else's. Let's look at why it matters." (Advance to Slide 4, then Slide 5). "Self-care gives you energy. It helps you handle challenges. It helps you feel good, even when you're worried about things. What are some things you do that help you feel calm, happy, or re-energized? It could be anything: reading, drawing, playing outside, listening to music, talking to someone you trust." (Allow student to share.) "Those are great ideas! Now, I want to give you this My Self-Care Plan Journal. It has some questions to help you think more about your worries and create your own self-care plan. We'll work on it together." (Guide the student through the journal prompts, assisting as needed to help them fill in their plan. Emphasize making it actionable and realistic.)
Teacher: "You've put a lot of thought into taking care of yourself, and that's awesome! Remember, while it's super important to focus on your own self-care, there are some worries that are too big for any one person to handle alone. If you are ever seriously worried about your own safety, or if you feel very sad for a long time, or if you are worried about a classmate who seems to be in serious trouble, it's really, really important to talk to a trusted adult. That means a parent, a teacher, a counselor, or another grown-up you trust. They are there to help." (Advance to Slide 6). "You don't have to carry big worries by yourself."
Teacher: "To wrap up our discussion today, I have one last activity for you, our Self-Care Check-Out Cool Down. This will help you think about what we talked about and how you might use these ideas. Let's go through it now." (Distribute and review the cool-down. Provide final encouragement and support based on their responses.) "Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and for working on your self-care plan today, [Student's Name]. I hope you remember that taking care of you is a really important job!"
Journal
My Self-Care Plan Journal
Part 1: My Worries
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Think about something you've worried about recently. What was it?
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Was this worry mostly about you or mostly about someone else?
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Based on our discussion about the Circle of Control, was this worry something you could control or something you could not control?
Part 2: My Circle of Control
List 2 things that are inside your control when you have a problem or a worry:
List 2 things that are outside your control when you have a problem or a worry:
Part 3: My Self-Care Plan
What are 3 things you can do to take care of yourself when you feel worried or overwhelmed? (Think about physical, emotional, or mental self-care activities.)
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Activity:
How it helps me: -
Activity:
How it helps me: -
Activity:
How it helps me:
Part 4: When to Ask for Help
If a worry feels too big for you to handle, who is one trusted adult you can talk to?
Cool Down
Self-Care Check-Out
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One new idea I learned about self-care is:
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Something I can control when I feel worried is:
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On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel about knowing when to focus on your own well-being? (1 = Not confident, 5 = Very confident)
Circle one: 1 2 3 4 5 -
If you have any remaining questions or thoughts about self-care or worries, write them here: