Lesson Plan
Personal Coping Strategies Plan
Guide the student to recognize personal stressors, learn calming techniques, and create a tailored coping strategy plan to use during challenging moments.
Building self-management skills through personalized self-regulation tools empowers the student to manage stress, improve focus, and build resilience.
Audience
8th Grade Student
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, guided reflection, and personalized planning.
Materials
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Preview each digital resource to ensure smooth presentation.
- Calm-Down Techniques Slides: Note key talking points.
- Mood-Tracker Charts: Decide how to introduce the tracking scales.
- Daily Reflection Prompts: Plan how to guide open-ended responses.
- Breathing Buddy Guide: Prepare a physical or virtual breathing buddy if available.
Step 1
Introduction & Rapport Building
5 minutes
- Welcome the student and explain the session goal: creating a personal coping plan.
- Briefly discuss what self-management means and why it’s useful.
- Establish a supportive, nonjudgmental tone.
Step 2
Identify Stressors
5 minutes
- Ask the student to name recent situations that caused frustration, anxiety, or anger.
- Use prompts: “What makes you feel overwhelmed at school or home?”
- Record 3–5 stressors on a whiteboard or paper.
Step 3
Teach Calm-Down Techniques
7 minutes
- Present Calm-Down Techniques Slides.
- Model 2–3 techniques (deep breathing, counting, visualization).
- Practice a quick breathing exercise together using the Breathing Buddy Guide.
Step 4
Strategy Selection
7 minutes
- Distribute Mood-Tracker Charts and Daily Reflection Prompts.
- Guide the student to reflect on which techniques they felt comfortable with.
- Help them choose 2–3 strategies to try when each stressor appears.
Step 5
Craft Personal Coping Plan
3 minutes
- On the back of the tracking chart or in the journal, have the student write down:
• The identified stressor
• Chosen calming strategy
• When and how they will use it - Review for clarity and encourage ownership.
Step 6
Closure & Next Steps
3 minutes
- Summarize the personalized coping plan together.
- Encourage the student to practice daily and log each attempt in the Daily Reflection Prompts.
- Schedule a check-in to review progress and adjust strategies as needed.
Slide Deck
Calm-Down Techniques
In this session, we’ll explore three simple self-regulation strategies:
• Deep Breathing
• Counting Exercises
• Guided Visualization
Use these tools to gain control of your mood and focus.
Welcome the student and introduce the purpose of this mini-deck: to explore quick, easy techniques they can use anytime they feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Technique 1: Deep Breathing
- Sit comfortably with your hands on your belly.
- Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4; feel your belly rise.
- Hold for 2 seconds.
- Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 6; feel your belly fall.
- Repeat 4–6 times.
Explain the importance of breathing from the diaphragm and how deliberate breath pauses signal the brain to relax.
Technique 2: Counting Exercise
• Method A: Count backward from 20 to 1, focusing on each number.
• Method B: Breathe in for a count of 3, breathe out for a count of 5 — repeat.
Both help redirect attention and calm racing thoughts.
Guide the student to shift focus away from anxious thoughts by giving the mind a simple, absorbing task.
Technique 3: Guided Visualization
- Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful scene (beach, park, forest).
- Describe what you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste.
- Spend 1–2 minutes “visiting” this place in your mind.
- Open your eyes slowly and notice how you feel.
Encourage the student to pick a favorite calm place or scenario—real or imagined—and engage all senses.
Bonus: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Clench your fists tight, hold 5 seconds, then release.
- Shrug your shoulders to your ears, hold 5 seconds, then release.
- Tighten your stomach, hold 5 seconds, then release.
- Move through each major muscle group.
Introduce a full-body relaxation method. You can demonstrate tensing/releasing one muscle group at a time.
Summary & Next Steps
• Choose 1–2 techniques to try this week.
• Practice when calm to build skill.
• Use your Breathing Buddy or Mood-Tracker to record your experiences.
You’re building lifelong tools for self-management!
Wrap up by reminding the student to practice each technique daily, noting which works best. Plan which technique to try first when feeling stressed.
Worksheet
Mood-Tracker Charts
Use this chart to record your mood, the situation, and which calming strategy you tried. Aim to fill out at least 4–6 entries each day.
| Date | Time | Mood Rating (1 = Very Low, 5 = Very High) | Stressor/Situation | Strategy Used | Notes on How You Felt Afterward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tips:
- Be honest with your mood rating.
- Describe the situation briefly (e.g., quiz in math class, argument with sibling).
- List the calming technique you chose (deep breathing, counting, visualization, etc.).
- In Notes, write how your mood changed or what you noticed after using the strategy.
After completing this chart for a few days, review your patterns to see which strategies help you the most!
Journal
Daily Reflection Prompts
Use these prompts at the end of each day to reflect on how you managed stress and practiced your coping strategies.
1. Describe a moment today when you felt stressed or overwhelmed. What triggered this feeling?
2. Which calming technique from Calm-Down Techniques Slides did you use during that moment? Explain why you chose it.
3. Using your Mood-Tracker Charts, what mood rating did you record before and after using the strategy?
4. Reflect on how effective the strategy was. What went well and what could you improve next time?
5. Imagine your stress as a color, shape, or weather. Describe it and explain why it feels that way.
6. What is one positive thing you noticed about your reaction or coping today?
7. Looking ahead to tomorrow, which strategies from your Personal Coping Strategies Plan will you try and at what time?
Cool Down
Breathing Buddy Guide
Use a small plush toy or favorite object as your personal “Breathing Buddy” to make deep breathing practice fun and visual. Follow these steps each time you need a quick calm-down break:
- Get Cozy (1 minute)
• Sit comfortably or lie down.
• Hold your Breathing Buddy on your belly (or place it gently on your lap/stomach). - Breathe In (4–5 seconds)
• Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of 4 (or what feels comfortable).
• Feel your belly expand—and watch your buddy rise. - Hold & Notice (1–2 seconds)
• Pause briefly at the top of your breath.
• Notice how your body and buddy feel—you might feel a gentle stretch or lightness. - Breathe Out (6–7 seconds)
• Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 6 (or slightly longer than your inhale).
• Feel your belly fall—and watch your buddy settle back down. - Repeat & Tune In (5–8 cycles)
• Continue inhaling and exhaling with your buddy, paying attention to its rise and fall.
• If your mind wanders, softly bring your focus back to the Buddy’s movement. - Reflect (1–2 minutes)
• After 5–8 breaths, notice how your body feels—less tense, more relaxed?
• Name how calm feels today (e.g., “My heart feels light,” or “My shoulders feel softer”).
Tips & Ideas:
- Give your buddy a name—this builds connection and makes practice more engaging.
- Experiment with different breath counts (e.g., inhale 3, exhale 5) to find your “sweet spot.”
- Keep your Buddy within reach (desk, locker, backpack) so you can practice anywhere.
- Pair this with a quick visualization: imagine each breath coloring your stress away.
Use your Breathing Buddy anytime you need a moment of calm—before a test, after a tough conversation, or whenever your mind feels overwhelmed. Practice daily to strengthen your self-management skills!