Warm Up
Math Anxiety Warm-Up: A Quick Check-In
Instructions: Take a moment to reflect on the following questions. You don't need to write down your answers, just think about them.
- Think about a time in math class when you felt stuck or worried. What kind of thoughts popped into your head?
- How did those thoughts make you feel physically? (e.g., butterflies in your stomach, fast heartbeat, tight shoulders)
- What's one thing you've heard someone say (or thought yourself!) about being
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Lesson Plan
Taming Math Monsters
Students will be able to identify and practice at least two coping skills to manage math anxiety during a 20-minute math class session.
Learning to cope with math anxiety helps students build resilience, improve their focus, and ultimately achieve greater success and confidence in mathematics. It's about empowering them to face challenges head-on!
Audience
7th Grade Math Students
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Through discussion and an interactive activity, students will explore practical coping strategies.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Slide Deck: Taming Math Monsters, Markers/pens, Paper for the Cope & Conquer Wheel, Coloring materials (optional), Activity: Cope & Conquer Wheel, Warm Up: Math Anxiety Warm-Up, and Cool Down: My Math Power-Up
Prep
Preparation Steps
10 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan: Taming Math Monsters, Slide Deck: Taming Math Monsters, Activity: Cope & Conquer Wheel, Warm Up: Math Anxiety Warm-Up, and Cool Down: My Math Power-Up.
- Prepare the projector/whiteboard for the slide deck.
- Gather paper and coloring materials for the activity.
- Print copies of the Activity: Cope & Conquer Wheel if not having students draw their own.
Step 1
Warm-Up & Connect
3 minutes
- Begin with the Warm Up: Math Anxiety Warm-Up activity. Have students reflect on their thoughts and feelings about math challenges.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion, asking students to share (if comfortable) some common feelings or thoughts they experience when math gets tough. Connect this to their previous learning about automatic negative thoughts.
Step 2
Introduce Coping Skills
7 minutes
- Present the Slide Deck: Taming Math Monsters.
- Introduce the concept of coping skills as tools to help manage uncomfortable feelings like math anxiety.
- Discuss various coping skills such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, taking a short break, visualizing success, asking for help, and reframing negative thoughts. Provide simple, relatable examples for each.
Step 3
Cope & Conquer Wheel Activity
7 minutes
- Distribute materials for the Activity: Cope & Conquer Wheel.
- Explain the activity: students will create a "Cope & Conquer Wheel" to personalize their coping strategies. Guide them through the instructions on the activity sheet.
- Circulate to provide support and encourage creativity. Remind students that these are their personal tools.
Step 4
Share & Reflect
2 minutes
- Invite a few volunteers to briefly share one coping skill from their wheel and how they might use it.
- Reinforce that everyone experiences anxiety, and these skills are powerful tools for everyone.
Step 5
Cool Down
1 minute
- Distribute the Cool Down: My Math Power-Up.
- Ask students to complete it before leaving class as a quick check for understanding and personal commitment to a coping skill.
Slide Deck
Taming Math Monsters: Coping with Math Anxiety!
Today, we're building on our talk about those tricky "Automatic Negative Thoughts" (ANTs) that sometimes pop up in math class.
We're going to learn some superpowers to 'tame' those math monsters and feel more confident!
Greet students and introduce the lesson's focus on managing math anxiety. Briefly recap the previous lesson on Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) in math.
Quick Rewind: What are ANTs?
Remember those 'Automatic Negative Thoughts' (ANTs)?
- They're those quick, sneaky thoughts that appear when we face a challenge.
- They can make us feel worried, frustrated, or like we can't do something.
- In math, they might sound like: "I'm bad at this," or "This is too hard."
Ask students to recall what ANTs are. Guide them to remember that ANTs are those quick, often negative thoughts that happen without us trying.
Your Superpower: Coping Skills!
What if you had a secret toolkit to handle those ANTs and calm your 'math monster' feelings?
That's what coping skills are!
- Coping skills are strategies you can use to manage stress, anxiety, or other difficult emotions.
- They help you feel more in control and think more clearly.
- Think of them as your personal "math power-ups"!
Introduce the idea of coping skills. Emphasize that these are tools, and everyone needs different tools at different times. They are not about eliminating feelings, but managing them.
Coping Skill #1: Deep Breath Dragon
When you feel overwhelmed, try deep breathing.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts.
- Hold your breath for 4 counts.
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.
- Repeat a few times.
Why it helps: Slows your heart rate and sends a message to your brain to calm down.
Demonstrate deep breathing. Have students practice with you for 30 seconds to a minute. Emphasize slow, controlled breaths.
Coping Skill #2: Positive Power-Up Talk
Talk to yourself like a coach, not a critic!
- Instead of "I can't do this," try "I can try my best" or "I'll take it one step at a time."
- "Mistakes help me learn!"
- "It's okay to ask for help."
Why it helps: Changes your mindset and boosts your confidence.
Discuss positive self-talk. Give examples of what positive self-talk sounds like. Encourage students to think of their own 'math mantras'.
Coping Skill #3: Brain Break Burst
Sometimes your brain just needs a mini-vacation!
- If you're stuck or frustrated, take a 1-2 minute break.
- Stand up, stretch, look out the window, or get a drink of water.
- Then come back to the problem with fresh eyes.
Why it helps: Gives your brain a chance to reset and reduces frustration.
Explain the benefit of short breaks. Emphasize that it's a short, intentional break, not avoiding the work. Suggest activities like stretching, getting a drink of water, or looking out the window.
Coping Skill #4: Ask for Aid
You don't have to tackle every math monster alone!
- If you're confused, raise your hand, ask a peer, or look at your notes.
- Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Why it helps: Gets you unstuck and reinforces that it's okay not to know everything instantly.
Introduce the idea of asking for help. Normalize it as a strength, not a weakness. Remind students of available resources (teacher, friends, notes, examples).
Your Personal Coping Toolkit: "Cope & Conquer Wheel"
Now it's YOUR turn to create your very own "Cope & Conquer Wheel"!
This wheel will be a visual reminder of the coping skills you can use whenever math anxiety tries to creep in.
Let's get creative and make our personal math power-up wheels!
Transition to the activity. Explain that they will create their own tool to remember these skills.
Activity
Cope & Conquer Wheel: Your Math Anxiety Toolkit
Objective: To create a personalized visual reminder of coping skills for math anxiety.
Instructions:
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Get Ready: Take a piece of paper. You can use a compass or a circular object (like a roll of tape) to draw a large circle in the center of your paper, or you can freehand a circle. This will be your "Cope & Conquer Wheel."
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Divide Your Wheel: Divide your circle into 4-6 sections (like slices of a pizza). These sections will represent different coping skills.
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Brainstorm & Choose: Think about the coping skills we discussed (Deep Breathing, Positive Self-Talk, Brain Break, Ask for Help, Visualizing Success, Reframing Thoughts). Choose 4-6 skills that you think would be most helpful for you.
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Label Each Section: In each section of your wheel, clearly write the name of one coping skill. For example: "Deep Breathing," "Positive Self-Talk," "Short Break."
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Add Details (Optional but Recommended!):
- Beneath or next to each skill, write a brief note about how you would use it or why it helps you. (e.g., "Deep Breathing: Count to 4 in, 4 hold, 6 out to calm down.")
- Draw a small picture or symbol in each section to represent the skill. Get creative!
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Decorate & Personalize: Use colors, patterns, or additional drawings to make your wheel your own. The more personal it is, the more likely you are to use it!
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Practice (Mental Rehearsal): Once your wheel is complete, choose one skill from your wheel. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself in a challenging math situation. Now, visualize yourself using that coping skill effectively. How do you feel afterward?
My Chosen Coping Skills:
Reflection: Which skill are you most excited to try next time you feel math anxiety?
Cool Down
My Math Power-Up: Cool Down
Instructions: Please answer the following questions to reflect on today's lesson.
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Name one new coping skill you learned or reviewed today to help with math anxiety.
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How might you use this coping skill during our next math class?
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On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = not confident, 5 = very confident), how confident do you feel about trying one of these coping skills next time you feel anxious about math?
1 2 3 4 5
Thank you for sharing!