Lesson Plan
Stress Spectrum Lesson Plan
Students will distinguish between positive (eustress) and negative (distress) stress, chart their personal stress profiles along a continuum, and identify healthy coping strategies to manage stress.
Understanding stress as both motivating and harmful helps students build self-awareness, recognize triggers, and develop lifelong mental health skills during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Step 1
Warm-Up Survey
5 minutes
Step 2
Define Stress Types
7 minutes
Step 3
Explore the Stress Spectrum
10 minutes
Step 4
Spectrum Sorting Challenge
15 minutes
Step 5
Peer Stress Stories
10 minutes
Step 6
Reflection & Closure
3 minutes

Slide Deck
The Stress Spectrum
Learning Objectives
What Is Stress?
Eustress (Positive Stress)
Distress (Negative Stress)
The Stress Continuum
Placing Common Stressors
Discussion Prompt
Next Activity

Warm Up


Activity


Discussion

