Lesson Plan
Your Brain on Stress
Students will be able to identify common signs of stress and learn practical, healthy coping mechanisms.
Understanding how our bodies and minds react to stress and developing healthy ways to cope is crucial for overall well-being. This lesson provides tools students can use in their daily lives, respecting diverse cultural understandings of health.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and individual reflection.
Materials
Google Slides or projector, Slide Deck: Your Brain on Stress, Warm-Up: Stress Check-In, Activity: My Coping Toolkit, and Cool-Down: One Small Step
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Slide Deck: Your Brain on Stress to familiarize yourself with the content and talking points.
* Print copies of the Warm-Up: Stress Check-In (one per student).
* Print copies of the Activity: My Coping Toolkit (one per student).
* Review the Cool-Down: One Small Step questions.
* Ensure you have access to a projector or interactive whiteboard to display the slides.
* Consider any cultural sensitivities of your specific student population and adjust language as needed to focus on universal themes of well-being and managing daily challenges.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Stress Check-In
5 minutes
- Distribute the Warm-Up: Stress Check-In worksheet to each student.
* Instruct students to independently complete the short activity, reflecting on how they feel today.
* Explain that this is a personal reflection and they will not be required to share their answers aloud.
* Collect the worksheets or have students keep them for later reference if they wish.
Step 2
Introduction: What is Stress?
5 minutes
- Display Slide 1: Your Brain on Stress.
* Begin by asking students to share (if comfortable) what comes to mind when they hear the word 'stress'. (Teacher note: Emphasize that it's normal to feel stress, and we all experience it.)
* Transition to Slide 2: What is Stress? and define stress in simple terms: 'Our body's reaction to pressure or change.'
* Explain that stress isn't always bad (e.g., excitement before a game) but can be overwhelming if not managed.
* Display Slide 3: How Does Stress Feel?. Briefly discuss common physical and emotional signs of stress (e.g., headache, fast heart, feeling worried, tired). Emphasize that everyone experiences it differently.
Step 3
Understanding Stress: Mind-Body Connection
5 minutes
- Display Slide 4: Mind-Body Connection.
* Explain how our thoughts and feelings are connected to our physical bodies. Give simple, relatable examples (e.g., feeling nervous stomach before a test, smiling when happy).
* Emphasize that paying attention to these signals is a way our body communicates with us.
* Display Slide 5: Our Superpower: Coping!. Introduce the idea of coping mechanisms as our 'superpowers' to handle stress.
Step 4
Activity: My Coping Toolkit
10 minutes
- Display Slide 6: Build Your Toolkit.
* Distribute the Activity: My Coping Toolkit worksheet.
* Explain that students will brainstorm healthy ways they can manage stress. Provide examples of healthy coping strategies (e.g., talking to a trusted adult, taking deep breaths, listening to music, playing outside, drawing, writing in a journal).
* Circulate and offer guidance, encouraging students to think of things they already do that help them feel better, or new ideas they'd like to try. Remind them to focus on things that are accessible and positive.
* Briefly invite 2-3 students to share one non-personal coping strategy they listed (e.g., 'listening to music helps me relax'). Stress that there's no single 'right' way to cope, and what works for one person might not work for another.
Step 5
Cool-Down: One Small Step
5 minutes
- Display Slide 7: Your Superpower! and then Slide 8: One Small Step.
* Distribute or display the Cool-Down: One Small Step questions.
* Ask students to reflect silently and answer the questions on a small slip of paper or in their notebooks.
* Collect the responses as an exit ticket. Reiterate that everyone faces challenges and learning to manage our reactions is a powerful skill for life.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Your Brain on Stress: Taming the Overwhelm
Understanding how your body and mind react to pressure and how to feel better.
Ready to learn your superpower?
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Emphasize that stress is a normal part of life for everyone.
What is Stress, Anyway?
It's your body's natural reaction to demands or changes.
It's totally normal to feel it!
Sometimes it helps you (like before a big game!), and sometimes it feels like too much.
Ask students what comes to mind when they hear 'stress.' Guide them to understand it's our body's way of reacting to challenges, both good and bad.
How Does Stress Feel in *Your* Body?
Physical Signs:
- Headaches
- Tense muscles
- Fast heartbeat
- Trouble sleeping or eating
Emotional Signs:
- Feeling worried or nervous
- Irritable or easily upset
- Tired or lacking energy
- Trouble focusing
Discuss common physical and emotional signs. Remind students that everyone experiences it differently.
The Mind-Body Connection
Your thoughts and feelings don't just stay in your head!
They can affect your body, and your body can affect your mind.
Think about it: Ever felt a 'nervous stomach' before a big presentation?
Explain the connection between our minds and bodies. Give simple examples like a 'nervous stomach' or smiling when happy.
Our Superpower: Coping!
Coping means finding healthy ways to handle tough feelings and situations.
It's like having a toolkit for your well-being!
What helps you feel calm, happy, or focused when things get tough?
Introduce coping mechanisms as tools or 'superpowers.' Frame it positively.
Building Your Coping Toolkit
Let's brainstorm some healthy ways to cope:
- Talk to a trusted adult
- Take deep breaths
- Listen to music
- Spend time in nature
- Write in a journal
- Draw or create art
- Play a game or sport
Explain the activity and provide examples of healthy coping strategies. Encourage individual brainstorming.
You Have the Superpower!
You have the power to understand your stress and choose healthy ways to cope.
It's a skill you can build over time!
Reiterate the main message: students have the power to manage their stress.
One Small Step
Think about what you learned today. What's one small step you can take to manage stress or feel better this week?
(Write it down on your exit ticket!)
Explain the cool-down activity as an exit ticket.
Script
Stress Management Script
Introduction (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something that everyone experiences: stress. You might hear the word ‘stress’ and think of really big, overwhelming things, but stress is actually something we encounter every day in many different forms."
Display Slide 1: Your Brain on Stress
Teacher: "Take a look at our title for today: 'Your Brain on Stress: Taming the Overwhelm.' We're going to explore how our brains and bodies react to pressure, and most importantly, how we can learn to feel better when things get tough. Ready to discover your superpower?"
Display Slide 2: What is Stress, Anyway?
Teacher: "Before we dive in, what comes to mind for you when you hear the word ‘stress’? You don't have to share anything personal, but just think for a moment. What images or feelings does that word bring up? (Pause for a few seconds, allowing students to think)."
Teacher: "You know, stress is your body's natural reaction to demands or changes. It's totally normal to feel it! Sometimes it can actually help you, like when you feel a burst of energy right before a big game or a test, helping you focus. But other times, it can feel like too much, right?"
Display Slide 3: How Does Stress Feel in Your Body?
Teacher: "When you feel stressed, your body and mind might give you some clues. Physically, you might notice headaches, tense muscles, or your heart beating a little faster. Emotionally, you might feel worried, a bit irritable, or just really tired. Everyone experiences stress differently, so what one person feels, another might not. It’s important to tune into your own signals."
Mind-Body Connection (5 minutes)
Display Slide 4: The Mind-Body Connection
Teacher: "It's pretty amazing how our minds and bodies work together. Your thoughts and feelings don't just stay in your head – they can actually affect your body, and your body can affect your mind! Think about it: Have you ever felt a 'nervous stomach' before a big presentation or a test? Or how about when you smile, even if you’re trying to be grumpy, it often makes you feel a little better? This connection is powerful, and recognizing it is the first step."
Display Slide 5: Our Superpower: Coping!
Teacher: "So, what do we do about stress when it feels overwhelming? This is where our superpower comes in! Coping means finding healthy ways to handle tough feelings and situations. It's like having a toolkit for your well-being. Everyone has coping mechanisms, some healthy, some not so much. Today we're focusing on building a great toolkit of healthy ways to cope. What helps you feel calm, happy, or focused when things get tough?"
Activity: My Coping Toolkit (10 minutes)
Display Slide 6: Building Your Coping Toolkit
Teacher: "Now it’s your turn to start building your own 'Coping Toolkit.' I'm going to hand out a worksheet called Activity: My Coping Toolkit. On this worksheet, you'll find different sections to brainstorm healthy ways you can manage stress. Think about things you already do that help you feel better, or new ideas you’d like to try."
Distribute the Activity: My Coping Toolkit worksheet.
Teacher: "Some examples of healthy coping strategies could be: talking to a trusted adult – maybe a parent, grandparent, teacher, or counselor; taking deep breaths when you feel overwhelmed; listening to music; spending time in nature; writing in a journal; drawing or creating art; or playing a game or sport. These are just ideas to get you started! What works for one person might not work for another, and that's perfectly okay. Focus on what feels right for you and what is accessible to you."
Circulate and offer guidance, encouraging students to think broadly. After about 7 minutes, bring the class back together.
Teacher: "Alright class, let's bring it back. Does anyone feel comfortable sharing one healthy coping strategy they listed? Remember, don't share anything personal, just an activity or idea. For example, 'listening to music helps me relax.' (Call on 2-3 students)."
Teacher: "Great ideas, everyone! See, we all have different ways that work for us. The key is to find yours and use them when you need them."
Cool-Down: One Small Step (5 minutes)
Display Slide 7: You Have the Superpower!
Teacher: "Remember, you have the power to understand your stress and choose healthy ways to cope. This isn't something you master overnight; it's a skill you can build and improve over time. Every small step counts!"
Display Slide 8: One Small Step
Teacher: "To wrap up our lesson today, I'd like you to think about what you learned. On your Cool-Down: One Small Step sheet (or a slip of paper), please answer the questions. This is your personal reflection, but I will collect these as exit tickets."
Distribute or display the Cool-Down: One Small Step questions. Collect them after a few minutes.
Teacher: "Excellent work today, everyone. Remember, facing challenges is a part of life, and learning to manage our reactions to them is one of the most powerful skills you can develop for your entire life. Keep building that coping toolkit!"
Warm Up
Warm-Up: Stress Check-In
Instructions: This is a personal check-in. Please answer honestly, but you will not be asked to share your answers aloud. This is just for you to notice how you are feeling today.
1. How would you describe your energy level right now?
- Very energetic
- Mostly energetic
- Neutral
- A little tired
- Very tired
2. How would you describe your mood right now?
- Very happy/positive
- Mostly positive
- Neutral
- A little worried/down
- Very worried/down
3. What's one thing that is currently on your mind (could be school, home, friends, etc.)?
4. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is "very calm" and 5 is "very stressed," how would you rate how you are feeling?
- 1 - Very Calm
- 2 - Calm
- 3 - Neutral
- 4 - A Little Stressed
- 5 - Very Stressed
Activity
Activity: My Coping Toolkit
Instructions: Everyone has different ways to cope with stress or tough feelings. Think about what helps you feel better, calm, or more focused. List at least 5 healthy ways you can cope. These can be things you already do or new ideas you want to try!
Remember, a healthy coping strategy helps you feel better in the long run and doesn't cause harm to yourself or others.
My Healthy Coping Strategies:
Which coping strategy are you most likely to try this week?
Why do you think this strategy would be helpful for you?
Cool Down
Cool-Down: One Small Step
Instructions: Take a moment to think about what we discussed today. What is one small, realistic step you can take to manage stress or support your well-being this week? Write it down.
1. What is one new thing you learned about stress or coping today?
2. What is one small, healthy step you can take this week to manage stress or help yourself feel better?
3. Who is one trusted person you could talk to if you ever feel overwhelmed?