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Your Coping Toolbox

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Lesson Plan

Your Coping Toolbox

Students will be able to identify and describe at least three healthy coping skills to manage stress and difficult emotions.

Learning healthy coping skills is crucial for navigating the challenges of adolescence, promoting emotional well-being, and building resilience. These skills empower students to respond constructively to stress rather than resorting to unhelpful or harmful behaviors.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and individual reflection.

Materials

Coping Skills Slide Deck, and Coping Skills Worksheet

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's Your Stress Score?

3 minutes

  • Begin with a quick check-in. Ask students (anonymously, or just to think about it): 'On a scale of 1 to 5, how stressed are you feeling today?'
  • 'Think about why you chose that number. What's contributing to it?'
  • Transition by stating that everyone experiences stress and tough emotions, and today we'll learn some ways to handle them.

Step 2

Introducing the Coping Toolbox

5 minutes

  • Display Coping Skills Slide Deck - Slide 1: 'Your Coping Toolbox.'
  • Ask: 'What does a toolbox do for you?' (Holds tools to fix things, build things).
  • 'Just like a carpenter has a toolbox for their work, we all need a 'coping toolbox' for our emotions. These are tools to help us manage stress, sadness, anger, and other big feelings in healthy ways.'
  • Display Coping Skills Slide Deck - Slide 2: 'What are Coping Skills?' Briefly explain that they are strategies to deal with difficult emotions and situations.
  • Display Coping Skills Slide Deck - Slide 3: 'Why do we need them?' Emphasize that everyone needs them, and they help us stay healthy and strong.
  • Display Coping Skills Slide Deck - Slide 4: 'Examples of Healthy Coping Skills.' Briefly introduce a few diverse examples (e.g., exercise, listening to music, talking to a trusted adult, deep breathing, creative expression). Ask students to share any healthy ways they currently cope.

Step 3

Building Your Personal Toolbox

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Coping Skills Worksheet.
  • Display Coping Skills Slide Deck - Slide 5: 'Time to Build Your Toolbox!'
  • Instruct students to silently reflect and fill out their worksheet, choosing at least three coping skills that resonate with them or that they'd like to try.
  • 'Think about times you feel stressed, sad, or overwhelmed. Which of these tools could you use? Are there any others not listed that work for you?'

Step 4

Wrap-Up: One Takeaway

2 minutes

  • Ask students to share (if comfortable, verbally or with a quick thumbs-up/down for agreement) one coping skill they found helpful or interesting from the worksheet.
  • Conclude by reiterating: 'Remember, your coping toolbox is unique to you. The more tools you have, the better equipped you are to handle anything life throws your way. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to try different tools until you find what works best.'
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Slide Deck

Your Coping Toolbox

Tools for managing emotions & stress

Welcome students and introduce the idea of a 'coping toolbox.' Explain that this lesson is about equipping themselves with strategies to handle life's ups and downs.

What Are Coping Skills?

Strategies we use to deal with difficult emotions, thoughts, and situations in a healthy way.

They help us:

  • Reduce stress
  • Manage strong feelings
  • Solve problems
  • Feel better

Define coping skills simply. Emphasize that these are active choices we make.

Why Do We Need Them?

  • Life is full of challenges (school, friends, family, future).
  • Everyone experiences tough emotions (stress, anxiety, anger, sadness).
  • Healthy coping helps us build resilience and move forward.
  • Unhealthy coping can make things worse.

Stress the universality of needing coping skills. It's not just for 'big' problems.

Examples of Healthy Coping Skills

  • Physical Activity: Exercise, walking, dancing
  • Mindfulness: Deep breathing, meditation
  • Creative Expression: Drawing, writing, playing music
  • Social Connection: Talking to a trusted friend or adult, spending time with family
  • Relaxation: Listening to calming music, taking a warm bath
  • Distraction: Reading a book, watching a funny video, playing a game

Provide a diverse range of examples. Ask students if they already use any of these or other healthy strategies.

Time to Build Your Toolbox!

Reflect on the coping skills we discussed (and any others you know).

Choose at least three that you think would be helpful for you and write them down on your worksheet.

Consider:

  • What situations make you feel stressed or overwhelmed?
  • Which skills feel natural or interesting to try?

Explain the worksheet and give students time to complete it. Encourage them to think personally about what might work for them.

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Worksheet

My Personal Coping Toolbox

Everyone experiences difficult emotions and stress. Having a 'coping toolbox' means having a variety of healthy strategies to help you manage these feelings and situations.

Part 1: My Stress Check-In

  1. On a scale of 1-5 (1 = not stressed, 5 = very stressed), how stressed do you feel today?



  2. Briefly describe one thing that might be contributing to your stress or difficult feelings recently (you don't have to share this if you don't want to).






Part 2: Building My Toolbox

Think about the healthy coping skills we discussed in class, and any other healthy ways you manage tough emotions. Choose at least three skills that you want to add to your personal coping toolbox. For each skill, explain why you chose it and when you might use it.

Coping Skill 1:




Why I chose this skill and when I might use it:






Coping Skill 2:




Why I chose this skill and when I might use it:






Coping Skill 3:




Why I chose this skill and when I might use it:






Part 3: My Go-To Tool

From your toolbox, what is one coping skill you are most likely to try the next time you feel overwhelmed?



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