The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to think of ways to keep themselves physically and emotionally well. Students will become familiar with strategies and supports that they can use to keep themselves well.
In the story, the tree gives the boy many gifts.
- When you give something to someone, do you expect something in return?
- Can you be angry with someone and love them at the same time?
- Do you need others in order to be happy?
Hand out the tree template, explain in order for a tree to be healthy it needs specific things to grow; just like us! Have students fill their tree with things they need to grow, develop and be healthy.
wellness_tree.docx |
The goal of this lesson is to help children learn at an early age, that it’s important to recognize and manage stress proactively.
Key Points:
Stress is a normal part of everyday life. Limited amounts of stress can have a positive influence on motivation and creativity, but excessive stress has an overwhelming and debilitating effect. • Too much stress can have a dramatic effect on learning and social development. Excessive stress interferes with executive functions such as attention, memory, organization, and integration. • Stress-related problems may affect student’s performance in school, and many stressors are related directly to the school environment. In order to support student’s learning, teachers can address topics of stress and coping through the curriculum as well as daily classroom management practices.
Activity:
Use the Key points provided to introduce the topic of stress before showing the video to your class. • Watch video on Stress. After watching the video, follow up with a group discussion using the prompts provided in the file below. Check out the "How am I" visual with class and discuss common symptoms of stress. Click on this link to view more great activities on Stress in Children. For older students there is a “What is Stress” word search.
stress.docx |
stress_quiz.pdf |
stresswordsearch.pdf |
Overview:
Stress is a normal part of everyday life and can help motivate us to do our best.
Activity
Discuss the concept of stress with students: What is stress? How does it affect us? • Have students think about how they have managed stress in the past: What worked? What didn’t? • As a group, brainstorm a list of other possible stress-relieving activities • Distribute “This is How I Bounced Back” template for students to fill out and share their favourite stress relieving activities • Balls can be posted throughout the school as a way of sharing ideas and strategies for coping with stress and “Bouncing Back!”
how_i_bounced_back.docx |
Objective: To emphasize the power of positivity as a strategy to beat stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. The focus will be to relate prior knowledge of emotions, stress and resiliency to a state of overall Mental Wellness.
Key Points: There are several YouTube videos that clarify Mental Illness awareness. Linked below:
Mental Illness Education for Kids: Primary/Junior
Activity
Watch and discuss the videos as a class. Junior classes may chose one or both videos to view.
Have students reflect on what makes them happy. Students can create a visual image that makes them smile as a way to promote positive thinking and healthy mental wellness.
feelingflowers.docx |
mental_health_awareness_week_package.pdf |
Walk in our Shoes Resource!
Lesson: You Have to Learn It to Teach It
Students will understand that there are different types of mental illnesses.
Materials: Large chart paper Markers Tape Scissors Descriptions of mental health challenges from the WalkinOurShoes website Walkinourshoes.org "What is Mental Health" section 9 envelopes
Preparation Before introducing the activity, print out the content on the Walkinourshoes website under the "Mental Health Challenges" tab. Cut out the descriptions of each of the mental health challenges (ADHD, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, Depression, Eating Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Schizophrenia) and place each description in a separate envelope.
Before beginning the Do/Experience section of the lesson, create 9 different workstations using 9 sheets of large chart paper taped to the wall. Number each station 1-9.
ENGAGE Write on the board the following: • ADHD • Anxiety • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Bi-Polar Disorder • Depression • Eating Disorders • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Schizophrenia Reading item-by-item, asking the class if anyone knows what each term means? Let the students know that today's lesson is going to focus on learning something about each of these mental health challenges.
DO/EXPERIENCE (1) Divide the group by numbering each student 1 through 9. Have each student go to the workstation that has his or her number. "All the ones to the one station, etc.”
(2) Hand out one envelope containing one of the 9 mental health challenges to each group.
(3) Instruct the groups to read the paragraph and put the name of their mental health challenge at the top of their chart paper. Using the content in their paragraph, each group should create 4 - 5 bullets or short sentences that describe the mental health challenge assigned to their group. Let the groups know that their list should also include some positive aspect related to the challenge. (See note to Teacher regarding take away messages under the Reflect section).
(4) Give each group 2-3 minutes to present to the other groups what they have learned about their group's mental health challenge.
5) When the groups are ready, have each group present on their topic.