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[pic] Lesson Plan Template

School Counselor: Rashi Eisenberg Date: 3/10/2015

Activity: Identifying and coping with stress.

Grade(s): 6-8

ASCA Student Standards (Domain/Standard/Competencies):

ASCA Domain: Social/ Emotional Development

ASCA Mindset Standard: Belief in the development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.

ASCA Behavior standard: Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem

ASCA Competency: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) about a conflict or disagreement and evaluate the motives (e.g., social commercial, political) behind its presentation.

Learning Objective(s):

1. Define stress

2. Identify Stress in self and common causes

3. Identify healthy coping strategies to deal with stress

Materials:

video 1: defining stress

Appendix A

video 2: managing stress

Hoberman Sphere

Appendix B

Procedure:

(Describe the learning objectives for the class and write them on the white board.

DEFINING STRESS

(Ask everyone to get out a piece of paper and write their name on it. On the first line, ask them to write their own definition of stress. Give the class a minute or two to share their definitions with table group or partners and work together to come up with an agreed upon definition. Ask for any volunteers to read their definitions to the class.

play first 2 minutes 20 seconds of this video (Stop right before it goes into the controlling stress). Before pushing play, ask students to Write down the following questions and answer them during the video:

(The hypothalamus sets off what kind of a system in your body? Answer: Alarm System

(What hormones do the adrenal glands produce? Answer: Adrenaline and Cortisol

(What is one thing that Adrenaline does to your body? Answers: increases heartrate, elevates blood pressure, and boosts energy supplies

(What does cortisol do to your body? Answer: releases sugars into the blood stream.

(Check for understanding: After watching this clip, ask students about their reactions to the video. Then ask them to discuss in their groups if they would want to change or add anything to their definition.

( Introduce definition of stress as:

“Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.”

(Let people know that stress is difficult to define because it looks different for everyone and we all experience it differently, that’s why it’s so important to be in tune with how our minds and bodies deal with stress personally)

IDENTIFYING STRESS

( Pass out the causes and identification sheet (Appendix A). Give students some time to read through the first page. Lead a discussion around the common things that lead to stress for the students. You may bring up the fact that school is the number one stressor for teens ages 13-17 in the U.S. (APA Stress in America Survey 2013) ( Do they feel this is accurate?

How does stress affect our relationships?

Our sleep?

Our choices around food?

Our physical health?

(Have students turn over Appendix A and fill out their personal reflections about their stress response. Only have them fill out boxes 1-3. Stress can be a place of vulnerability for some people so it is not required that they turn this in- it can be anonymous and for them to keep.

MANAGING STRESS (healthy coping strategies)

(Let students know there are healthy and unhealthy strategies to deal with stress.

Pair and share: Ask the class to get into their table groups to come up with a list of unhealthy coping strategies. Here are some examples: zoning out for hours in front of the TV or computer, withdrawing from friends, family, and activities, smoking, drinking, overeating or under eating, sleeping too much or too little, procrastinating, taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence), consuming excessive amounts of caffeine.

(Show the "managing stress" bbc clip

Here is another way of thinking about the way stress affects our mind and bodies, and it introduces a few tips on managing stress

(Ask students to write down the tips that are given in the video

(They should come up with: Breathe, plenty of exercise, create an action plan, vent to friends, socialize and laugh, get out in nature)

You may want to do a quick survey of the class to see how many kids are already using some of these strategies. (Raise your hand if you exercise when you’re stressed…breathe?...vent to friends?....how about procrastinate? Anything we didn’t say already?...etc)

(Demonstrate Breathing: Ask for a volunteer from the class to come up to the front of the room and demonstrate deep breathing using the Hoberman Sphere. When our stress response is activated, our stress response or sympathetic nervous system turns on (fight or flight). This is what we saw in the video when the character’s heart rate increased. Sometimes this system gets turned on when we are doing class presentations or simply when we raise our hand to talk. When we take deep breaths, it activates are parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). This is what activates when we are relaxed or after we eat a big meal. By breathing, we can balance out our stress response.

(Pass out and discuss Appendix B. Ask class to return to Appendix A and fill out box number 4.

Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected?

Process Data: Every student in 8th grade MAP Academy will receive the lesson in their extended learning class during the last unit of the semester, Healthy Choices

Perception Data: Appendix A serves as perception data (although they will not be turning it in, it is something tangible that relates directly to themselves as well as a learning objective). Another piece of perception data will be the notebook paper that they wrote their original definitions & edited definitions of stress on. This paper also includes facts about the physiological stress response.

Outcome Data: As mentioned in the ASCA National Model, (pg. 56) one lesson is unlikely to have an impact on outcome data. But, stress can have impacts on academics and behaviors; so ideally, students that have healthy coping strategies mastered will show fewer behavioral issues and may also be able to manage their schoolwork better.

Follow Up: Homeroom is an online data-website connected to the Bellingham School District. I can filter data such as grade level (students who received this curriculum) and monitor certain things like attendance, behavior referrals, and grades. Students who may be at-risk in all three of those realms may be worth checking-in with. This does not mean that I can say that they directly did not master the competency from my lesson, or that this referral information is related to that, but it may be one way to check in with students who may be having a difficult time managing things.

APPENDIX A

Many different things can cause stress -- from physical (such as fear of something dangerous) to emotional (such as worry over your family or job.) Identifying what may be causing you stress is often the first step in learning how to better deal with your stress. Some of the most common sources of stress are:

Survival Stress - You may have heard the phrase "fight or flight" before. This is a common response to danger in all people and animals. When you are afraid that someone or something may physically hurt you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy so that you will be better able to survive the dangerous situation (fight) or escape it all together (flight). This is survival stress.

Internal Stress - Have you ever caught yourself worrying about things you can do nothing about or worrying for no reason at all? This is internal stress and it is one of the most important kinds of stress to understand and manage. Internal stress is when people make themselves stressed. This often happens when we worry about things we can't control or put ourselves in situations we know will cause us stress. Some people become addicted to the kind of hurried, tense, lifestyle that results from being under stress. They even look for stressful situations and feel stress about things that aren't stressful.

Environmental Stress - This is a response to things around you that cause stress, such as noise, crowding, and pressure from work or family. Identifying these environmental stresses and learning to avoid them or deal with them will help lower your stress level.

Fatigue and Overwork - This kind of stress builds up over a long time and can take a hard toll on your body. It can be caused by working too much or too hard at your job(s), school, or home. It can also be caused by not knowing how to manage your time well or how to take time out for rest and relaxation. This can be one of the hardest kinds of stress to avoid because many people feel this is out of their control. Later in this course we will show you that you DO have options and offer some useful tips for dealing with fatigue.

APPENDIX A (CONTINUED)

Personal Reflection: How is stress apart of your life?

|1. |What types of stress do you deal with | |

| |the most: survival, internal, | |

| |environmental, or fatigue? | |

|2. |How do you know you are stressed? Are | |

| |there any thoughts that pop up more | |

| |often? | |

| |How does your body react when you are | |

| |stressed? | |

|3. |When do you get stressed the most? | |

| |List at least three situations that you| |

| |have felt stressed out about. | |

|4. |What are some healthy coping strategies| |

| |that you can use to deal with your | |

| |stress? | |

APPENDIX B

Healthy Coping Strategies

1. Physical Activity!

o Stress is a physical response in your body, so what better way to deal with it than physically? Go for a run, do some yoga, do ten push-ups, walk your dog, ride your bike, hike with friends, do whatever tickles your fancy, just get active.

2. Breathe.

o Breathing has been proven to relax our bodies. Take 5 deep breaths. See how slow and deep you can take in a breath. Hold it for 3 seconds. Let go. Think about your breath as you’re breathing. Breathing in……holding….letting go….repeat.

3. Get More Sleep.

o A lack of sleep can cause even more stress than you were dealing with before. If you can, dim your lights and avoid screen time at least half an hour before you’re ready for bed. Avoid caffeine during the evening. And try to go to bed around the same time every night. You may have a lot of homework to do (which may cause more stress!) but try to stop doing it at least an hour before bed so your mind isn’t so busy when you’re trying to get some shut eye.

4. Talk It Out.

o Bottling up stress can be pretty damaging- try venting to a friend or writing down your stresses in a journal. A friend or trusted adult may be able to help you shift your perspective from glass half empty to glass half full and maybe even help you find some solutions.

5. Take Control

o Learn what you do have control over and make an action plan. Ask yourself: Can I do something about this? If the answer is yes, then do it. If you have a lot on your plate, try making a to-do list and focusing on one item at a time until you knock them all out.

6. Acceptance

o There are things in life that we can’t control. Life happens and it’s not always fair, and that can be stressful. Remind yourself of something that you’re grateful for, and try to let go of the things you cannot change and focus on the things you can.

7. Rest

o If you are burning the candle at both ends, then take a breather and give yourself a break. It’s okay to say no to a social event if you’re tired and need to get some sleep. Some good old alone time could be what you need to recoup.

8. Socialize and laugh!

o Take a break and watch some funny cat videos with friends. Go be silly and laugh it up. Laughter can lighten the mood and offset the stress response. Friends and family can also be great stress-buffers and take the mood off of the icky.

9. Eat well

o Eating foods that are good for you affect both your physical and mental health (both of which are related to the stress response!)

10. Animals and Nature

o If you have a beloved pet that you can chill out with, they can be great sources of stress-relief. Getting out in nature can also be a great source of relief from your stress.

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