Stress Day

Summary

Activities and discussions provide experience and relief of stress to help teach the student about stress.

Materials

stress material from curriculum guide, balloons, student study guides

Background for Teachers

Be familiar with information dealing with stress from curriculum.

Student Prior Knowledge

Just to have been stressed once or twice. :)

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to identify when they are stressed and recognize the causes of that stress. They will also look at techniques to help them decrease their stress.

Instructional Procedures

1. To begin class, hand out a fake research paper assignment. 2. Send the students to a library, computer lab, etc. to actually start the assignment. 3. After a few minutes of letting the students be stressed, gather them and have them discuss how they felt and tell them is was just a fake assignment. 4. This will lead into the stress discussion (use transparency) and have the students take notes. 5. After the discussion, hand out the stress quizzes for the students to take (attached). 6. Continue on with the discussion on coping strategies and have students identify strategies that they are going to begin using. 7. To end the day, have balloons blown up ahead of time and clear a large space in the classroom (or go outside if time permits). Have the students get in one large circle or two smaller circles and in each circle, toss one balloon. Tell a story of Jane, and identify balloons as stressors in her life (bad hair day, bad grade on test, boyfriend dumps her, dog dies, brother is sick, etc.) Toss a new balloon in each time a new stressor is identified in the story. Tell the students they must keep the balloons from touching the ground. They begin to realize one stressor isn't bad, but multiple are hard to keep in check.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

This lesson coincided to meet needs of all students that have experienced stress. Have each student identify to themselves things they let cause them stress in their life.

Assessment Plan

Final assessment in quiz form or on test at the end of the unit.

Bibliography

USOE curriculum, self