Standards: ​N/A

Theme: ​Mental Illness in Prisons

Lesson topic:​ Inmates with Mental Illness

Objectives:

· Language:

O ​Students will be able to write basic facts from recall about each of the
three top mental illnesses faced in prison. These facts can be
related to the diseases themselves, statistics, or the treatments and
resources available.

● The pre-assessment activity addresses this standard in the

second part.

· Content:

o​ S
​ tudents will be able to distinguish the top three mental illness inmates

struggle with in prison.

O ​Students will be able to identify basic facts about inmates with mental
illness.

Learning Strategies:

·​ V
​ isual Learners

o​ P
​ owerPoint

The PowerPoint is a great way to reach visual learners. Although

the teachers will be verbally discussing the information on the
slides, there will be a visual representation for the visual learners to
follow.

·​ A
​ uditory Learners

o​ V
​ ideo
 The videos included in this lesson allow the students to actually
hear the information being taught to them and not just to see it.

O ​Class Discussion

There are a few types of discussions throughout this lesson that

accommodate the auditory learners learning styles. First, the
lecture style portion of the lesson allows them to hear the
information and not just see it. The students will also be given
opportunities to discuss the information and different ideas with
partners. This also allows them to engage in conversation and hear
the information which will most likely help them to retain what they
are being taught.

·​ K
​ inesthetic Learners

o​ ​PREASSESSMENT-​ Give students (groups/tables) 5 cut-out choices of

the top mental illnesses in prison. Each group must choose the top 3
mental illnesses, then match 1 fact that correlate with each mental illness.
This will be checked and set aside for later. Then, after the powerpoint
and kahoot have finished, each student will be handed cut out pieces of
paper. Groups must write down 2 more facts for each mental illness from
recall. These facts can be about the symptoms, treatments, or even
statistics that have to do with the mental illness. By the end of this activity,
there will be three facts under each of the top mental illnesses. The
teacher will collect this to check their conceptual understandings.

·​ C
​ hunk and Chew

o​ E
​ very 8-10 minutes we allow the students 2 minutes to process the

information they just learned. They will discuss this with peers.

o​ ​How this helps students

● ​This helps students to vocalize what they have learned. By

discussing the topics with their peers, they are more likely to retain
the information they have learned.

·​ S
​ tand Up/Sit Down
 o​ A
​ s an assessment, we will tell the students a variety of statements.

They will stand up if the statement is true and sit if its false. If it is
false, they must be able to correct it.

o​ H
​ ow this helps students

● This will help the students to be engaged in the lesson and

the material they are learning. They will also be able to self
assess how much of the information they are actually
retaining.

·​ K
​ WHL

o​ ​What we know, what we want to learn, how can we learn it, what we
learned.

● Begin by having students write down and discuss what they already
know and also what they want to learn. Then, as the presentation
goes on, the students will learn more information. At the end of the
lesson, they will be able to reflect on what they have learned.

o​ T
​ his activity also allows students to self-assess what they have learned.

Key Vocabulary:

·​ S
​ chizophrenia

o​ S
​ erious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally.

Individuals with this condition can suffer from hallucinations,

delusions, and extremely disordered thinking that impairs their daily
functioning.

·​ B
​ ipolar (4 levels)

● A mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and

depression.

o​ B
​ ipolar 1- or “manic depression”, one manic episode in his or her life,

most people who suffer from this also suffer from episodes of
depression
 o​ B
​ ipolar 2- characterized by cycles of depressive episodes followed by

hypomanic periods. Hypomania is a period of mood and behavior

that is elevated above normal behavior.

o​ M
​ ixed Features

o​ C
​ yclothymic disorder- mood disorder that causes emotional highs and

lows, aren’t as extreme as those in people with bipolar disorders.

People with cyclothymia can typically function in daily life, though it
may be difficult.

● Depression
○ Feelings of severe despondency and dejection
○ Loss of interest
○ Causes can from from biological, psychological, and social sources of
distress
○ Can cause a change in brain function, including altered activity or certain
neural circuits in the brain.

Materials:

● Powerpoint
● KWL
● Video
● Kahoot

Motivation (building background):

·​ T
​ eacher will ask the students if they know anyone who has been incarcerated.

·​ T
​ eacher will ask the students if they know anyone who suffers from a mental illness.

·​ T
​ he teacher will play a video clip about a person in prison with mental illness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT3ZlaVOhrc
​
Presentation (language and content objectives, comprehensible input, strategies,
interaction, feedback:

● Video
● Powerpoint
● KWL Chart

Practice (meaningful activities, interaction, strategies, practices and application,

feedback)

● Stand Up/Sit Down Activity

● Kinesthetic Activity

Review and Assessment (review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning):

● Formative Assessment during Stand Up/Sit Down Activity

● KWL Chart
● Kinesthetic Activity
● Kahoot at the end of lesson
○ All of these activities allow the teacher(s) to check for their students’
understandings. These activities also review all of the information being
taught.

Extension:

● If there is extra time at the end of the lesson, students can look up additional
facts that interest them about inmates in prison. They will be able to discuss their
facts with each other.