Health Education: Stress Management

By: Sarah Overland

Secondary Lesson Plan

Standards:
INTASC Principle 2: Human Development and Learning
- This lesson will set a foundation for the students as
they encounter many unavoidable stressful situations
in both their personal and professional life.
INTASC Principle 6: Communication Skills - This is an
interactive lesson plan that relies heavily on student
feed back. Encouraging the students to communicate
their emotions relating to stress both with the teacher
as well as each other is key.

Objectives:
Students Will Be Able To:
identify stress triggers in their life.
recognize emotions related to stress.
implement stress management techniques.
assess a situation and decide which stress
management techniques apply.

Materials / Equipment
White board with markers
2 sided worksheet
counseling request sheet
computer with projector to show power point
power point 1

Counseling request
form

2 sided worksheet

Ways to manage / eliminate

stress
Avoid caffeine (can increase anxiety and agitation)
AVOID illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco
physical exercise
Deep breathing / meditation
Decrease negative self talk
Break down larger tasks
Practice good time management
Build a positive network of friends
Maintain a healthy balanced diet
power point 1

Procedures
Hour 1:
As students enter class, let them know that there will be an exam that day. It will be worth
500 points and their grade will be dependent on the outcome of the exam. Have them get
to their seats quickly and take out a pencil. Pass out the 2 sided worksheet. As students
begin to react to the worksheet, just sit and observe their reactions. After 10 minutes, Let
the students know that this isn't really a test. Ask the students how they felt when they
first heard about the exam. List the emotions on the board. Have students write down the
definition of stress. (The uncomfortable feeling you get when you are worried, scared,
angry, frustrated, or overwhelmed.) Ask the students what stresses them out? Home,
peers, school etc... Write the student responses on the white board. Have students write
down ways to manage stress as you discuss each method via power point 1. Pass out
counseling request form and have EVERY student return one in an anonymous fashion.
(folded and handed to teacher on their way out)
Hour 2: Review answers to the 2 sided worksheet, to be turned in with assessment. (10
points) Use the remaining class time for the assessment essay that will be completed in
class.

Closure
Have students break into groups of 3 or 4 and discuss
amongst themselves the dangers of not controlling
emotions in stressful situations. They can share
personal situations or talk in general if they like. This
will be a time of indirect observation for the teache.

Assessment
In class essay:
Define Stress in your own words.
Kelly is 15 years old. She lives at home with her parents, and 2 siblings. She carries an
average class load and normally gets A's and B's. She is on student counsel and plays
volleyball as well. Kelly has been having a hard time in math and just found out that she
is on the verge of getting a D in her class. To top it off, her parents told her that her dad
lost his job. What emotions are Kelly feeling and why? Based on our class discussion
give 3 ways that Kelly can effectively manage her emotions and control her stress.

Rubric:
Student is able to clearly define stress. (10 points)
Student shows clear understanding of 3 effective stress management tools and how to
apply them to the given situation.(30 points)

Resources
http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_
for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Helping_Teenag
ers_With_Stress_66.aspx
http://www.fosteringresilience.com/what_is_stress.php