Grade 7: Lesson Plan 2
Lesson 7.2: Healthy and Unhealthy Ways of Coping
Students will examine common stress and coping strategies through scenarios, focusing on healthier ways to manage stress.
This lesson is aligned with the following learning outcomes from the NL Grade 7 Health Indicators:
Managing My Health
- Explore ways to maintain and improve mental health and well-being.
Responsible Decision-Making
- Explore how to make safer choices about substance use, including the benefits of stopping or reducing use.
Emotions, Thoughts, and Behaviours
- Explain how thoughts, beliefs, and values impact feelings and behaviours.
- Demonstrate appropriate strategies to regulate one's emotional state.
- Understand the motivations and underlying factors that drive behaviours.
- Explain how emotions, beliefs, and values contribute to personal growth.
- Demonstrate skills that contribute to developing a growth mindset.
Belonging and Worth
- Discuss how one event can elicit multiple perspectives.
Healthy Relationships
- Demonstrate effective ways to communicate with others.
Self Concept
- Explain the influence peer groups can have on individuals.
Learning Activities
The following activities are designed to support the delivery of this lesson and help reinforce key concepts. Some activities are available in multiple formats to offer flexibility and accommodate teacher or student preferences.
- Learning Activity 1: Reacting to Stress
- Social Emotional Learning Video About Stress – YouTube
This video discusses stress, how it affects us, and coping strategies that may be helpful.
- Stressed Out! Student Activity Card
Students will write down what they learned from the video on their Activity Card.
- Exploration Activity: Stress is Different for Everyone
In this activity, students will work together to discuss situations which present in youth who are experiencing stress. Students will identify the stressor, explore how this stress could be beneficial or harmful, and describe possible coping strategies.
Situation 1: Jodie and Sam – The English Presentation (Student Version)
Situation 2: Jamal and Hunter – A New School (Student Version)
Situation 3: Chloé and Anton – Losing a Pet (Student Version)
Situation 4: Liam and Esme – Cancelled Plans (Student Version)
- Sharing and Reflection: Stress Meter
This Stress Meter will help students to reflect on stressors and how they make them feel.
- Learning Activity 2: Assessing Coping Strategies
- Assessing Risk Spectrum Reference Card
This reference card will help students determine if coping strategies are healthy or high risk.
- Exploration Activity
In this activity, students will revisit situations from Learning Activity 1 to examine and assess the different coping strategies proposed for youth in each situation.
Exploration: Situation 1 – Jodie and Sam: The English Presentation
Exploration: Situation 2 – Jamal and Hunter: A New School
Exploration: Situation 3 – Chloé and Anton: Losing a Pet
Exploration: Situation 4 – Liam and Esme: Cancelled Plans
- Learning Activity 3: FACE-ing Stressful Situations
- FACE Decision-Making Model
Students may refer to the FACE Decision-Making Model as they work through this activity.
- Factors Influencing Decision-Making Infographic
Students may find it helpful to refer to the Factors Influencing Decision-Making infographic as they work through this activity.
- Teacher Discussion Guide: Exploration – FACE-ing Stressful Situations (Scenarios)
Provides guidance for discussion for each scenario in this activity.
Exploration: Scenario 1: Tom – Stress at Home: Will Nicotine Help?
Exploration: Scenario 2: Nadia – Managing ADHD Symptoms: Will Cannabis Help?
Exploration: Scenario 3: Taylor – Fear of Missing Out: Will Alcohol Help?
Exploration: Scenario 4: Ryan – Friday Night Fatigue: Will Caffeine Help?
These resources may help support the delivery of the lesson plan and learning activities:
Educational Materials
The relevant Educational Materials for this lesson are referenced throughout the lesson plan; additional ones are available here.
Substance Snapshots
Relevant Substance Snapshots are noted in the lesson plan; more may be accessed here.