Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan

Introduce the concept of anxiety and teach a simple deep breathing skill to help the student manage initial social jitters.

Building awareness of anxiety and practicing a quick, accessible coping strategy empowers the student to feel more in control and reduces avoidance behaviors early on.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Review Materials and Prepare Space

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm Up: Check-In

3 minutes

Step 2

Introduction to Anxiety

4 minutes

Step 3

Activity: Deep Breathing Practice

5 minutes

Step 4

Cool Down and Reflection

3 minutes

Slide Deck

Session 1: Introduction to Anxiety

Welcome! Today’s goal is to introduce anxiety and teach a breathing skill. Briefly explain that we’ll cover what anxiety is, its signs, why it happens, and practice deep breathing.

What Is Anxiety?

Use this slide to define anxiety. Ask the student: “What does anxiety feel like to you?” Link to [Understanding Anxiety Reading](#session-1-understanding-anxiety-reading) for extra detail.

Common Signs of Anxiety

Review physical and emotional signs. Encourage the student to share any she’s noticed in herself. Refer to [Understanding Anxiety Reading](#session-1-understanding-anxiety-reading).

Why Does Anxiety Happen?

Explain fight-or-flight response in simple terms. Emphasize that anxiety is the body’s way of protecting us, even when the threat isn’t real.

Deep Breathing Technique

Introduce and model the breathing steps. Use a timer or stopwatch and have the student follow along. Then assign the [Deep Breathing Exercise Worksheet](#session-1-breathing-worksheet) for practice.