Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan

Introduce students to the fundamentals of CBT by defining its three components in the CBT triangle and practicing recognition of anxious thoughts through a warm-up game and brief reading discussion.

Understanding how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact empowers students to spot anxious thought patterns early and lays the groundwork for healthy thought reframing.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Game

5 minutes

Step 2

Paired Reading

7 minutes

Step 3

Group Discussion

8 minutes

Step 4

Introduce CBT Triangle

5 minutes

Step 5

Guided Application

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Session 1: Introduction to CBT

Warm-Up Game: Quickfire CBT Quiz

What Is CBT?

The CBT Triangle

Example: Filling the Triangle

Your Turn: Guided Application

Reading

Worksheet

Game

Activity

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Lesson Plan

Introduce students to common cognitive distortions and practice identifying them through interactive games and guided examples to build awareness for thought reframing.

Students often get stuck in unhelpful thinking traps that fuel anxiety; recognizing distortions empowers them to challenge and reframe anxious thoughts.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Game: Distortion Quickfire

4 minutes

Step 2

Paired Reading

6 minutes

Step 3

Group Discussion

6 minutes

Step 4

Introduce Cognitive Distortions

5 minutes

Step 5

Bingo Game: Find the Distortion

7 minutes

Step 6

Reflection & Preview

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Session 2: Exploring Cognitive Distortions

Warm-Up: Distortion Quickfire

What Are Cognitive Distortions?

Common Distortions

Distortion Examples

Distortions Bingo

Reflection & Next Steps

Reading

Worksheet

Game

Lesson Plan

Session 1 Lesson Plan

Students will learn to identify the three components of the CBT triangle—thoughts, feelings, behaviors—and practice recognizing anxious thoughts through a warm-up game and paired reading.

Understanding how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect helps students spot early signs of anxiety and lays the groundwork for healthy thought reframing.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Game

5 minutes

Step 2

Paired Reading

7 minutes

Step 3

Group Discussion

8 minutes

Step 4

Introduce CBT Triangle

5 minutes

Step 5

Guided Application

5 minutes

Lesson Plan

Session 2 Lesson Plan

Introduce students to common cognitive distortions and practice identifying them through interactive games and guided examples to build awareness for thought reframing.

Students often get stuck in unhelpful thinking traps that fuel anxiety; recognizing distortions empowers them to challenge and reframe anxious thoughts.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Game: Distortion Quickfire

4 minutes

Step 2

Paired Reading

6 minutes

Step 3

Group Discussion

6 minutes

Step 4

Introduce Cognitive Distortions

5 minutes

Step 5

Bingo Game: Find the Distortion

7 minutes

Step 6

Reflection & Preview

2 minutes

Activity

Lesson Plan

Session 3 Lesson Plan

Students will learn techniques for reframing distorted thoughts into balanced alternatives and apply the CBT triangle twice—before and after reframing—to compare outcomes.

Replacing unhelpful, anxiety-fueling thoughts with realistic, balanced ones reduces stress and promotes healthier emotions and behaviors.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Game: Reframe Race

5 minutes

Step 2

Paired Reading

6 minutes

Step 3

Group Discussion

5 minutes

Step 4

Introduce Reframing Techniques

5 minutes

Step 5

Guided CBT Triangle Application

7 minutes

Step 6

Reflection & Close

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Session 3: Reframing Thoughts & CBT Triangle

Warm-Up: Reframe Race

What Is Reframing?

Three Steps to Reframe

Example: Reframing in Action

Your Turn: Guided CBT Triangle Practice

Reflection & Next Steps

Reading

Worksheet

Game

Lesson Plan

Week 1 Lesson Plan

Establish group norms, build trust, and introduce the 16-week CBT group structure to foster a safe, engaged learning community.

Building rapport and clear expectations from Day 1 encourages participation, honesty, and group cohesion—essential for later CBT skill work.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome & Overview

5 minutes

Step 2

Icebreaker: Speedy Intros

10 minutes

Step 3

Reading & Discussion

7 minutes

Step 4

Create Group Norms

6 minutes

Step 5

Reflection & Closing

2 minutes

Slide Deck

Week 1: Community Norms & Getting Started