Lesson Plan

Mindset Over Mood Lesson Plan

Students will explore how thoughts influence their emotions by mapping personal thought-emotion connections and practice cognitive reframing techniques to regulate moods and build resilience.

Understanding how mindset shapes mood gives students self-awareness and practical tools for emotional regulation, reducing stress and improving well-being.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Objectives

5 minutes

Step 2

Mindset vs. Mood Concept

10 minutes

Step 3

Guided Mindfulness Exercise

7 minutes

Step 4

Thought–Emotion Mapping Activity

12 minutes

Step 5

Reframing Thoughts Practice

10 minutes

Step 6

Group Share & Discussion

5 minutes

Step 7

Wrap-Up & Reflection

1 minute

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Slide Deck

Mindset Over Mood

Welcome students to our session! Introduce the title and explain that today we’ll explore how our thoughts shape our feelings and learn tools to manage mood.

Objectives & Agenda

Outline the learning goals and the flow of activities. Emphasize that students will define key terms, practice mindfulness, do an activity, learn reframing, and reflect.

What Is Mindset?

Explain mindset as the ongoing stream of thoughts and beliefs inside our heads. Contrast fixed vs. growth mindsets briefly if asked.

What Is Mood?

Define mood as our current emotional state that can shift based on our mindset and other factors.

Thought → Emotion

Display the visual. Ask: “Can one thought really change how you feel?” Use think–pair–share and collect examples on the board.

Mindfulness Exercise

Lead a 2-minute mindfulness check-in: close eyes, breathe deeply, scan your body. Then instruct students to write the first thought they notice on a sticky note.

Thought-Emotion Mapping

Hand out the mapping worksheet. Show how to record the thought, name the emotion, and rate its intensity. Circulate to support emotion naming.

What Is Cognitive Reframing?

Introduce cognitive reframing: turning unhelpful thoughts into balanced ones. Emphasize it’s not about ‘positive thinking’ but realism.

Reframing Examples

Share two simple examples. Explain how the new thought is more realistic or helpful, and ask how it might change feelings.

Practice Reframing

Distribute the practice sheet. Instruct students to pick one thought from their map and write a balanced version. Then pair up to share.

Share & Key Takeaways

Invite volunteers to share their before/after examples. Highlight effective reframes and reinforce the three key tools.

Wrap-Up

Quickly recap objectives. Ask each student to name one tool they’ll use this week when they notice a strong mood.

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Activity

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Mindset Over Mood

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Emma Gebhard

Tier 1
For Schools
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