Lesson Plan

Stress-Busters Toolkit

Students will identify common stressors and practice two coping strategies—deep breathing and positive self-talk—to manage everyday stress.

Teaching coping skills helps build students’ emotional awareness and resilience, equipping them to handle daily challenges in and out of school.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Stress

5 minutes

Step 2

Scenario Exploration

10 minutes

Step 3

Coping Skills Practice

10 minutes

Step 4

Reflection and Sharing

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Stress-Busters Toolkit

Welcome students and introduce the lesson. Explain that today we’ll learn what stress is and explore ways to feel better when we’re stressed.

What Is Stress?

Ask students: “What does stress feel like?” Write responses on the board. Then share the definition below.

Common Stressors for 6th Graders

Highlight common tween stressors. Encourage students to add any you missed.

Scenario Exploration

Explain the activity steps. Distribute the [Stress Scenario Cards](#stress-scenario-cards) in pairs. Circulate and listen to discussions.

Two Coping Strategies

Show the chart on the board or project the [Coping Skills Chart](#coping-skills-chart). Briefly describe both strategies.

Practice Deep Breathing

Lead the breathing exercise. Use a timer or count aloud: inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 4. Repeat 3 times.

Try Positive Self-Talk

Model positive self-talk. Ask for volunteers to share their own phrases.

Reflection & Next Steps

Distribute the [Reflection Worksheet](#stress-reflection-worksheet). Give students time to fill it out and invite a few volunteers to share.

Lesson Plan

Stress-Busters Toolkit

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

Step 1

Introduction to Stress

Step 2

Scenario Exploration

Step 3

Coping Skills Practice

Step 4

Reflection and Sharing

Slide Deck

Stress-Busters Toolkit

What Is Stress?

Common Stressors for 6th Graders

Scenario Exploration

Two Coping Strategies

Practice Deep Breathing

Try Positive Self-Talk

Reflection & Next Steps

Worksheet

Activity

Reading

Cool Down

Script

Rubric

Stress-Busters Toolkit

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