Welcome students! Today we’re going to learn about test anxiety—that feeling of jitters before a test—and discover simple strategies to stay calm and confident.

Ask: “How do you feel when you take a test?” Record a few responses. Then define test anxiety and reassure students it’s normal.

Display the Feelings Chart. Invite volunteers to point to faces or words they’ve felt. Then ask students to draw or write one word describing their test feeling.

Model deep breathing: inhale through the nose for a count of 3, then exhale through the mouth for a count of 3. Practice together three times.

Explain positive self-talk. Share examples and have students repeat each phrase with confidence.

Have students pair up. Student A shares their test feeling. Student B picks a strategy card and suggests either deep breathing or a self-talk phrase. Then switch roles.

Invite 2–3 students to share which strategy they’ll try on their next test. Reinforce that they can use these anytime they feel jittery.