Lesson Two

Creator: David Charters Module: Mental Health Lesson Title: Anxiety and Stress Grade: 10 Curriculum Outcomes: Physical Education and Health Differentiate between the benefits of active living and physical fitness development, based on the wellness continuum. Please note: The Physical Education and Health Grade 9/10 curriculum document states that Healthy Active Living encompasses Physical Health, Mental Health, Social Health, Spiritual Health and Emotional Health (Department of Education, 2007). Materials: 1) Stress Q and A handout 2) White board 3) Markers 4) Pens/pencils Activities: Activity #1 Grouping: Whole class discussion Introduction Goal Materials To introduce the topic and to characterise stress and anxiety. 1) White Board 2) Markers Time: 10 minutes

Description/ This portion of the lesson will begin with discussion. The teacher will aim to discuss the information Procedure below with the students. Stress is a state of tension related to your body attempting to cope with its environment, its the bodys ay of preparing to meet a tough situation. Anxiety is a sense of apprehension, dread and/or uneasiness. We tend to perceive anxiety and stress as negative, but in fact both are normal and can be adaptive. The stress response involves the nervous system and specific hormones in the body, and it enhances the ability to perform under pressure as well as avoid danger. When these are overly excessive or ongoing, however, they can interfere with normal functioning and become a problem. This can lead to wearing out the bodys reserves and leaving a person feeling depleted or overwhelmed, weakening the immune system and making it harder to cope with daily demands, or extend to the point of mental illness. There are effective treatments available for anxiety and stress management. The first step is to learn to recognize when you are stressed, the next is to find a way to deal with stress. Activity #2 Symptoms Goal Materials Grouping: Whole class discussion/small group discussion To identify symptoms of stress and anxiety 1) White Board 2) Markers Time: 20 minutes

Description/ The teacher will ask students to list some symptoms of stress and anxiety. The teacher will also pose the Procedure following questions: *What happens when you are stressed? * How do you feel? Responding to hands raises, the teacher will make a list of student-generated answers on the white board. If answers are slow to come, the teacher will give the students 2 minutes to discuss potential answers with

their seat partner, then refocus the class up front. Some responses may be the following common symptoms of stress and/or anxiety: - trouble catching your breath - butterflies in your stomach - sweaty and/or trembling hands - feeling lightheaded - feeling nervous or jumpy - feeling overwhelmed - feeling tired all the time - having trouble concentrating - irritability and moodiness - headaches - problems sleeping - feeling sad or depressed The teacher will the facilitate a debriefing session with the students. The following points will help guide the discussion: Problems related to anxiety and stress are among the most common reasons for people to see health professionals. Any sort of change- good or bad, can make you feel stressed out. You are more likely to experience difficulties with anxiety if someone in your family has an anxiety disorder. Chronic stress lasting a month or more can put you more at risk of medical problems such as frequent headaches, viral illnesses and ulcers. Avoiding situations that cause anxiety can make the anxiety worse. Test taking anxiety is very common among students and there are strategies to help. Physical exercise, eating a healthy balanced diet and a good sleep routine help reduce stress and anxiety. Anxiety can put you more at risk of developing depression. Grouping: Students will complete the handout individually. A Activity #3 whole class discussion will follow. Stress Q and A Goal Materials 1) Stress Q and A Handout 2) Pens/Pencils Time: 15 minutes

To have students apply their knowledge and understanding acquired thus far.

Description/ The teacher will hand out the sheet Stress Q and A sheet. Students should be able to answer the four Procedure True or False questions confidently after the previous activity. The teacher can decide personally if he/she would like to count it towards the students final grade. Stress Q and A 1. All stress is bad. T or F 2. There is nothing you can do about stress, it happens and you endure it. T or F 3. No one else has as much stress as I do, thats why Im overloaded. T or F 4. Nothing bad can happen to me from too much stress. T or F After a few minutes, the teacher will collect the quizzes. If the teacher chooses to score it, they can be marked and recorded. If not, this can be a diagnostic, formative evaluation to check for understanding. Either way, the teacher should review the answers with the students after all quizzes have been collected. The teacher can ask for students to volunteer their answer for each question. Answers 1. False, stress reaction in the body is designed to protect it from dangerous situations and in small amounts can increase performance. It is too much stress for too long that begins to impact your mood,

functioning and relationships when you know you are not managing stress very well. 2. False, there are many ways to learn to cope with and manage stress, as well as decrease stress in your life. Basic lifestyle changes including getting enough sleep, eating well and regular exercise can reduce stress and increase your ability to deal with stress. 3. False, everyone experiences stress, some do experience more stress than others, but it is your ability to manage and cope with stress that determines whether you control it, not the amount of stress. 4. False, too much stress can negatively affect concentration, problem solving, personal interactions, and school performance. It can also lead to physical and mental health problems including headaches, stomach aches, anxiety, depression, drug use and aggression.

Activity #4 Coping Strategies Goal Materials

Grouping: Whole class discussion

Time: 15 minutes

To give students ways to help cope with sources of stress and anxiety in their life. 1) White Board 2) Markers

Description/ Everyone feels stress at times- but there are things you can do to minimize stress and manage stress that Procedure is unavoidable. The teacher will write the following headings on the white board: Healthy Living Healthy Thinking Healthy Actions The teacher will then ask students to consider sources of stress in their life and to think about what they do to manage these areas of their lives. Students must consider what they do to reduce their negative thoughts and feelings as well as techniques or activities they utilize to reduce their stress level. The teacher will generate a second list on the white board, classifying (with the help of the students) contributions under the headings. This list should be written next to the symptoms of stress list composed in activity 2. The students will now be looking at a list of symptoms of stress and anxiety, and right beside that, a list of ways they can help fix those issues. Encourage them to consider these the next time they are feeling stressed or anxious. Some possible answers might me the following (the teacher can steer students in these directions if they are having trouble). Healthy Living: Exercise on a regular basis Eat well balanced meals Get enough sleep Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco and excess caffeine Healthy Thinking: Dont worry about things you cant control- ex. Weather Look at change as a positive challenge Positive thoughts and positive self-talk Set realistic goals Meditate Healthy Actions: Prepare well in advance for events that may be stressful- ex. Test/Project Ask for help from friends, family, teachers, professionals Take breaks for daily stress with time with friends, fun activities and/or group sports Work to resolve conflicts without anger or losing temper Solve problems one at a time- take one task at a time Avoid over scheduling- prioritize activities