A 12-part social and emotional health unit is designed to help seventh graders develop the skills they need to cope with disappointment and manage stress. They practice stress reduction techniques and share ideas for how to handle disappointment. Tweens are also taught the T.R.A.I.N Method (Talk to others, Resilience, Accept it, Inspiration from others, Need to be prepared) of coping with disappointment and adversity. After discussing the benefits of positive coping strategies, class members practice the stress management and stress reduction technique of Mindfulness Breathing and basic yoga exercises and poses that can help them relax. They examine the difference between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication and between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. As a summative assessment of the Health Smart unit, middle schoolers create a five-chapter autobiography demonstrating what they have learned about self and social awareness, decision-making, and communication skills.
