Health Smart Virginia
Social Emotional Skills Lessons Overview
Sometimes the hardest part of planning any unit of instruction is determining the activities that reinforce the concepts of the lessons and support the development of student skills. This first resource in the Health Smart series...
Health Smart Virginia
Mental and Emotional Health
The first lesson in a social and emotional health unit is designed to help seventh graders develop the skills they need to cope with disappointment and manage stress. Groups practice stress reduction techniques and share ideas for how to...
Health Smart Virginia
Social Awareness: Empathy
As part of the unit on social, emotional health, seventh-graders examine the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. Pairs then engage in an activity that analyzes a scenario and role play resolution strategies that show...
Health Smart Virginia
Mental and Emotional Health
Middle schoolers learn about stressors, effective stress management techniques, and the role of resilience and tolerance in handling stress. Individuals then create a personal mind map that includes their own mental/emotional management...
Health Smart Virginia
Mental and Emotional Health
Working in groups, sixth-graders identify internal factors that negatively impact them. Then, explain how they could change that factor into a positive influence. Finally, individuals create personal mind maps that identify their...
Health Smart Virginia
Tinkle Times
The big idea in the last instructional activity in the Health Smart series is that individuals must practice emotional first aid, that just as we take care of physical injuries, we must take care of emotional injuries. Scholars watch a...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 2: Learning About Adolescence
The Native American symbol, The Circle of Life, represents life's spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional well being. By way of deep discussion, and two games, the lesson uses the Circle of Life to explore the stages of maturity,...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 1: Circle of Life
Volition, or will-power, is the focus of a lesson that brings forth the Native symbol, the Circle of Life, to instill the importance of responsible decision-making. Scholars take part in six activities that empower them to reflect on...
Nemours KidsHealth
Fitness: Grades 6-8
Middle schoolers will get a kick out of a lesson that asks them to first design a proposal for a kickboxing routine for Kickin' Kelly's new DVD. A second activity has them explaining the fitness routine they will follow to prepare to be...
Just Health Action
Environmental Justice Matters: Mapping Cumulative Impacts (Part 2)
A case study enables class members to confirm whether different geographic parts of Seattle, Washington have disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits. Groups use the EPA's Cumulative Health Impact Analysis formula and...
Greater Good Science Center
See The Good Challenge
Scientists study all sorts of things. For example, studies show that it feels good to feel grateful. Feeling grateful also contributes to physical health and strengthen relationships. In the second lesson plan about gratitude, class...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 5: Learning About HIV/AIDS/STI's and Hepatitis Transmission
Middle schoolers delve deep into facts about HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis, and other STI's by way of discussion and a hands-on activity. Scholars ask and discuss questions anonymously using a Question Box. Two experiments showcase the...
Nemours KidsHealth
Bullying: Grades 6-8
Two lessons promote social awareness and build relationship skills. In lesson one, scholars define bullying and role-play coping strategies. Lesson two challenges learners to diffuse a bullying situation using their knowledge of...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Putting on Armor
Middle schoolers learn how to protect themselves from risky behaviors with a lesson that has them role play several scenarios and demonstrate ways that they might do to stay safe. Class members then use what they have learned to build a...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Relationships…Going Up While Growing Up
The final activity in a series of five that focus on developing the interpersonal skills required to develop and maintain positive relationships asks class members to identify their best friend-making skill. Individuals share these...
Nemours KidsHealth
Cyberbulling: Grades 6-8
Cyberbullying is the focus of two lessons. First, scholars discuss what cyberbullying is, and examine a problem-solving approach to handling cyberbullying, then create brochures on the topic. Second, pupils discuss the effects...
Health Smart Virginia
Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee
As part of the Health Smart social and emotional learning unit, seventh graders are 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...
Nemours KidsHealth
Smoking: Grades 6-8
Light up middle schoolers' understanding of the monetary and health costs of smoking with two activities. First, class members calculate how much a smoker would spend in a year if they smoke a pack a week or a day. They then explore...
Nemours KidsHealth
Screen Time: Grades 6-8
How much screen time is too much screen time? Even before COVID, tweens were spending hours watching TV, playing video games, and connecting with their friends by smartphone and computers. Two activities from Kids Health get young...
Nemours KidsHealth
Obesity: Grades 6-8
Screen time and fast foods, sugary drinks and greasy fries have lead to one-third of tween and teens being overweight or obese. As part of the Health Problems Series scholars analyze the nutritional value of the school food services menu...
Health Smart Virginia
Stepping Up to Depression and Suicide
Health Smart provides a instructional activity that shows middle schoolers how they can step up and help someone exhibiting self-harming behaviors. After learning the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide, teams research local...
Health Smart Virginia
Compliment a Character
Compliments are true, specific, and positive. Crafting those compliments can be a challenge. Graciously accepting a compliment can also be a challenge. The first lesson in the Health Smart series designed for sixth graders provides them...
Curated OER
Non-Verbal Communication
Many developmentally disabled students struggle with accurately conveying messages and interpreting those of others around them, especially when they are non-verbal. This lesson contains fun activities and exercises, such as talking with...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 3: Decision Making
By way of group discussion, reading, and role-play a series of six activities encourage scholars to make responsible decisions. Following an online introduction, pupils review the concept of volition and answer questions. Middle...