Previous Lessons

7th & 8th

Lesson #1: THINK

Different kinds of social media platforms are used virtually for all kinds of communication and connection. While social media gives us a great advantage to easily connect and share with other people, social media also has many disadvantages that stay in there forever. It is crucial that we THINK before we post on our own social media.

Objectives:

  1. I will be able to identify three tips on how to think before I share a post.

  2. I will reflect on the THINK poster

  3. I will learn how to be socially responsible on social media.

As you're watching this video, THINK about the last post you shared on your social media account.

REFLECTION:

  1. What does THINK stands for?

  2. What are some negative consequences of posting on social media?

  3. How can you be socially responsible online?

Try this on your own or with a partner!

  1. Go through one of your social media account.

  2. Look at your last post or a post that you would like to use for this activity.

  3. Answer the following questions to your right.

  4. What was your result?

  5. Happy posting! =)

Resources

Lesson #2: Relationships

Objectives

  • I will identify the different types of relationships I can develop.

  • I will identify the characteristics of healthy relationships and compare these characteristics to those of toxic relationships.

  • I will reflect on my current relationships, including the most important relationship--the relationship I have with myself.

Lesson #2: Healthy Relationships

Reflection

Reflect on the following bill of rights. Which of these rights do you feel is the most important? Why? Do you believe another right should be added?

Lesson #3: Stress & Anxiety

Stress is a normal part of everyone's experience. It happens when you feel under pressure. Having too much bad stress can lead to anxiety. Anxiety can affect your daily life by how you think, behave, and feel. Not all stresses are bad; by learning how to cope with your stress, you can learn to manage your thoughts and feelings better.

Objectives

  • I will be able to identify the different types of stress.

  • I will be able to identify the different symptoms of anxiety.

  • I will be able to find coping skills for my stress and my anxiety.

  • I will be able to use the activity to help me understand my own feelings.

Video: What is Stress?

  1. Before you watch the video, think about a stress you have experienced recently.

Video: The Cycle of Anxiety

2. Before you watch the video, think about a stress that makes you feel anxious.

What are coping skills?

Coping Skills are ways you learn to manage your emotions or behaviors in a way that it helps you to feel better about yourself in a positive way. Having many coping skills in your toolbox will allow you to manage your stress or anxiety more successfully. There are different types of coping skills to help you in different areas of your life. Coping skills may change from time to time, as long as it helps you!

Reflections

Please answer the questions according to the videos above:

  1. How does stress affect your body?

  2. What are the six ways you can do to manage stress?

  3. In the video, the narrator mentioned some symptoms of anxiety. Can you name some of the examples?

  4. What are the types of avoidance you experience in anxiety?

In summary, even though stress and anxiety can become overwhelming in your life, there are good things that stress and anxiety bring to your life. For instance, having good stress helps you to stay motivated, improve your grades, or get a project completed. Anxiety can be seen as a negative experience, but being anxious alerts you to do your best, avoid danger, or get things done. You know your body best, so pay attention to those symptoms of stress and anxiety and take care of yourself.

Try this on your own!

Pay attention to your body. How does your body respond to stress? How does it feel when you're anxious? Meditation is one of the ways we can scan our body with a mindful practice. By practicing mindfulness, we are present with our thoughts and feelings, and we learn to manage our behaviors more intentionally. We feel more calm and we are more relax.




  1. Can you name what coping skills you have been using?

  2. If none, which ones will you learn?

  3. On a piece of blank paper, draw the coping skill(s) that you think is most helpful to you.

  4. Challenge yourself! Color your drawing to bring some clarity and calmness!


Resources

Lesson #4: Loving Yourself

As mentioned in lesson #2 (relationships), the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself. You treat others the way you would like to be treated and you also allow people to treat you the way you feel you deserve to be treated. Hence, it is essential for you to love all parts of yourself, including the parts that are most difficult to love. In this lesson, you will explore the meaning of self-love and understand how you can practice self-care.

Objectives

  • I will be able to define self-love, self-care, and affirmation.

  • I will reflect on the love that I have for myself.

  • I will differentiate between the different types of self-care.

  • I will develop a list of affirmations for positive self-talk.

Opening Activity: Temperature Check

Take a minute to reflect on the following statements. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree?

  1. I am satisfied with myself.

  2. I feel that I have a number of good qualities.

  3. I am able to do things as well as most other people.

  4. I have a lot to be proud of.

  5. I feel that I'm a person of worth, at least on an equal plane with others.

  6. I have respect for myself.

  7. I take a positive attitude toward myself.

Self-Love

Self-love means taking responsibility for your own well-being and happiness. It means taking care of your own needs and not changing who you are to please others. Self-love means not settling for less than you deserve. When you love yourself you accept your so-called weaknesses because you understand that that makes you who you are, too.

How to Love Yourself: A Guide

  1. Destroy the negative thoughts you have about yourself.

  2. Remind yourself that you are not perfect so do not expect yourself to be perfect.

  3. Stop focusing on only the negative.

  4. Never call yourself bad names.

  5. Celebrate and reward yourself!

  6. Create a plan for a bad day.

  7. Do things that make you feel good.

  8. List all of the things you are good at.

  9. Try to understand why you feel the way you feel instead of judging yourself.

  10. Take care of your physical and emotinal needs.

Reflection

Reflect on the guide above. Which of the items do you feel you need the most help with? Why? Which of the items do you feel you are excelling in?

Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is one way to show real love for yourself. Self-care is the practice of protecting your own physical, social, mental, and emotional well-being.

  • Physical: Making sure you eat healthy meals and get enough sleep.

  • Social: Making sure you only surround yourself with people who want the best for you.

  • Mental: Making sure you use positive words to describe yourself.

  • Emotional: Making sure you practice healthy ways to make yourself happy.

Let's Practice: Mindful Breathing

One of the best ways to figure out what you need is to take some time to BREATHE! Yup, BREATHE! Take the following 5 minutes to follow this guided breathing video.

Let's Practice: Affirmations & Positive Self-Talk

An affirmation is a true statement about yourself that reminds you of your strengths and helps motivate you to be better. Use the following tips and examples to help you complete the Positive Self-Talk Sun. Incorporate your affirmations throughout your day through positive self talk!

Additional Self-Care Tips

Lesson #5: Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being in tuned with your body and feelings in the present moment. It allows time for self-awareness. There are many different practices, and in this lesson, we are going to explore how mindfulness can improve one's mental well-being.

Objectives

  • I will be able to define what Mindfulness means.

  • I will be able to identify mindful strategies for myself.

  • I will practice self-awareness and use mindfulness on one of my daily routines.

Opening Activity: Mindful or Unmindful

Before you begin this lesson, practice letting go any negative or unwanted thoughts that will keep you from being present. Use the activity to your right to quickly identify what is mindful and unmindful as tips to help you stay focus from here on.

When you are completed with the activity above, watch this short video, as it explains what Mindfulness is.

Reflection

Answer the following questions from the video:

  1. How can you apply mindfulness to your daily life?

  2. What are the benefits of Mindfulness?

  3. What are some ways you can practice Mindfulness?

  4. Why is body scan important to your emotional well-being?

Pick and choose one of these Mindfulness Activities (or do all three!)

Try Meditation!

Body Scan Meditation

Guided meditation is a way to pay attention to how your body is feeling.


Try Yoga

Yoga is a spiritual, mental and physical practice that benefits the mind and body.

Try a Breathing Exercise!

Mindfulness STOP

STOP: Stop. Take a breathe. Observe. Proceed.

Additional Practices

Additional Readings

Lesson #6: Your Mental Health

When we feel sick, we take medicine to make us feel better. Depending on the situation, some of us might even have to visit the doctor or the emergency room! What do we do, though, when we do not FEEL good emotionally or mentally? What do we take to make ourselves feel better? Who do we visit to help us feel better?

Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, yet it is harder to 1) know when something is really wrong and 2) get the appropriate help. In this lesson, you will receive an introduction on how to take care of your mental health through four easy steps.

Objectives

  • I will identify how I am currently feeling.

  • I will assess my needs and triggers.

  • I will practice coping mechanisms I can utilize on a bad day.

  • I will reflect on my purpose in this world.

Step #1: Check Your Battery

It is important to check in with yourself DAILY! Look at the picture on the left to help you check in with yourself right now. How are you currently feeling?

Remember, there is NO right or wrong answer. You are entitled to feel great, to feel empty, and everything in between!

Step #2 - Understand Your Needs

Next, we need to try and understand why we feel the way we feel. Without figuring out what makes us genuinely happy, we won't know what to continue doing. On the other hand, without figuring out what makes us feel sad, angry, anxious, or fearful, we won't know what we need to change, fix, or stop doing.

Take a couple minutes to review the list of feelings and what they could mean. Think of a time you felt sad, lonely, shame, resentment, emptiness, anger, anxiety, or stress. What made you feel that way? Be aware of your triggers, including the people, places, and things that might have made you feel that way.

Step #3 - Plan for a Bad Day

We all know that life is not perfect. We experience some very happy moments, and we also experience some very sad moments. For this reason, we need to prepare for a bad day by creating a plan.

Take a look at the picture on the left. The image depicts four different "remedies" that you can use when you are having a bad day:

  1. Laugh

  2. Be grateful

  3. Put things into perspective, and

  4. Be kind and patient with yourself

Practice one of these remedies below. You can choose between Option A (be grateful) or Option B (be kind with yourself).

Option A: Practice being grateful

Practice being grateful by completing the 10 sentences listed on the left.

Option B: Practice being kind with yourself

Choose 3-5 statements from the three pictures below that you feel you need to hear. Then, practice telling yourself! Repeat the 3-5 statements you chose outloud at least three times each. Challenge yourself to use this positive self-talk when you are having a difficult time.

Step #4 - A Life Worth Living

Take a couple minutes to reflect on the following questions. Jot down your answers on a piece of paper, in your journal, on the Notes app of your iPhone, anywhere!

  • What are your reasons to keep going and not give up?

  • What do you wish to accomplish in your life?

  • What are some of the problems you see in your community that you'd like to help fix?

  • Who are the most important people in your life? Why?

DAILY REMINDER: There is a reason why you were born. Our world needs you to figure out what that reason is and fulfill it!

Resources

If you or someone you love is in danger, please seek help immediately.

You can call this number if you are experiencing a crisis or someone you love is experiencing a crisis. Someone who speaks your language will be available to you 24/7.

If you identify as LGBTQ and are having a difficult time, you can call The Trevor Project. You will be able to talk to an anonymous individual 24/7.

If you do not feel comfortable talking to someone on the phone, you can also text someone on any day, at any time.

Sources

  • @wholeheartedschoolcounseling

  • @blessingmanifesting

  • @heartandmindteaching

  • https://afsp.org/

Lesson #7: Advocating For Yourself


Self-advocacy is being able to speak up for yourself when you feel that there are important things to you that matter and you want to address those things. Being able to ask for help and getting the support that you need will allow you to take control of what those important issues are to you. In this lesson, we will share some tips on how you can advocate for yourself.

Objectives

  • I will be able to identify the tips on self-advocacy.

  • I will be learn the definition of self-advocacy.

  • I will identify the issues I want to speak up.

When should you advocate for yourself?

There's no rule to say when exactly you can advocate for yourself. When you feel the need to have your voice heard, in a respectful way, speak up your mind and share your concerns.

Tip #1: Know Yourself.

Heighten your sense of understanding by knowing who you are. Self-awareness is being in touch with your own feelings and desires. As you develop more relationships with your own self, you are more aware of your thoughts, actions, and needs.

Tip #2: Know what you need.

Create a list of what you need. Start by jotting down ideas that come to mind. When you were reflecting on your self-awareness, what do want for yourself? These things will allow you to take control of deciding what you want.

Tip#3 - Know how to get it.

Now you know what you want, what skills do you have to take the appropriate way to get the help you need? Try asking a teacher, counselor, friend, or family member for guidance. ASKING is the first step of learning to ADVOCATE for yourself, when you know what you want to speak about!

Try this on your own!

Self Awareness Questions (Try this first!)

  1. What are some things you do well?

  2. What are some things you need to work on improving?

  3. What are things you enjoy doing? Why do you like these things?

  4. What are things you dislike doing? Why do you dislike these things?

  5. What is important to you? Why?

Self Advocacy Questions (Try this second!)

Think of an example and write this down on a piece of paper or on your phone.

  1. Places and/or situations I might need to self-advocate and something I need to know about myself before I can self-advocate in this place and/or situation

Example: I need to ask my math teacher for help because I am not feeling good about my test for next week. I am going to ask him during lunch time.