Learning About Stress (and How to Deal With it!)

This teaching presentation, geared toward students aged between eight and twelve years, walks them through the basics of understanding stress and some effective coping strategies to use in their young lives. 

Stress management is an important part of the primary curriculum, and with good reason. Preteen students are at a critical stage of emotional development. During this period, they experience a wide range of emotions as they navigate the challenges of transitioning from childhood to adolescence. For several reasons, children may need help to learn how to regulate their emotions.

Through engagement in this activity, students will begin to recognise how the depth and strength of their own emotional responses may vary in different situations, and learn strategies to manage emotions.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource and understand that each student is on their own social and emotional learning journey. 

You may wish to break this presentation down across several Health lessons in order to answer questions or develop deeper understandings.

To assist students who are struggling with identifying which are helpful strategies, work in a small group and demonstrate through nonverbal communication or through acting how each response might look in real life. 

Easily Prepare This Interactive Activity 

Present this interactive activity in Google Classroom or Microsoft PowerPoint. Please be sure to open in Presentation mode.

Although this activity was designed as a whole-group learning experience, you can also assign it in Google Classroom for individual reflection and revision.

This Health resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

For more curriculum-aligned resources for your Health lessons, take a look at these:

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Everyday Stress Coping Strategies Interactive Game

Develop your students’ ability to effectively cope with everyday stress using this interactive learning game.

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Managing Stress Social Stories Interactive Activity

Share this relaxing and calming interactive activity with your students to help them to differentiate between helpful and unhelpful strategies for coping with stress.

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Coping Strategies to Manage Stress Flipbook

Get crafty with your students creating this colorful flip book containing their own preferences of strategies for managing stress.