Introducing How to Be There for Ourselves: A Jack Talk Follow-Up

Before you teach, we recommend you review our supporting resources:

Mental Health 101

Safer Language

Classroom Discussion Guide

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Please note that this lesson is designed to accompany the Jack Talk: Introducing How to Be There for Ourselves module. Please visit Book a Modular Jack Talk to book your Jack Talk

In this lesson, your students will revisit key terms and concepts from the Jack Talk: Introducing How to Be There for Ourselves. By applying their knowledge to scenarios and identifying ways to practise self-awareness, emotional regulation, self-compassion, self-care, and help-seeking behaviours when faced with challenges, they will deepen their understanding. 

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Your students will also reflect on how to be there for themselves by discussing the holistic nature of health and developing an action plan to put their learning into practice.

Your students will be able to:

• understand key terms related to personal mental health
• apply their knowledge of mental health strategies to a variety of scenarios
• recognize the relationship between physical health and mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being
• describe ways to practise taking care of their mental health

Slide Deck

EdHUB Post 3.1 Jack Talk Slide Deck ⤓

Minds On Activity Cards

Grade 10 Minds On Review Activity ⤓

Suggested Handouts

Student Handout: 3.1 Scenarios ⤓

Student Handout: Holistic Health ⤓

Grade 10 Post Jack Self Assessment ⤓

Additional Materials

• Teacher computer, projector, and speakers

Part 1: Minds On (5–10 minutes)

Part 2: Action Tasks (40–50 minutes)

Part 3: Consolidation (5–10 minutes)

Part 4: Extension Activity (5–10 minutes)

Note: All parts of the lesson procedure can be found in the slide deck provided.

Slide 2: Land Acknowledgement

In the slide deck, we have included Jack.org’s land acknowledgement. We encourage you to write your own, acknowledging the Nations, communities, territories and treaties upon which you live and work, and your calls to action for reconciliation / Self Pledge.

Here are some resources to support you:

• Why Acknowledge?
• Territory Acknowledgement - Native-Land.ca.  

Slide 3: Mental Health Supports

Inform students that today’s lesson will focus on how to apply mental health strategies. 

• Encourage students to reflect on their current mental health.
• Remind them to check in with themselves throughout the lesson. 
• Point out the mental health support available at your school/space.
• Discuss any policies/procedures specific to your school.
  • For example, if students prefer not to interrupt or draw attention when they need to take a break from the topic, they can visit the Guidance Office. There, staff can notify you of their whereabouts and confirm their safety.

Part 1: Introduction (1-2 minutes)

EdHUB Post 3.1 Jack Talk Slide Deck ⤓

Grade 10 Minds On Review Activity ⤓

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Preparation

1. Determine the number of cards required for your students who are present in class. This resource includes 30 cards (10 terms, 20 definitions/ examples).
   • For larger groups, or groups with English Language Learners, you could have some or all students work in pairs.
   • For smaller groups, you could eliminate cards with examples.
   • Alternatively, you can divide students into groups. Give each group a complete set of cards, pre-cut and shuffled. Have students work as a group to complete the matching. When they think they are done, they can call you over to check their answers.
   • Optional: Ask students to come up with additional examples on their own once they have found their matches
2. Cut and shuffle the cards.

Instruction

1. Explain to students they will be finding the person whose card matches with theirs. Note that if there is a number beside the term, it means that term will match with more than one person. ‍

            For example, self-stigma has a (2) beside the term because there is one person with a definition and another person with an example. This means that the self-stigma group will be a group of three (3).

Action

1. Distribute the cards.
2. Invite students to begin moving around the room to find their match(es).
3. Once students have found their partner(s), have each group share their term, definition, and example.

Option

After students have shared, have them post the terms and their matching definitions/examples around the classroom or on a display board for student reference.

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Part 2: Action Tasks (40–50 minutes)

EdHUB Post 3.1 Jack Talk Slide Deck ⤓

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Activity: Scenarios (20–30 minutes*)

*You may wish to spend more or less time on this activity, depending upon your classroom needs and methods of implementation.

Student Handout: 3.1 Scenarios ⤓

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Slides 6-7

Show your students the example scenario on slide 6. Discuss as a class possible answers to the questions.

Samar is a diligent student who always strives for perfection. However, this semester, she finds herself buried under a mountain of assignments, projects, and upcoming exams. With each passing day, the pressure to excel and maintain her high grades intensifies, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

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What thoughts, emotions, and behaviours might Samar be experiencing?

• Possible student responses: “Feeling inadequate/not good enough”; “They might have trouble sleeping, eating, or focusing”; “They might not be spending as much time with their friends or family as they usually do.”

How can Samar practise self-awareness, emotional regulation, self-compassion, self-care, and seeking help?

• Possible student responses: “Self-awareness could start with realizing that expecting to be perfect at everything is unrealistic. She should also try to recognize when she needs to ask for help from teachers or friends”; “For emotional regulation, she could practise techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, and positive self-talk when she is feeling overwhelmed”; “Self-compassion could mean reminding herself that it's okay to not be perfect and that her worth isn't determined by her grades. Also, remembering that she is not alone. Everyone struggles sometimes”; “For self-care, she should make sure she doesn’t work all the time and takes regular breaks to do things she likes. She should also make sure she gets enough sleep instead of staying up all night trying to get work done”; “For seeking help, talking to adults in her life who can support her, such as a teacher, coach, parent, elder, guidance counsellor, therapist, or an anonymous support line like Kids Help Phone could be really helpful.”

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Slide 8

Review with your students the suggested answers in the chart provided. 

Option: You may wish to do another scenario together as a class before proceeding. 

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Slide 10: Your Turn!

Provide your students with time to work through additional scenarios. Choose the methods that best meet the needs of your students. For example:

• Students can complete the activities individually, with a partner, or in small groups (2-4);
• Students can complete one scenario or more than one;
• Students can choose the scenario(s) they would like to complete, and/or you can assign different scenarios to different groups.

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Slide 11: Let’s Discuss!

Choose the method of sharing that best meets the needs of your students. For example:

• Students can share their ideas with a partner or another group (Think, Pair, Share);
• Students can populate a shared Google doc with their ideas;
• Students can present their ideas to the whole class via explanation or role play;
• Students can take part in an informal class discussion.

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Activity: Breathing Balloon (1 minute)

‍Slide 12: Breathing Balloon – Kids Help Phone‍

Prompt:

Before we move to our next activity, let’s take a minute to practise taking some mindful breaths. 

Taking a few deep breaths can help to relax your body and mind. Breathing Balloon is a simple breathing exercise that you can do anywhere.

‍Kids Help Phone

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Discussion: Holistic Health (10 – 15 minutes)

Slides 13-18: Holistic Health

Discuss with your students the concept of holistic health. 

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Slide 15: Discuss

Clarify:

There are many different activities that might be enjoyable or relaxing that don’t necessarily help us to express and process our feelings (e.g. screen time).

Can you think of some unhealthy ways people might express or process their feelings? 

• Possible student responses: “If they are angry, they might get in a fight with someone”; “Some people break things when they are mad or frustrated.”

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What are some healthy outlets for expressing and processing feelings? For instance, if you had a bad day at school, what might you do to help you understand and deal with your feelings? 

• Possible student response: “You could go for a run or play basketball” ; “You could listen to music or play music if you have an instrument”; “You could do some sort of art, like drawing or painting”

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Slides 16-18: Healthy Outlets 

Student Handout: Holistic Health

Optional: Share with your students the Student Handout: Holistic Health. As you go through slides 16-18, encourage them to fill out the table with examples and potential benefits of various outlets for expressing and processing emotions. 

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Part 3: Consolidation (5–10 minutes)

Slide 19: Action Plan

Share the following prompt with your students:

What is one activity you can do or action you can take to provide a healthy outlet for yourself? Provide specific details (what, when, where, why, how).‍

Example:

This Friday I will walk home from school instead of getting a ride (or get off transit one stop earlier than usual). This will help me to _____________ because _______________________________.

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Before having students complete their own reflection/action plan, discuss the example provided on the slide:

How could walking home instead of getting a ride be beneficial to someone’s overall wellbeing? 

• Possible student responses: “This could help them to release pent up emotions because they don’t have to talk to anyone or answer questions about their day” ; “School is stressful, buses are noisy, and their home might have a lot of people, so taking some time by themselves might help reduce stress by allowing them to relax and self-regulate a bit.”

Next, have students reflect on the main question:

What is one activity you can do or action you can take to provide a healthy outlet for yourself? Provide specific details (what, when, where, why, how).

Students can share their ideas aloud and/or write a statement following the model above and submit to you as evidence of their learning. Student action plans can be started and completed in class or as an at-home task. 

• Possible methods of collection: Google form, handout, journal entry. 

Optional

Alternatively, you can ask your students to reflect upon their learning using Handout: Self Assessment.

‍Grade 10 Post Jack Talk Self Assessment.

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‍Extension Activity Ideas

Note: Extension Activities can be completed at any time during your course and collected as part of a student portfolio for assessment purposes. 

1. Have students create one or more new scenarios similar to the ones they received in Student Handout: 3.1 Scenarios.
   ‍Student Handout: 3.1 Scenarios
   
   Options: Students can complete the questions associated with the scenario or switch with another student and complete the answers for the new scenario.

1. Have students create a more detailed Action Plan. They can explore multiple healthy outlets and when/where/why/how they would be most beneficial to their wellbeing.

Ontario

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 10 (PPL2O)

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Specific Expectations

C1.1 demonstrate an understanding of factors that enhance mental health and emotional and spiritual well-being

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Prince Edward Island

Wellness, Grade 10 (PED401A)

Outcomes and Indicators

W1 Evaluate one’s self in each dimension of wellness.

e. Analyse and communicate the dimensions of wellness in terms of their interconnectedness (i.e., 

connections), interdependence (i.e., mutual benefits), and interactions (i.e., effects of one on another).

h. Critique community and societal norms (e.g., expectations regarding gender roles, norms regarding alcohol consumption) that influence the well-being of self, family, and community.

i. Assess one’s motivations, (e.g., appearance, health, ability), and limitations (e.g., time management) that improve and/or impede one’s personal wellness.

j. Analyse individual and civic responsibility in nurturing well-being and examine the social factors (including expectations of self and others) that influence personal wellness.

k. Examine available supports (both formal and informal) for attaining and maintaining optimal wellness and establish strategies to effectively access these supports.

m. Initiate an ongoing multi-dimensional (i.e., physical, psychological, social, spiritual, environmental) Personal Plan for Wellness based on a comprehensive analysis of personal well-being.

n. Reflect on activities participated in, and the effect they have on each dimension of wellness (positive and negative).

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W5 Assess one’s self-awareness and self-management for the purpose of enhancing personal well-being and the well-being of others.

h. Practise and reflect on a variety of self-awareness strategies (e.g., treat feelings as good or bad, identify triggers, seek feedback, keep a journal of emotions, observe others’ reactions to your emotions).

k. Analyse and practise effective identification and communication of feelings.

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