Navigating Change: Looking Ahead

Please refer to our Before You Teach guides for resources to support your practice.

Mental Health 101

Safer Language  

Classroom Discussion Guide   

Trauma Informed Teaching

This lesson consolidates students' learning from the Navigating Change series and accompanying Jack Talk. Students review key concepts, make connections between change, resilience, and protective factors, and begin a summative resilience plan that demonstrates their understanding of how these concepts can support well-being and future growth.

Assessment options are provided for both junior (Grades 9–10) and senior (Grades 11–12) high school students, with opportunities to adjust the level of analysis and reflection to meet diverse learning needs.

Additional Notes on Differentiation

• Two summative assessment options are included:
  • Grades 9–10: My Resilience Plan – focuses on identifying protective factors and applying practical strategies to a chosen challenge or change.
  • Grades 11–12: Resilience Action Plan – emphasizes deeper analysis, justification of chosen protective factors, consideration of barriers, and reflection on how resilience develops over time.
• Students may base their assessment on a real, fictional, or hypothetical scenario and are encouraged to share only what feels comfortable.
• Teachers may provide graphic organizers, sentence starters, or conferencing support as needed.
• Students may demonstrate their learning in different formats (e.g., written response, infographic, slide presentation, or video reflection), while still addressing the success criteria.

In this lesson, your students will…

• consolidate their understanding of change, resilience, and protective factors by applying their learning to a summative resilience plan
• reflect on how these concepts can support their own well-being and help them navigate future challenges

Slide Deck

Navigating Change: Looking Ahead

Handouts

Navigating Change: Grade 9/10 Summative Assessment

Navigating Change: Grade 11/12 Summative Assessment

Additional Materials

• Teacher computer, projector, and speakers
• Student access to devices/internet (optional)

• Part 1: Minds On (5-10 minutes)
• Part 2: Action Tasks (45-55 minutes)
• Part 3: Consolidation (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.  

‍

Part 1: Minds On (5-10 minutes)

Slide 5: Let’s Review!

1. Click once to bring up the left column with the definitions from the Jack Talk. Ask your students if they can recall the terms for each definition on the slide. 
2. Click again to bring up each of the terms in the right column in order.

the ability to notice and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours: self-awareness

the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress: resilience

“Anchors” – sources of stability during uncertain times (hint: 3 Cs): control, competency, community

showing yourself the same kindness as you would to a good friend: self-compassion

exaggerated or irrational negative thought patterns that can lead us to believe things that aren't necessarily true: thinking traps

‍

Transition to lesson:

Throughout this unit, we've explored how change is a normal part of life, what helps people build resilience, and the protective factors that support mental well-being. Today, we’ll bring these ideas together and apply what we’ve learned to a new task.

‍

Part 2: Action Tasks (45-55 minutes)

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

Slide 6: Summative Task Introduction 

Prompt: In this assignment, you’ll bring those ideas together to create a practical plan for navigating future challenges.

1. Share the relevant handout with your students, and walk through expectations, assessment criteria, and any questions students may have.
2. Give students the remainder of the class to begin working on their assignment. Encourage them to use their learning from the unit, including their notes and class resources, as they develop their plan.

‍

‍

Part 3: Consolidation (5-10 minutes)

Slide 7: Wrap Up

1. Invite students to consider how the strategies they explored throughout the unit can also support them as they complete challenging tasks, including this assessment.
2. Facilitate a brief discussion connecting their learning to their current assignment.

Sometimes a challenge can feel overwhelming at first. How can we use what we know about resilience to approach challenges (like an assignment) differently?

Possible discussion prompts:

• What thoughts might make a challenge feel bigger or harder to manage?
• How can we reframe thoughts that might get in the way of our progress?
• What protective factors could help when a task feels challenging?
• What is one small step someone could take to get started?

Check out the other lessons in the Navigating Change series:

Lesson 1: Reflecting on Change, Stress, and Well-being

Lesson 2: Building Resilience 

Lesson 3: Creating Our Resilience Toolkit

Lesson 4: Book a Jack Talk → Jack Talks 

Our Jack Talk on Navigating Change is delivered by trained youth speakers who share their own story and experiences with change. Students explore the many transitions we face in life, including academic transitions and identity development, and how these can affect our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. They’ll also practice self-awareness, explore uncertainty and thinking traps, and build skills to navigate change with greater intention, grow through change, and build resilience.

Alberta

Physical education and wellness 7-9

Curriculum Overview

• Practise positive social behaviours in a variety of contexts. 
• Discuss strategies to manage risk to personal health and safety. 
• Relate protective strategies to mental well-being 
• Reflect on unsafe situations that adolescents face online, at home, at school and in the community. 
• Examine supports for mental health challenges. 
• Reflect on personal strengths as they relate to leadership and followership. 
• Examine personal and social factors that influence decisions, actions and behaviours. 
• Explore mental health literacy. 

Career education and financial literacy 7-9

Curriculum Overview

• Create open-ended plans to support transitions. 
• Assess personal strengths and opportunities for growth. 
• Develop strategies that can help manage transitions. 

‍

British Columbia

Physical and Health Education 10

Curricular Competencies

• Evaluate and explain strategies for promoting mental well-being 
• Create and evaluate strategies for managing physical, emotional, and social changes during puberty and adolescence 
• Explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural factors 

‍

Québec

Éducation physique et à la santé

Progression des apprentissages au secondaire : Compétence 3 – Adopter un mode de vie sain et actif

• Nommer des situations de stress qui ont des impacts dans sa vie de tous les jours (ex. : gagner une compétition, avoir un examen) 
• Nommer des réactions physiologiques associées à une situation de stress (ex. : augmentation de la fréquence cardiaque, sudation) 
• Nommer des répercussions d’une mauvaise gestion du stress sur sa santé et son bien-être (ex. : anxiété, fatigue, perturbation du sommeil, dépression) 
• Indiquer des stratégies pour se relaxer (ex. : prendre un bain chaud, lire, faire de l’activité physique, utiliser une technique de relaxation) 
• Utiliser des techniques pour se relaxer après un effort physique ou pour gérer son stress (ex. : respiration contrôlée, méthode de Jacobson, yoga, imagerie mentale) ‘

EKIP : santé, bien-être et réussite éducative des jeunes

• 1.1 Reconnaître des stratégies d’adaptation à des situations stressantes ou difficiles 
  • Exploration des différentes réactions possibles face à des situations stressantes ou difficiles (ex. : situations liées à de nouvelles exigences socioscolaires, à un nouvel environnement, à l’intimidation ou à la discrimination) 
  • Adoption de stratégies face à des situations sur lesquelles on peut avoir du contrôle ou que l’on peut changer (ex. : méthodes de travail, gestion du temps, démarche de résolution de conflits, demande d’aide) 
  • Adoption de stratégies face à des situations que l’on ne peut changer, comme la perte d’un être cher ou une séparation (ex. : exprimer ses émotions, avoir une attitude positive, demander de l’aide) 
• 1.2 Connaître des stratégies à privilégier lors d’une situation qui nécessite de l’aide pour soi ou les autres 
  • Reconnaissance des signes de détresse, des attitudes et des comportements qui nécessitent de l’aide 
  • Connaissance des services de soutien dans son école et sa communauté
• 2.1 Expliquer l’influence de ses habitudes de vie sur sa santé et son bien-être 
• 2.2 Évaluer et adapter ses stratégies pour améliorer ou maintenir sa santé et son bien-être 
• 3.1 Comprendre différentes composantes de la santé mentale 
  • Interrelations entre santé mentale et a) santé physique; b) relations positives et égalitaires; c) capacité d’adaptation au stress et aux transitions 
  • Facteurs de risque individuels et environnementaux (ex. : situations stressantes et difficiles, exclusion sociale, pensées négatives) 
  • Facteurs de protection (ex. : stratégies d’adaptation, estime de soi, scolarisation, soutien de la famille et des amis, saines habitudes de vie, recours aux services disponibles) 
  • Troubles mentaux (ex. : troubles anxieux, dépression) et répercussions possibles sur les individus, sur les familles et sur la société 
• 3.3 Connaître des stratégies d’adaptation qui permettent d’être plus objectif par rapport à des situations stressantes ou difficiles et à ses émotions 
  • Dédramatisation de la situation 
  • Réévaluation positive de la situation, vision d’un avenir meilleur 
  • Obtention d’un autre point de vue fiable 
• 3.4 Reconnaître les situations qui requièrent de l’aide et les facteurs qui influencent la demande d’aide pour soi ou les autres 
  • Reconnaissance des signes de détresse psychologique (ex. : distinction entre un état passager de tristesse et un mal-être persistant qui nécessite de l’aide, signes de détresse comme le repli et l’isolement, idéations suicidaires) 
  • Connaissance des mythes entourant les troubles mentaux 
  • Développement d’une conception positive de la demande d’aide (ce n’est pas un signe de faiblesse) 
  • Recherche de soutien émotionnel dans l’entourage (accueil, écoute, accompagnement vers des ressources)  
  • Connaissance des types d’aide et des façons d’y accéder 
  • Connaissance des ressources disponibles dans l’école et dans la communauté 

‍

Nova Scotia 

Healthy Living 9 

Specific Curriculum Outcomes 

• Healthy Self 
  • 9.1 analyze their health needs in times of change and apply strategies that enhance their capacity to manage change in their lives
• Healthy Community 
  • 9.17 examine how people support healthy communities locally and globally, and take age-appropriate action to support a community health issue of interest to them 
  • 9.20 identify school and community-based resources and health services available to assist themselves or a friend if help or information in the area of sexual health, mental health, alcohol and other substance use or gambling is needed, and practise how to make initial contact such a service/resources 

Life 11

Indicators

• Investigate the types of transitions and changes that occur in life and careers (COM, PCD)
• Compare ways to support mental health in times of change (COM, CT, PCD)
• Investigate supports and resources available for changing life circumstances (CT, PCD)
• Analyse how protective factors work in response to changing life circumstances (COM, CT, TF)

‍

New Brunswick

Personal Wellness 9

Big Idea: Positive Mental Fitness Strategies

Achievement Indicators:

Identify strategies to build own positive mental health.

Big Idea: Helpful and Harmful Choices

Achievement Indicators:

Analyze how food, screen time, and substances may affect an individual’s health (e.g., mental, social, emotional, and physical including brain development)

‍

Wellness Through Physical Education (110)

General Curriculum Outcome:

1.0 Students demonstrate an understanding of the concept of wellness.

Specific Curriculum Outcome:

1.2 Students evaluate and address personal wellness needs.

1.3 Students analyze how society, media and culture influence wellness

‍

Ontario

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 10 (PPL 2O)

Specific Expectations

C1 Understanding Health Concepts

1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of factors that enhance mental health and emotional and spiritual well-being

‍

Healthy Active Living Education, Grade 12 (PPL4O)

Specific Expectations

C2 Making Healthy Choices

2.3 Describe how coping and interpersonal skills and their knowledge of personal protective and risk factors can be used to develop resilience and enhance their ability to make healthy choices, including the avoidance of substance use and addictive behaviours

‍

Recreation and Healthy Active Living Leadership (PLF4M)

Specific Expectations

C2 Healthy Active Living Plan

2.1 Describe how healthier choices related to physical activity, healthy eating, and other aspects of everyday living (e.g., limiting screen time and increasing participation in a variety of physical activities that provide cardiovascular and muscular endurance, muscular strength, or flexibility benefits; eating balanced meals; choosing nutritious snacks; managing stress; getting enough sleep; making choices with personal safety in mind) contribute to better physical, mental, and social health and greater personal well-being 

‍

Prince Edward Island

Physical and Health Education 9 (9PHEA)

‍Specific Curriculum Outcomes

Learners are expected to create a personalized mental health plan

‍Achievement Indicators

Develop and implement a personalized mental health plan that incorporates evidence-based strategies, self-awareness, and healthy decision-making skills

Wellness (PED401A)

Outcomes and Indicators

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

‍l. Examine the relationships among defense mechanisms, feelings, behaviours, and mental health (i.e., ways we protect ourselves from things we do not want to think about or deal with).

‍

Saskatchewan

Wellness 10

Outcomes and Indicators

W4. l. Examine the relationships among defense mechanisms, feelings, behaviours, and mental health (i.e., ways we protect ourselves from things we do not want to think about or deal with).

W5.g. Examine emotional and behavioural patterns of self and others and determine related impact on optimal wellness.

‍

Yukon

*Yukon schools follow the British Columbia (B.C.) curriculum, with adaptations to include Yukon content and Yukon First Nations’ ways of knowing and doing. (https://yukon.ca/en/school-curriculum)

Physical and Health Education 10

Curricular Competencies

• Evaluate and explain strategies for promoting mental well-being 
• Create and evaluate strategies for managing physical, emotional, and social changes during puberty and adolescence 
• Explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural factors