Understanding Mental Wellbeing
A comprehensive lesson for Year 8 students exploring the foundations of mental wellbeing, focusing on emotional regulation, resilience, and breaking down the stigma associated with mental health.
Learning objectives
- Define mental wellbeing and distinguish it from mental illness.
- Identify factors that influence emotional health and resilience.
- Explain the impact of stigma on seeking help for mental health concerns.
- Develop strategies for managing stress and supporting peers.
Lesson plan (60 minutes)
Introduction · 10 min
Think-Pair-Share: What does 'mental health' mean? Does everyone have it?
Direct Instruction · 15 min
Teacher-led explainer using the teaching section notes and vocabulary.
Main Activity · 20 min
Differentiated worksheets (Support, Core, Stretch) - students work independently.
Consoliation · 10 min
Class discussion on 'Resilience' and how to support a friend.
Plenary · 5 min
Multiple-choice quiz to check for understanding.
Key vocabulary
- Wellbeing
- The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.
- Resilience
- The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
- Stigma
- A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
- Anxiety
- A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
- Depression
- A mental health condition characterised by persistently low mood and loss of interest.
Core worksheet (first questions)
- Define 'resilience' and explain why it is important for a teenager.
- How can 'stigma' stop someone from getting the help they need?
- If you noticed a friend was becoming very withdrawn, what steps could you take to support them?
- Explain one positive and one negative way that social media can affect wellbeing.
Quiz (sample)
1. Which of the following is true about mental health?
- A. Only people who are ill have mental health
- B. Everyone has mental health, just like physical health
- C. Mental health is just another word for being sad
- D. You only need to think about it when you are an adult
2. What is the definition of 'resilience'?
- A. Being happy all of the time
- B. Never feeling stressed or worried
- C. The ability to recover from setbacks or difficulties
- D. Ignoring your feelings until they go away
3. What does 'stigma' mean in the context of mental health?
- A. A medical diagnosis for anxiety
- B. A negative mark or stereotype that makes someone feel ashamed
- C. A way to exercise the mind
- D. A type of therapy used by doctors
The full pack is waiting
Support and Stretch worksheets, every answer and model answer, the teaching explainer and common misconceptions, editable and ready to print as PDF or Word.
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