Stress Busters: How to Relax and Feel Better
Learning Goals:
- Learn new words about stress and how to relax.
- Talk about what makes us feel stressed and how we cope.
- Read about a person who learned to relax.
- Listen to an expert talk about stress and relaxation.
- Write about how to manage stress.
Key Words:
- Stress: Feeling worried or overwhelmed.
- Relaxation: Doing things that make you feel calm and peaceful.
- Deep breathing: Breathing slowly and deeply to help you relax.
- Mindfulness: Paying attention to the present moment and your body.
- Physical activity: Moving your body, like exercise or dancing.
Let’s Talk About It!
- What are some things that make you feel stressed? (School, work, family, friends, etc.)
- What do you do to relax when you’re feeling stressed? (Listen to music, take a walk, read, etc.)
- Have you ever tried deep breathing or meditation to relax? Did it work?
Let’s Read a Story!
Anna was always stressed. She worried about work, her family, and everything else. One day, she learned about mindfulness and deep breathing. She started practicing every day, and after a while, she felt much calmer and happier.
Questions About the Story:
- Why was Anna stressed?
- What new things did she try to relax?
- How did these new things help her?
Listen and Learn!
(Teacher plays a short clip of a doctor talking about how stress affects our bodies and why relaxation is important.)
Talk with a Partner!
One of you is feeling stressed about a problem. The other gives advice using the words and ideas we talked about today.
Example:
- Stressed Person: “I’m so stressed about my presentation tomorrow!”
- Friend: “You should try some deep breathing exercises. They can really help you calm down.”
Homework:
Write a short list of 3-5 things you can do to manage stress.
Extra Fun:
Try a short deep breathing exercise together as a class. Breathe in slowly for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and then breathe out slowly for 5 seconds. Repeat a few times. How do you feel?
