I Feel: Stressed Lesson Plan Course Description This course is designed to define stress and identify its causes. It will also discuss ways to reduce stress and suggest who young people can turn to when they need help under pressure. The course also mentions ways to deal with insensitivity from others. Target Audience: Youth ages 11-15 Time Required: 45 minutes Materials Needed LCD Projection System & Computer with speakers Easel with Chart Paper Wide Tip Markers Masking Tape Class Materials: slides, handouts, lesson plan Bag of balloons Student Objectives Define stress Identify causes of stress List ways to reduce stress Handouts 1. Signs of Stress 2. Ways to Reduce Stress Practical Exercise 1. Balloon Stress Power Point Slides 1. 7. Ask for Help 2. Objectives 8. Stress Looks Like 3. Stressed Defined 9. Stress Reducers 4. Causes of Stress 10. Objectives 5. Physical and Emotional Stress 11. 6. How to Move Forward July 2013 LP 1
For additional information: (resources used) www.dictionary.com Managing Stress, Tips and advice for teenagers, 2004 Ceridian Corporation and IBM Corporation. 101 Ways to Cope with Stress, Courtesy of the Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. July 2013 LP 2
Slide 1 Attention: There is an old Chinese proverb which states, Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. What do you think that proverb means in relation to stress? Instructor Note: You might want to write the Proverb on chart paper ahead of time. You can then refer to it as you take answers from your audience. It seems the lesson in that proverb is simply this: we create stress when trying to be what we think others expect us to be, rather than just being ourselves. Here are the objectives for today s class. Slide 2 Objectives Define stress Identify causes of stress List ways to reduce stress We are going to learn what stress is, what causes it and how to reduce it. Let s get started. Slide 3 Stress Defined It s important to understand what stress is. If we look at the definition found at dictionary.com, we find that stress is a noun meaning a mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression. Wow! That s quite a definition. Maybe it would be easier to show you. Practical Exercise: Give everyone a balloon. Give the following instructions. When I say the following things, I want you to blow air into your balloon if it is something that would cause mental or emotional pressure in your life. If it is something that would decrease stress, let some air out. Everyone will have different reactions to different situations. Here we go! 1. Pop quiz in math class. 2. Grandma coming to visit for the month! 3. A day at the amusement park. 4. Your first kiss. 5. A birthday party with 6 year olds! 6. Your parent being deployed for 3 months.for 9 months oh no, they just got extended for a year! 7. Shaking hands with the President of the Student Council 8. Shaking hands with the President of the United States 9. Driving alone for the very first time. 10. Cooking dinner on Thanksgiving Day for 20 family members! July 2013 LP 3
Motivation: Ok, that was great! Now, I want you to look at your balloon and at the other balloons around you. Are they all the same size? Why? That s right, because some things that are fun to one person, could be stressful to another. Why does this exercise give us a good visual of what stress is like? Because as we put air in the balloon, it adds pressure and the balloon gets bigger to adjust to that pressure, right? What would happen if we never released some of the tension? (Begin blowing your balloon up more and more until someone yells It will pop! Exactly. If we allow pressure or stress to continue to build up inside, we will eventually explode. Ok, now that we understand what stress is, let s talk a little more about what causes stress for teenagers. Slide 4 Causes of Stress Question and answer: What causes stress for you? Instructor Note: Chart the responses and post in the room. After all answers are charted, read through the list and discuss why they cause stress. Transition: Those are great answers and a lot of stressors. Is all stress bad? No, there can be good stress and bad stress. Looking at the list we made, do you see any good stressors? Do athletes feel nervous before a game? Sure! Do speakers feel some anxiety before standing in front of a class? We sure do! These can be stressful situations, but that is good stress. That extra adrenaline rush from our bodies helps us to perform better. So what about bad stress? Those are the stressors that make us feel sad, angry or scared. In a little while we re going to learn some ways to decrease the stress in our lives. But before we move on, I d like to talk about another source of stress, especially for military youth. That is the stress of having peers and even teachers say mean or negative things about the military or your service member. One of our Guard friends is going to share their story. Watch and listen. Some of you may have dealt with similar situations at home. When people around you are saying mean things, especially about someone you love, it can be very stressful. Let s talk about what we can do. July 2013 LP 4
Slide 5 Physical and Emotional Stress Stress is definitely something all of us will experience throughout our lives. Stress impacts everyone in different ways. While some people never seem to be phased by stress, others can become overwhelmed by the stress they are experiencing. It is important for us to recognize where our stress is coming from, as identifying the source is the first step to positively reducing our stress. There are two ways stress presents itself in our bodies and lives: Physical Stress and Emotional Stress. Physical Stress symptoms include things like back pain, headaches, stomachaches and overwhelming feels of being exhausted. Emotional Stress symptoms include things like being quick to anger, feeling anxious, unhappy or being easily confused in situations. Are there other symptoms we could add to these lists? In which column would the additional symptoms be place? Instructor Note: Chart the responses and post in the room. After all answers are charted, read through the list and discuss why each was added to the specified column. Knowing how to recognize these symptoms allows us to being moving forward to reduce our stress. Slide 6 How to Move Forward Motivation: Albert Einstein once said, In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. If we apply that wisdom to this situation, what opportunity do we find? In situations where hurtful things are said, you will have the opportunity to educate those around you. Maybe your teacher doesn t realize your loved one is deployed. Maybe the kids who say mean things have never heard about the great things our service members do other than fight for freedom. Transition: Educate those around you as best you can. But you don t have to do it alone. Slide 7 Ask for Help Ask your parent, guardian, or your Child and Youth Program Coordinators to help you if you are faced with these types of situations. Don t face it alone and don t pretend it doesn t hurt. Talk to an adult and ask them for assistance. July 2013 LP 5
Realize too, that others may not change their points of view. And that s okay. We can t control others. But we can control how they affect us. This also includes how stressed it can make us. Slide 8 Stress Looks Like If we put all this stress that we have listed on our chart paper into one of our balloons, do you think it would be ready to pop? I do. So let s talk about how stress makes us feel physically. What does stress look like? Here are some common physical signs of stress. They are listed on your Handout. Handout 1: Signs of Stress Headaches Nervousness Rashes Stomachaches Fast heartbeat Perspiration Forgetfulness Carelessness Lack of Concentration Anger Outbursts Fighting Withdrawal Depression As you can see, stress can affect us physically, mentally and emotionally. What can we do to relieve the stress or to let the air out of our balloons? Here are some great ideas. Slide 9 - Stress Reducers Your next handout will give you some ideas of ways to handle stress. Handout 2: Ways to Reduce Stress Practice deep breathing exercises. Think positive. Find time to relax. Pray or read something inspirational. Visualize what you want to happen. Use pressure points to reduce headaches. Talk problems over with a friend or counselor. Don't dwell on your weaknesses. Feel proud of your accomplishments. Exercise daily. Do muscle tension relaxation exercises. Punch a pillow, scream or kick a can. Prepare for tests early. Eat a nutritious meal or snack. July 2013 LP 6
Take one thing at a time. Set realistic goals. Stop worrying about things that may never happen. Learn from your mistakes. Forgive yourself and others. Get involved with things you like to do. Make time for fun. Do something for others. Use the four steps to problem solving: 1. Brainstorm possible solutions. 2. Think of the consequences of each. 3. Choose a solution. 4. Evaluate your choice. Transition: Sometimes even adults have difficulties managing stress. If you ve tried the stress reducers, but you still aren t feeling better, it could be time to talk to someone. Talking to a parent or adult relative when you feel overwhelmed with stress can help a lot. You could also talk to a guidance counselor, a spiritual leader, a trusted teacher or coach. Your Child and Youth Program Coordinators are also available to help you find someone to talk to. Military One Source and Military Family Life Consultants can provide professional assistance to you and your family when you need it. Each of these suggestions can be found on your handout. Slide 10 Objectives Define stress Identify causes of stress List ways to reduce stress Slide 11 As you go about your daily life, remember our Chinese proverb Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are. Idea: Hand out the following on a small card with a balloon attached as a reminder of what they learned. July 2013 LP 7
In closing, I would like to leave you with this simple way to deal with stress the next time it sneaks up on you. Think of the word STRESS and do the following: Stop what you are doing Take a deep breath and hold it Relax your muscles (shake your hands and arms) Exhale Smile Surround yourself with happy thoughts! July 2013 LP 8