Lesson 7.3: Developing Emotional Health and Mental Toughness

Overview

This lesson focuses on developing emotional health and mental toughness to help us respond to our emotions and better manage our emotions and thoughts. People with better emotional health and stronger mental toughness are generally healthier and happier.

Learning Targets

  • LO9: Explain the concept of mental toughness.
  • LO10: Compare and contrast resilience and grit.
  • LO11: Contrast a growth mindset with a fixed mindset.
  • LO12: Provide three examples of negative self-talk.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the Journal Question on the board or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 7.3 PowerPoint slides or make copies of the Lesson 7.3 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 7.3 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Goal-Setting for Mental Toughness.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: Describe someone in your life who can keep going even when things aren’t going the way they want them to. What do you think gives them this type of strength or ability?
    • Option: Write or project the question and have students respond in their journal or on their “bell ringer” sheet as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in pairs, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 7.3 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 7.3 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quiz and use it alongside a posttest to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Lesson Focus: Goal-Setting for Mental Toughness

  1. Provide each student with one copy of the Lesson 7.3 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Goal-Setting for Mental Toughness. Have the students work individually to complete the worksheet.
  2. Remind them to look at their book for ideas on how to improve these things.
  3. Have students form pairs or small groups to discuss their goals and the answers to their questions. Have students work in pairs to develop an action plan and tracking sheet or strategy they can use to monitor their behaviors and choices as they work to build their mental toughness.

Challenge Activity

Have students needing an additional challenge work on the following Thinking Critically task.

Compare and contrast optimism and pessimism and the impact each has on physical, social and emotional health and well-being. Create a table or other graphic representation that demonstrates your thinking.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you...

  • Explain the concept of mental toughness?

    Mental toughness refers to the idea of being able to push past failures or disappointments and to remain positive, focused, and driven.

  • Compare and contrast resilience and grit?

    Resilience is your ability to bounce back from a difficult or stressful situation. Grit is the dedication to achieve long-term goals. Grit helps you keep making progress when things are challenging and can help you overcome challenges to your mental and physical health.

    Ask students for examples of resilience and grit.

  • Contrast a growth mindset with a fixed mindset?

    The belief that you can develop your talents and skills through dedication and hard work is a growth mindset. When someone believes they were either born with something or they weren’t, they have a fixed mindset.

  • Provide three examples of negative self-talk?

    Table 7.1 in the textbook provides several examples.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

Take It Home

Make yourself an inspiration board at home. It could be a poster, a single sheet of paper, or something you draw on your tablet or phone. Use photos of people who inspire you and identify words and phrases that encourage you. Reflect on your board anytime you need inspiration or motivation.