Chill Out Cope Lesson Plan Chill Out & Cope!
Lesson Plan: Tier 2 Small Group
Time: 30 Minutes
Grade: 7th
Learning Objective
Students will define anxiety, recognize common signs of anxiety in themselves and others, and practice at least two effective coping skills to manage anxious feelings.
Why this matters
Learning about anxiety is vital for 7th graders facing increasing academic and social pressures. These skills empower them to manage stress, improve emotional regulation, and build resilience.
Preparation (20 min)
Review slides and practice the script.
Print Coping Skills Toolkit (1 per student).
Set up small whiteboards or paper/markers.
Prepare coping skill cards for the game.
Review warm-up and exit ticket.
Materials Needed
Chill Out & Cope! Slides
Coping Skills Toolkit Worksheet
Coping Skill Showdown! Game
Chill Out Exit Ticket
Whiteboards, paper, and markers
Lesson Outline
5 MIN
Warm-Up: Anxiety Check-In
Non-judgmental check-in to gauge initial feelings.
Distribute whiteboards/paper.
Ask students to silently draw or write one word representing their "worry" feeling.
No need to share aloud; collect/face down to maintain privacy.
5 MIN
Intro: What is Anxiety?
Defining anxiety as a natural alarm system.
Ask: "What comes to mind when you hear the word 'anxiety'?"
Define as a normal human emotion/alarm system.
Identify common physical (heart racing) and mental (racing thoughts) signs.
7 MIN
Exploring Coping Skills & Toolkit
Introduction of strategies and toolkit worksheet.
Brainstorm existing stress-management techniques.
Introduce key skills: Deep breathing, mindfulness, talking it out.
Distribute and guide the **Coping Skills Toolkit Worksheet**.
8 MIN
Game: Coping Skill Showdown!
Active practice identifying strategies.
Divide into teams. Students act out or draw coping skills for teammates to guess.
Rotate turns; focus on fun and normalization of the strategies.
5 MIN
Cool-Down: Chill Out Exit Ticket
Reflection and goal setting.
Complete the **Chill Out Exit Ticket**.
Reflect on one new skill and current confidence level.
Anxiety Check-In Warm-Up Anxiety Check-In
Silent Reflection Activity
1
Take a small whiteboard or a piece of paper.
2
Think about a time when you felt worried or anxious.
3
Silently draw or write one word that describes how you feel when you are worried or anxious.
4
You do not need to share your drawing or word aloud. This is just for you.
5
When you are done, please place your whiteboard/paper face down on your desk.
Anxiety Check-In
Silent Reflection Activity
1
Take a small whiteboard or a piece of paper.
2
Think about a time when you felt worried or anxious.
3
Silently draw or write one word that describes how you feel when you are worried or anxious.
4
You do not need to share your drawing or word aloud. This is just for you.
5
When you are done, please place your whiteboard/paper face down on your desk.
Chill Out Cope Slides Deck Small Group Session
Chill Out & Cope!
Understanding Anxiety & Building Your Toolkit
Check-In
Strategies
Toolkit
TEACHER NOTES: Welcome students and set a comfortable, non-judgmental tone. Explain that today we'll talk about something everyone experiences: worry and anxiety. Ask: "What comes to mind when you hear the word 'anxiety'?"
What Is Anxiety?
Your Body's Alarm
Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an event with an uncertain outcome.
"It's a normal emotion—like a sensitive smoke detector in your brain."
Common Signs
Physical
Fast heart rate, sweaty palms, tense muscles, upset stomach.
Mental
Racing thoughts, trouble concentrating, constant worrying.
TEACHER NOTES: Explain that anxiety is a normal human emotion. It's our body's natural alarm system. Sometimes this alarm system can be a bit too sensitive. Go over the common signs, allowing students to silently reflect if they've felt these.
Building Your Coping Skills Toolkit
We all feel anxious sometimes, but we can learn to manage it.
Coping skills are strategies we use to handle stress, uncomfortable emotions, or difficult situations. Think of them as tools in your personal bag!
TEACHER NOTES: Transition to coping skills. Ask students what they already do when they feel stressed or worried. Brainstorm a few ideas. Introduce the concept of a 'coping skills toolkit'.
Tools For Your Toolkit
Deep Breathing
Slow, mindful breaths to calm your body down.
Mindfulness
Focus on the present using your five senses.
Talk It Out
Share your feelings with a trusted adult or friend.
Get Active
Exercise or movement to release tension.
Creative
Draw, write, or listen to music to express.
Break It Down
Turn big worries into small, easy steps.
TEACHER NOTES: Introduce a few key coping skills. Briefly explain each one. Mention that we'll be working on a worksheet to build their own toolkit. Emphasize that different tools work for different people.
Practice Makes Progress
Just like any skill, coping takes practice.
Experiment to find what works best for YOU.
You have the power!
You can manage your anxiety and feel more in control.
Coping Skills Toolkit Worksheet My Coping Skills Toolkit
Strategies to feel calmer and more in control
Name:
Date:
Sometimes, our brains and bodies get a little too worried. This toolkit will help you choose strategies to feel calmer when that "anxiety alarm" goes off.
Part 1: What does anxiety feel like for YOU?
1. When you feel worried or anxious, what are 2-3 physical signs you notice in your body? (e.g., tense shoulders, fast heart, shaky hands)
2. What are 2-3 thoughts or feelings you notice in your mind when you're anxious? (e.g., "I can't do this," racing thoughts, feeling stuck)
Part 2: My Personal Toolkit
Choose 2 strategies from the slides (or your own ideas) that you want to try this week.
Tool #1
Strategy Name
How I will use it
Tool #2
Strategy Name
How I will use it
Quick Tip
"Practice your tools even when you're feeling calm! It's like training for a sport—the more you practice in 'easy mode', the better you'll be when things get tough."
Coping Skill Showdown Game Cards Coping Skill Showdown!
Identify and understand coping skills in a fun, active way.
How to Play
Divide students into two teams .
One student from a team chooses a card and either acts it out (Charades) or draws it (Pictionary).
Each student has 1 minute to act/draw and their team has 1 minute to guess.
Correct guess = 1 Point .
No correct guess? The other team has 30 seconds to steal!
Most points after 8 minutes wins!
Teacher Notes
Emphasize fun and learning over winning.
Encourage students to be creative and supportive.
Briefly discuss how the skill can be used in real life after it's guessed.
Skill Cards (Cut Along Dotted Lines)
Deep Breathing
Listening to Music
Talking to a Friend
Going for a Walk
Drawing/Doodling
Counting to 10
Drinking Water
Journaling
Taking a Break
Squeezing a Stress Ball
Chill Out Exit Ticket Form Chill Out Exit Ticket
Name:
1. What is one new thing you learned about anxiety today?
2. What is one coping skill from your toolkit that you are going to try this week?
3. On a scale of 1–5, how confident do you feel in using coping skills to manage worries?
1 Not Confident
2
3 Somewhat
4
5 Very Confident
Chill Out Exit Ticket
Name:
1. What is one new thing you learned about anxiety today?
2. What is one coping skill from your toolkit that you are going to try this week?
3. On a scale of 1–5, how confident do you feel in using coping skills to manage worries?
1 Not Confident
2
3 Somewhat
4
5 Very Confident
Chill Out Cope Script Guide Chill Out & Cope! Script
Instructional Facilitation Guide
Warm-Up: Anxiety Check-In (5 Minutes)
Teacher Script:
"Welcome everyone. Before we dive in today, let's do a quick, silent check-in. I'm handing out small whiteboards or pieces of paper. I want you to silently think about a time when you felt worried or anxious. On your whiteboard or paper, draw a picture or write one word that describes how you feel in that moment. You don't need to share it aloud; this is just for you to reflect. When you're done, please place it face down on your desk."
Action: Allow 3-4 minutes for students to draw/write. Collect materials or leave them face down. "Thank you for that. It helps us quietly acknowledge how these feelings show up for us."
Intro: What is Anxiety? (5 Minutes)
Teacher Script:
(Display Slide 1) "So, when you hear the word 'anxiety,' what first comes to mind for you? Just shout out a few ideas."
Action: Allow 1-2 brief responses.
(Display Slide 2) "Those are great thoughts. Today, we're going to talk about anxiety, which is a really normal human emotion. Anxiety is basically your body's natural alarm system. It's that feeling of worry or unease, usually about something that's about to happen and we're not sure how it will turn out. Sometimes, this alarm system can be a bit too sensitive. Have you ever felt your heart race, or your palms get sweaty, or maybe your stomach felt a bit funny when you were worried? Those are some physical signs of anxiety. Mentally, it might feel like your thoughts are racing. It's important to know that everyone feels this way sometimes."
Exploring Coping Skills & Toolkit (7 Minutes)
Teacher Script:
(Display Slide 3) "Now, the good news is that even though anxiety is normal, we can learn ways to manage it when it feels overwhelming. These ways are called coping skills. Think of them like tools in a personal toolkit you carry with you. What are some things you already do when you feel stressed or worried?"
Action: Briefly write student responses on the board.
(Display Slide 4) "Here are a few more common tools: deep breathing, mindfulness, talking to someone, or creative expression. We're going to build your own toolkit today. I'm handing out this worksheet. I want you to pick 1-2 that you think might work well for you."
Game: Coping Skill Showdown! (8 Minutes)
Teacher Script:
"Alright, let's get active! We're going to play Coping Skill Showdown. I'll divide you into two teams. One person from each team will pick a card and either act it out like charades or draw it like Pictionary. Your team will have 1 minute to guess. Remember, the goal is to have fun and learn together!"
