Hidden Hurts Lesson Plan Document Hidden Hurts, Strong Starts
Professional Development Lesson Plan
Duration
30 Minutes
Objective
In this 30-minute lesson, teachers will explore Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on student well-being. Participants will also practice an interactive resilience-building activity to integrate proactive support strategies.
Why This Matters
Understanding ACEs empowers teachers to recognize signs of trauma, foster a supportive classroom climate, and implement resilience strategies that improve student health and learning outcomes.
Preparation Checklist
Review ACE Overview Slide Deck
Print Impact of ACEs Handouts (1 per person)
Print Step Into My Shoes Guide (1 per person)
Prepare Resilience Activity Kit (scenarios + templates)
Set up room for small group work & movement
Session Flow
Time Segment Instructions & Facilitation 5 min Introduction
Welcome participants and share the session objective.
Icebreaker: Ask each teacher to name one word describing their current classroom climate.Transition to the definition and scope of ACEs.
|
| 10 min | Understanding ACEs |
Present ACE Overview Slide Deck covering definitions, types, and prevalence.
Pause for clarifying questions and dispel common misconceptions.
Highlight key data on how ACEs affect development and behavior.
|
| 5 min | Impact Discussion |
Distribute Impact of ACEs Handout .
In pairs, teachers discuss examples of how ACEs might manifest in student behaviors.
Kinesthetic Activity: Facilitate the 'Step Into My Shoes' activity from the slides and guide.
|
| 8 min | Resilience Activity |
Introduce Classroom Resilience Activity Kit .
In small groups, role-play scenarios using the kit to practice resilient responses.
Each group shares one practical strategy.
|
| 2 min | Debrief & Next Steps |
Summarize key takeaways and resilience strategies.
Provide recommendations for integrating ACE-aware practices.
Thank everyone and share follow-up supports.
|
Included Materials
ACE Overview Slide Deck
Impact of ACEs Handout
Classroom Resilience Activity Kit
Step Into My Shoes Guide
Hidden Hurts Slides Presentation Hidden Hurts, Strong Starts
Building Resilience in the Elementary Classroom
Tier 1 Support Series
Session Objectives
"By the end of this session, you will be better equipped to..."
1
Define ACEs and identify common types
2
Describe how ACEs affect student behavior and learning
3
Engage in empathy-building reflection
4
Integrate at least one resilience strategy
What Are ACEs?
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur before age 18, including:
Abuse
• Physical
• Emotional
• Sexual
Neglect
• Physical
• Emotional
Challenges
• Substance Misuse
• Mental Illness
• Incarceration
How Common Are ACEs?
ACEs are more common than many realize. About two-thirds of adults report at least one ACE.
64%
Of adults report at least one ACE
12.5%
Of adults report four or more ACEs
Higher scores = higher risks for health & learning challenges
Impact on Student Success
Learning & Cognition
Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
Chronic absenteeism and disengagement
Behavior & Emotions
Increased anxiety and hypervigilance
Aggression or social withdrawal
Trauma impacts the brain's ability to focus on schoolwork when it is occupied with survival.
Activity: Step Into My Shoes
1 Line up behind the start line.
2 Step forward if a statement applies.
3 Observe the group, then step back.
4 Reflect and Debrief.
Reflect: Before Age 18...
1. A parent or caregiver died.
6. I experienced emotional abuse.
2. I felt unloved or unwanted.
7. I experienced sexual abuse.
3. Lived with someone with mental illness.
8. Lived with substance misuse.
4. Witnessed violence in my home.
Impact of ACEs Handout Document Impact of ACEs
Recognizing Trauma in the Elementary Classroom
Quick Reference
Hidden Hurts, Strong Starts
What is Trauma-Informed Teaching?
"It is moving from asking What is wrong with you? to asking What happened to you?"
Trauma is an experience that overwhelms an individual’s capacity to cope. In children, this often manifests as "survival mode" which prioritizes immediate safety over higher-order thinking.
64%
Prevalence
of adults reported at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) in the CDC-Kaiser Permanente study.
Academic & Cognitive Impact
Executive Function
Difficulty planning, organizing, and following multi-step directions.
Working Memory
Trouble retaining and recalling new information during lessons.
Language Delays
Difficulty expressing emotions or needs with words.
Social & Emotional Impact
Hypervigilance
Constantly scanning for threats; easily startled by loud noises or changes.
Emotional Dysregulation
Quick to anger or "meltdowns" over minor perceived slights or failures.
Relational Distrust
Struggles to form secure bonds with peers or authority figures.
Behavior is Communication
When a student's brain is in survival mode (Fight, Flight, or Freeze), they are not "acting out"—they are reacting to internal distress. Look beyond the behavior:
Fight
Aggression, defiance, arguing, yelling, pushing materials away.
Flight
Bolting from the room, hiding under desks, restlessness, task avoidance.
Freeze
Daydreaming, numbness, "checking out," inability to answer simple questions.
Small Group Reflection
In your pairs, discuss a student behavior you've seen recently. How might that behavior be a reaction to a "Hidden Hurt" or ACE?
Notes Space:
Resilience Activity Kit Document Classroom Resilience Activity Kit
Scenario Cards: Practice Empathy-Driven Responses
Card 1
"A student suddenly becomes withdrawn, avoids eye contact, and refuses to participate in group work."
Card 2
"During reading time, a student repeatedly interrupts peers and speaks loudly when frustrated."
Card 3
"A usually engaged student begins falling asleep and seems unfocused in the afternoon."
Card 4
"A child reacts with anger when corrected, yelling or pushing materials off their desk."
Card 5
"A student asks for help but seems anxious and worried about making mistakes."
Card 6
"A student seeks constant reassurance, asking 'Is this right?' after every step."
Group Activity Instructions (8 min)
Read & Roleplay: One person reads the scenario aloud and roleplays the student's behavior.Discuss: Other group members complete the Resilience Strategy Template .Focus: Identify the possible emotion/need and choose a strength-based response.Share: Each group shares one practical strategy with the whole class.
Resilience Strategy Template
Planning Strength-Based Responses
Scenario Card #
1 Identify the student's possible emotion or need:
2 Choose a strength-based response:
(e.g., relationship building, predictable routines, calming strategies, choice-offering)
3 Predict how this response might affect the student's behavior or learning:
4 Reflect on how to adapt this strategy for diverse learners:
Step Into My Shoes Guide Document Step Into My Shoes
Building Empathy Through Shared Reflection
Facilitator & Reflection Guide
Facilitation Notes
Purpose
This kinesthetic activity demonstrates the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and fosters empathy for students by highlighting the shared human experience of trauma and adversity.
Preparation
Mark a "Start Line" at the front of the room.
Ask participants to stand behind the line.
Ensure the room is quiet and respectful.
Process
Read an ACE statement from the slide/card.
Invite participants to Step Forward if it applies.
Pause for 2 seconds to observe.
Ask participants to Step Back behind the line.
Repeat for the remaining statements.
Personal Reflection
After completing the activity, take 5 minutes to journal quietly below. Your reflections are private.
What did you notice (emotionally or physically) as you stepped forward or watched others step forward?
How did it feel to see the number of people who stepped forward across different statements?
In what ways might these shared (or unshared) experiences influence how you interpret a student's behavior or learning challenges?
One Commitment: How will you use this empathy in your classroom this week?
