Your Thoughts Your Mood Lesson Plan Your Thoughts, Your Mood
CBT Intervention Case File
Duration
30 Minutes
Rationale
Learning to recognize and challenge negative thought patterns is a crucial skill for managing depression. This lesson provides students with actionable strategies to improve their emotional regulation and overall mental well-being, empowering them to take an active role in their mental health journey.
Approach
Interactive discussion and guided practice.
Audience
8th Grade (Individual Tier 3)
Objective
Students will be able to identify the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and learn basic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to challenge negative thinking patterns.
Physical Tools
Whiteboard or digital equivalent
Markers or pens
Print Resources
Slide Deck: Your Thoughts, Your Mood
Script: Your Thoughts, Your Mood
Worksheet: Link & Challenge
Cool Down: CBT Takeaway
Preparation (10 Minutes)
Review the Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content flow.
Read through the Script to prepare for guiding the session.
Print copies of both Worksheets (Link and Challenging Thoughts).
Prepare a copy of the Cool Down activity.
Procedural Guide
1
5 Min
Introduction & Warm-Up
Greet the student and explain the purpose: learning how thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected.
Check-in: "How are you feeling today? What's on your mind?" (Optionally use a mood scale).Introduce the core concept: Our minds can be trained to handle difficult thoughts.
2
10 Min
The CBT Triangle & Thought Traps
Use the Slide Deck to explain the Thoughts-Feelings-Actions loop.
Work through the "Test Grade" example to show the chain reaction.
Introduce Thought Traps (All-or-Nothing, Jumping to Conclusions, Mind Reading).
Encourage the student to identify if they've ever noticed these patterns.
3
10 Min
Guided Practice
Distribute Thought-Feeling-Behavior Link Worksheet . Help the student map a recent situation.
Introduce the "Catch It, Check It, Change It" framework.
Practice with the Challenging Negative Thoughts Worksheet . Focus on evidence for and against specific thoughts.
4
5 Min
Cool Down & Wrap Up
Review the "CBT Superpowers" summary on the slides.
Distribute the Cool Down: My CBT Takeaway .
Offer positive reinforcement: "Practicing these skills regularly will make them stronger."
Confirm the next meeting time if applicable.
Your Thoughts Your Mood Slides Your Thoughts,
Your Mood
Let's explore how your mind works to help you feel your best.
The CBT Triangle
Thoughts, Feelings, Actions
Thoughts
What you think
Feelings
What you feel
Actions
What you do
It's like a chain reaction!
Let's Connect Them!
The Situation
You get a low grade on a test.
"See how they're all linked?"
Thought
"I'm so stupid, I'll never do well."
Feeling
Sad, frustrated, hopeless.
Action
Stop studying, avoid asking for help.
Unhelpful Thoughts?
Sometimes our brains play tricks on us with "thought traps."
All-or-Nothing
"If it's not perfect, it's a total failure."
Jumping to Conclusions
Assuming the worst without all the facts.
Mind Reading
Thinking you know exactly what others are thinking.
Become a Thought Detective!
Use these 3 steps to take back control.
1
Catch It
Notice the unhelpful thought.
2
Check It
Is it really true? What is the evidence?
3
Change It
What is a more helpful way to think?
Challenging Your Thoughts
What's the evidence for this thought?
What's the evidence against this thought?
Is there another way to look at this?
What would I tell a friend in this situation?
Let's Practice!
We'll use a worksheet to practice identifying and challenging thoughts.
This is a safe space to learn.
Your CBT Superpowers!
Understand your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Spot unhelpful thought patterns (traps).
Challenge negative thoughts for a better perspective.
Remember: Practice makes progress!
Your Thoughts Your Mood Script Your Thoughts, Your Mood
Facilitator Script & Discussion Guide
Tier 3 Intervention
Individual Session
Part 1: Welcome & Check-in
Goal: Establish safety and introduce the CBT concept.
Teacher Script: "Hi [Student's Name], thanks for coming today. We're going to talk about something really interesting and helpful: how your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected, and how understanding that can help you feel better. How are you doing today? What's been on your mind?"
(Action) Pause for student response. Listen actively and empathetically. Validate their feelings before moving on.
Part 2: The CBT Triangle
TRANSITION TO SLIDE 2
Teacher Script: "Thanks for sharing. Today, we're going to explore what we call the 'CBT Triangle.' CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and it's a way of understanding how our thoughts, feelings, and actions influence each other. It's like a chain reaction! Let's look at the first slide."
"As you can see here, we have thoughts, feelings, and actions. Thoughts are what you think, like words or images in your head. Feelings are your emotions, like happy, sad, angry, or anxious. And Actions are what you do, your behaviors. These three things are constantly interacting. Have you ever noticed that when you think something negative, you often start to feel a certain way, and then you might act differently?"
(Action) Pause for student response and discussion.
Part 3: Connecting the Dots
TRANSITION TO SLIDE 3
Teacher Script: "Let's try an example together to make this clearer. We'll use a common situation. Let's say you get a low grade on a test. What kind of thoughts might pop into your head in that moment?"
"Good points. Maybe thoughts like, 'I'm so stupid,' or 'I'll never get good at this subject,' or 'There's no point in even trying.' How might those thoughts make you feel ?"
"Right, you might feel sad, frustrated, or even hopeless. And if you're feeling that way and thinking those negative thoughts, what might you do ? What actions might you take?"
"Exactly. You might stop studying for that subject, avoid asking the teacher for help, or even tell yourself there's no use trying next time. See how those thoughts, feelings, and actions are all linked in a cycle? One impacts the other."
Part 4: Unhelpful Thought Traps
TRANSITION TO SLIDE 4
Teacher Script: "Now, here's the thing: sometimes our brains can trick us into thinking in ways that aren't really helpful and can make us feel worse. We call these 'thought traps' or 'unhelpful thinking styles.' Look at these examples."
Thought Feeling Behavior Link Worksheet Thought-Feeling-Behavior Link
Understanding your personal chain reaction
Name:
Date:
How are they connected?
Think of a recent situation where you had a strong feeling (like being sad, angry, or worried). What you think leads to what you feel , which leads to what you do . Describe that chain reaction below.
THOUGHT
FEELING
ACTION
The Situation
Briefly describe what happened:
1. Thought
What was going through your mind? What were you telling yourself?
2. Feeling
What emotions did you experience? (e.g., sad, angry, anxious, hopeless)
3. Action / Behavior
What did you do or not do as a result of these thoughts and feelings?
Reflect and Connect
Looking back at this chain reaction, how did your thoughts influence your mood and your choices?
Challenging Negative Thoughts Worksheet Become a Thought Detective
Catch It • Check It • Change It
Name:
Date:
1. The Situation
What happened or what were you thinking about?
2. The Unhelpful Thought
"Catch It!" Write the exact thought that made you feel bad.
3. How did this thought make you feel?
Emotions: Sad, anxious, angry, hopeless, etc.
4. Check It! (Evidence Room)
Evidence FOR this thought: What facts support this being 100% true?
Is there another way to look at this? Are there other explanations for what happened?
Evidence AGAINST this thought: What facts prove this isn't always true?
Advice for a friend: What would you tell a friend with this same thought?
5. Change It! (A More Helpful Thought)
Based on your detective work, what is a more balanced or realistic way to see the situation?
6. How would this change your feelings?
How do you think you would feel if you believed this new, more balanced thought?
My CBT Takeaway Cool Down My CBT Takeaway
Reflecting on today's session
Name:
Date:
1
One thing I learned today about thoughts, feelings, and actions is...
2
A "thought trap" I sometimes fall into is...
3
One helpful question I can ask myself next time I'm feeling down is...
Session Check-out
On a scale of 1 to 10, how helpful was today's session in understanding your mood?
Not Helpful Very Helpful
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
"You have the power to challenge your thoughts and change your mood."
