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EDUCATION / BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT
Grades 6-8
“The series is highly recommended and will prove invaluable to school
professionals with structured lesson plans and supplementary materials
to help all students succeed.”
—Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D., BCBA-D,
Executive Director of Behavioral Training Resource Center
“My colleagues and I have conducted several studies on the curricula in
the Strong Kids series and have been impressed with how easily public
school educators have been able to implement these with fidelity. We
have also documented improvements in students’ internalizing symptoms
(e.g., anxiety and depression) following implementation of Strong Kids.”
—Paul Caldarella, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Brigham Young University
Strong Kids—Grades 6–8 Curriculum
Help your students develop the social-emotional skills they need to manage their challenges and succeed in school and life. Developed by a team of educational and mental health experts, this evidence-based, age-appropriate curriculum is low cost and low tech.
About the Authors
- Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D. University of Oregon Eugene
- Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D. University of Washington, Tacoma
- Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D. Successful Kids Today Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D. California State University Hayward
Sample Lesson: Clear Thinking 1
Purpose and Objectives
This lesson teaches students an awareness and understanding of common thinking traps. In this lesson, students will:
- Understand the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors
- Develop an awareness of their own thoughts
- Identify common thinking traps that affect behavior, thoughts, and emotions
Materials Needed
- Supplements 6.1–6.2 (online download)
- Supplements 6.3–6.4 (online download and handout)
- Supplement 6.5 (online download)
- Supplements 6.6–6.7 (online download and handout)
- Supplement 6.8 (homework handout)
- Optional props (dark glasses, binoculars, and fortune cookie)
Running Short on Time?
Suggested stopping points: end of Activity B and Closure activity.
Introduction
5 MINS. Introduce the lesson. Lead students in a focusing activity. Then, show students Supplement 6.1 and discuss how people have emotions and thoughts and how we can sometimes fall into thinking traps.
Key Terms and Definitions
- Thoughts: Ideas or opinions in the mind.
- Self-talk: The things we say to ourselves.
- Thinking traps: Patterns of thoughts that are inaccurate or unrealistic interpretations of events.
Thoughts Associated with Emotions
Recognizing our thoughts helps us understand our emotions.
Activity A: Thoughts Associated with Emotions
5 MINS. Using Supplement 6.4 as a visual aid, ask for volunteers to share thoughts and emotions.
Identifying Thinking Traps
15 MINS. Discuss eight common thinking traps.
Closure
2 MINS. Close the lesson using a brief breathing activity and a reflection on the lesson content.