Stress Explained Clearly

Overview

This 45-minute lesson introduces 10th-grade students to the concepts of eustress and distress, helping them differentiate positive stress from negative stress. Students will engage in discussions, personal reflection, and real-life examples to identify their own stressors and understand their impact.

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Addressed:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
  Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
  Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2
  Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately.

Note: Though these are English Language Arts CCSS, they are integrated to support literacy in health education, promoting critical thinking and communication skills crucial for understanding stress concepts.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Define eustress and distress with clarity.
• Differentiate between eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative stress).
• Identify examples of both types of stress from their personal lives.
• Reflect on how different stressors impact their emotions and performance.

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Success Criteria

Students know they are successful when they:

• Accurately explain the difference between eustress and distress aloud and in writing.
• Actively contribute thoughtful examples and ideas in group discussions.
• Complete a personal reflection identifying at least two stressors and categorize them correctly as eustress or distress.

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Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector or smartboard
• Printout of dyslexia-friendly summary sheet on "Eustress vs. Distress" (large font, sans-serif font such as OpenDyslexic or Arial, ample spacing)
• Stress scenario cards (simple situations illustrating eustress and distress)
• Personal reflection worksheet (simple structured prompts with checkboxes and open-ended questions)
• Pens/pencils

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Lesson Breakdown (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up & Introduction (7 minutes)

• Activity: Begin with a quick think-pair-share.
  Prompt: “Think about one time you felt stressed recently. Discuss with a neighbor what happened and how you felt.”
• Brief whole-class sharing. The teacher notes keywords on the board (e.g., excited, overwhelmed, nervous, motivated). This primes student thinking about different stress feels.

2. Explicit Instruction: Define Stress Types (10 minutes)

• Teacher provides simple, clear definitions of eustress (positive stress that motivates and energizes) and distress (negative stress that can overwhelm).
• Use visual analogies (e.g., stress as a fuel gauge: eustress fills the tank helping performance, distress causes breakdown).
• Present the dyslexia-friendly printed summary. Review together, emphasizing key terms and examples.
• Students follow along as teacher models identifying examples from the summary.

3. Guided Practice: Stress Scenario Sort (12 minutes)

• Distribute stress scenario cards (~2 per student). Cards depict common teen stressors (e.g., preparing for a big game, dealing with a tough test, planning a party, arguing with friends).
• Students work in small groups of 4-5: discuss, then sort cards into “Eustress” and “Distress” piles.
• Groups justify their sorting choices, referencing definitions. The teacher circulates to prompt deeper thinking and ensure accuracy.

4. Independent Reflection (10 minutes)

• Students complete a worksheet prompting:
  • Name two personal stressors.
  • Label each as eustress or distress and explain why.
  • Reflect briefly on how these stressors impact mood, energy, or performance.
• Encourage honesty and thoughtful responses.

5. Closing & Exit Ticket (6 minutes)

• Whole class discussion where a few volunteers share reflections.
• Exit ticket prompt:
  “Write one way you can recognize whether a stress is helpful or harmful.”
• Collect exit tickets for informal assessment.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:

  • Provide oral instructions alongside written ones.
  • Use the dyslexia-friendly summary to support reading comprehension.
  • Allow students to express ideas verbally or through drawings if writing is challenging.
  • Pair students strategically for peer support during group work.

• For English Language Learners (ELLs):

  • Use visuals and gestures during instruction.
  • Pre-teach key vocabulary (eustress, distress, stressor).
  • Allow extra think time during discussions.

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Extension for Advanced Learners

• Challenge interested students to research one additional type of stress (e.g., chronic stress) and prepare a brief explanation or create a mini-presentation for Lesson 2.
• Encourage advanced students to write a short reflective essay contrasting their experience with eustress vs. distress and proposing personal strategies for managing each.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts (Post-Lesson)

• Did students grasp the distinction between eustress and distress?
• Were discussions balanced and inclusive for all learners?
• Which student examples stood out as insightful or creative?
• How effective were the differentiation supports and dyslexia-friendly materials?
• What could strengthen student engagement or understanding in the next lesson?

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This lesson builds a vital foundation for the upcoming sessions in Mastering Stress Management by cultivating knowledge and personal relevance, embedded in Common Core aligned literacy and communication skills.