By working on our mental and physical health and wellbeing, we can better manage challenges in our everyday life. In this lesson, students use a case study to identify simple steps and strategies for enhancing their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Year level

7-8

Duration

5 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Self-management

Learning intention

Students learn that looking after their mental and physical health and wellbeing can help them to manage challenges in their everyday life.

Key outcomes

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

  • recognise the importance of looking after themselves

  • identify steps and strategies they can use to enhance their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Materials needed

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Plan and implement strategies, using health resources, to enhance their own and others’ health, safety, relationships and wellbeing (AC9HP8P10)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-management

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Plans for and participates in activities that encourage health and a lifetime of physical activity (PD4-8)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (VCHPEP126)

Show details

Activity 1

Instructions

5 minutes

  1. Students read the ReachOut case study My 3 steps to wellbeing, in which a young person outlines a three-step plan for staying calm, healthy and mindful in their everyday life.

  2. Ask students to divide a page in their notebooks into three columns with the following headings:

    • Healthy body

    • Calm mind

    • Organised life.

  3. Students write down one strategy for each step that they think could be useful when dealing with challenges they have, or might face, in their everyday lives. For example:

    • Healthy body: I could take a walk a few times a week.

    • Calm mind: I could try practising mindfulness.

    • Organised life: I could make a to-do list at the start of the week.

  4. Discuss students’ answers as a class and encourage them to add any other strategies they might find useful.

Debrief: Explain to students that working on practical steps like these can help them to manage their overall health and wellbeing if they’re feeling stressed, run-down or are having trouble looking after themselves. For more helpful information, direct students to:

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