Music as a coping strategy
Research shows that music has the power to boost people’s mood, motivate and connect them, and help them to focus. During this lesson, students will consider different ways music can help them to cope if they are going through a tough time or struggling to focus. They can access playlists from Odette and Montaigne or create their own.
Year level
7-12
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
Online learning
Take away activity
SEL Competencies
Self-awareness
Self-management
Learning intention
Students will understand how music can support their personal wellbeing, by helping them to focus and cope, and learn to create their own playlist.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
identify why music can be helpful
describe how music makes them feel
access their private playlist.
Materials needed
Access to the ReachOut.com article '5 ways music can get you through tough times'
Personal device with access to music
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)
Plan, rehearse and evaluate strategies for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk (AC9HP10P08)
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability:
Self-awareness
Self-management
NSW PDHPE Syllabus
Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)
Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)
Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (VCHPEP123)
Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses to health and wellbeing (VCHPEP147)
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Ask students:
How does music make you feel?
What type of music do you listen to?
Do you listen to different music for different reasons?
Provide students with access to the ReachOut.com article ‘5 ways music can get you through tough times’
Read the article with students.
Invite students to create their own playlists of 10 songs by:
using a streaming app such as Spotify
writing song titles in their book
recording links to songs on YouTube.
Extension: To extend this lesson, use students’ playlists to create a class list. This may take some time, as students will need to consider different genres and others’ opinions in limiting their selection to 10 songs.
