University of Maine
Stress Less — Teen Stress Management
The second lesson plan in the Healthy Living series looks at stress management and provides teens with tools and coping strategies.
Cultures of Dignity
Equity and Equality Lesson
Equality does not equal equity and this lesson explains why. Class members compare two images--one labeled "Equality" and the other "Equity." Using the provided discussion questions, they then develop definitions that distinguish between...
Facing History and Ourselves
Bio-poem: Connecting Identity and Poetry
Writing a bio-poem is a great way to have young scholars go below the surface and reflect on who or what has made them who they are. Check out this richly detailed lesson that provides step-by-step directions for crafting a bio-poem.
Facing History and Ourselves
Identity Charts
Many factors shape the identity of persons, communities, and even nations. Tweens and teens have an opportunity to consider the many aspects of identity as they create a graphic that reflects who they are. Class members first brainstorm...
Nebraska Department of Education
Blue Collar and Proud of It
There is a strong need for workers skilled in trades (agriculture, construction, transportation, the service industry, manufacturing, industry). Middle schoolers listen to an interview with a tradesperson and then go online to...
Nebraska Department of Education
Career Family Tree
What do you want to be when you grow up? How does your family influence your choices of occupations? These are the questions middle schoolers consider as they interview family members and create a career Family Tree.
Nebraska Department of Education
A Letter to Myself
Middle schoolers craft a letter to themselves describing what their life will be like in four years using a prewriting organizer to guide their work.
Nebraska Department of Education
Coat of Arms
After discussing the significance of a Coat ofArms, eighth graders design their own to represent their strengths, values, goals, and culture.
Nebraska Department of Education
Communication Skills
It's not just what you say but how you say it! That's the take-away from a activity about verbal and non-verbal communication. An engaging activity has middle schoolers demonstrating how tone of voice and body language can totally...
Nebraska Department of Education
Stress and Coping
Life can be stressful. Class members fill out T-charts identifying stressors associated with school, parents, friends, and life then list coping strategies that can help with each category.
Overcoming Obstacles
Establishing What's Important
Being true to oneself can be difficult when faced with pressure from others. In this lesson, participants first list what they value and then role-play a series of scenarios that test these values. To conclude, individuals list three...
Nebraska Department of Education
This I Believe
As part of a Career Develop unit, eighth-graders reflect on their beliefs and values and consider how these beliefs might affect their relationships with friends and with colleagues when they join the workforce.
Nebraska Department of Education
Who Am I?
When people look in a mirror, they rarely see themselves as others see them. Tweens and teens can consider the significance of these disparities in a lesson that asks them to reflect on the kind of person they are and how they think...
Overcoming Obstacles
Developing Personal Power
The final lesson in the series teaches participants that they can use their personal power to bring about positive change. The class engages in a series of activities that reveal the kinds of personal power they have, including the power...
Nebraska Department of Education
How Do You Define “Friend?”
Shared values are often the keystone in friendships. Class pairs use their "Values" handout from a previous lesson and interview one another to identify values they share and don't share. Then, consider how their differences contribute...
Nebraska Department of Education
Phone Etiquette
High school freshmen prepare for the world of work by practicing a phone interview. After examining a list of "Do's and Don'ts," pairs take turns being the job applicant and the interviewer.
Nebraska Department of Education
The Five Things
High school freshmen consider how their resources and values can support them in their future goals by answering questions such as; What do you value? What do you enjoy doing? What do you do well? Of what accomplishments are...
Nebraska Department of Education
Where I'm From
We are a tapestry woven of the threads of our family and its history, our environment, our ethnicity, and our culture. High school freshmen reflect on how these threads influence their goals for the future. After reading George Ella...
Nebraska Department of Education
Zeteophobia
You know hydrophobia, arachnophobia, and maybe even ophidiophobia, but do you recall Zeteophobia, the least famous phobia of all? As part of a Career Development series, job seekers investigate the power of zeteophobia, the...
TeenMentalHealth
Know Before You Go Teacher’s Guide
A 124-page guide provides instructors with what they need to know before launching a seven-lesson thematic unit designed for high school seniors on issues they will face after graduation. Topics covered include mental health and...
Overcoming Obstacles
Understanding Nonverbal Communication
People communicate in all sorts of ways. As part of a study of nonverbal communication, teams of three must complete a puzzle without speaking to one another. After debriefing the activity and analyzing the messages nonverbal cues...
Amani Project
Make an Instrument
Create a little harmony with Amani Project! Young musicians create their instruments using found or recycled objects. As an introduction, class members first experiment with sounds they can make with their bodies (clapping, stomping...
Overcoming Obstacles
Listening Responsibly
Responsible speaker + critical listener = effective communication is the equation at the heart of a responsible listening lesson plan about the power of words. Class members view the clip of the courtroom scene from the film A...
Overcoming Obstacles
Creating a Win-Win Situation
As part of a study of ways to resolve conflicts, class members examine the characteristics of win-win solutions and then practice win-win negotiations. They also examine the role of a mediator in conflict resolution and then script and...