Welcome to Mental Health Studies 20L. This is a locally developed course to help you learn more about mental health, including mental health illnesses (and its potential associated challenges including stigma or addiction) as well as how we may have more positive mental health by being proactive about understanding and managing stress. Learning about Mental Health is a lifelong journey and process and hopefully this course will help you better understand how it impacts us and others. Here is a link to the curriculum document.
The course is broken down into several units, many of which include outcomes from other Wellness courses as well! A recommended practice in this course is to have something each day of the week that can help you regulate (whether you are in a traditional classroom setting or not). Here are some examples with links to videos to get you started:
- Mindfulness Monday – Go through a guided Mindfulness Exercise or for a short walk outside.
- Music Tuesday – Pick a song (appropriate if sharing with the class) to listen to.
- Wellness Wednesday – Guided Yoga Stretch
- Thoughtful Thursday – Reflect on a question that makes you think deeply (and positively) about the universe
- What do you think your best personality attribute is and why?
- What is something you have done recently that made you happy or felt good?
- Fun Friday – Spend some time playing a game (even for just 10 minutes), ideally with others.
Unit 1 – Understanding Mental Health (and Stress)
Outcomes
MHS20.1 – I can understand what positive mental health is and how it affects my well-being
MHS20.2 – I can identify strategies that promote positive mental health for myself and others
MHS20.4 – I can identify causes of stress for myself and others and identify and apply strategies for stress-management
Unit Notes – Mental Health
It may be beneficial to print these notes off while you listen to the videos below.
Reflection Questions (to complete while you go through the Notes and Videos)
If you prefer to do these digitally, open this doc and go File – Make a Copy, to have your own editable version.
Videos (Using the notes above)
- Positive Mental Health
- Stress
- Resilience and Anxiety
- Coping with Stress
- Physical Activity & Mental Health
Summative Assessment – I encourage you pick several learnings from this unit that stood out for you and you choose a means to represent your learning (as long as it connects to the outcomes for this unit). You could write a short reflection guided by the Checklist included at the end of the Reflection Questions document.
Supplemental Notes (from Mrs. Rattee)
What is Mental Health
Addressing Mental Health Stigma
Supplemental Notes (from Mrs. Rattee)
What is Stigma
Common Mental Health Challenges (Distorted Thinking, Sadness, Depression and Anxiety)
Supplemental Notes (from Mrs. Rattee)
Cognitive Distortions
Common Mental Health Challenges (Social Media)
Substance Use and Addictions
Supplemental Notes (from Mrs. Ratte)
Substance Use (Read) – Graphic Organizer – Causes of Addiction – Causes of Addiction Theories Research
Forms of Addiction (Read) – Research Assignment
Logan Petlak 