Children are experiencing so many hardships in life. It is more important than ever to build relationships with students. They need to know they are loved, cared for, and supported every day at school. It is also important for teachers to take care of their own mental health! One great way to do this is to incorporate Mental Health Awareness Month ideas and activities for upper elementary classrooms. Students will be so thankful they have a teacher who cares about them as a person and not just a student.
When is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month occurs every May. Now is the perfect time to plan activities to help students understand mental health. Since summer is around the corner, students will be grateful for the mental health check-in.
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness
The last few years have been so difficult for students and teachers. Between quarantine, isolation, masking, and handling challenges in life, many have experienced struggles. Students have experienced various emotions and witnessed their families go through ups and downs. Incorporating mental health awareness in schools is essential when helping students handle stress. Ultimately, one’s mental health impacts their thinking, mood, behavior, and relationships. It is vital for students to learn about mental health and have a support system.
Teaching Tools to Support Mental Health
In the last few years, access to mental health resources has increased significantly. Thankfully, this means that teachers have multiple teaching tools to pick from. This is so important as each classroom has students with different needs!
Bulletin Board Templates
Starting the conversation can be tricky! Thankfully, a bulletin board is a great way to get the conversation going. It can show mental health quotes for students to talk about or connect with. Additionally, it can showcase the importance of a positive mindset. This resource has everything needed to create a powerful display. It includes mental health quotes, coloring pages, posters, and decorations. This bulletin board will help students know their mental health matters.
Mental Health Awareness Reading Comprehension Passages
Students may be feeling unseen or that it is impossible to put feelings into words. This is why it is crucial to focus on mental health awareness in school. These 5 engaging, non-fiction reading comprehension passages allow students to learn about mental health with the teacher’s support. For instance, they will read about the effects of stress and perfectionism. So many students can relate to this; they will also read about taking control of stress and building resiliency. Sadly, many students also experience loss at young ages. To avoid shutting down or hiding feelings, they will read about empathy and how to deal with tragedy.
Students will learn about emotional awareness, unwanted emotions, and mood and anxiety disorders. I believe these passages are informative and helpful for students learning about mental health.
Health Curriculum
This resource has everything needed for a full year of health resources! Best of all, it includes May Mental Health activities. This includes types of stress, coping with life changes, perfectionism, loss, resiliency, mood disorders, and when to ask for help. There are so many other topics to ensure students understand that it is okay not to be okay! They just need to know the importance of understanding mental health and how there are so many people ready to help.
Mindfulness Activities
Many times, young students do not know how to handle their emotions. They may show emotional dysregulation when they are pleading for help. Therefore, it is essential to show students different ways to adjust their mindset and relieve some stress. This includes mindful breathing, saying one thing they are grateful for, listening to music, or going for a short walk. Best of all, this product includes 10 guided meditation exercises. Even animations, music, and nature sounds are incorporated on Google Slides to help guide students. Meditation exercises include Starry Night, Forest Path, Coral Reef, and free drawing activities. Students will love having a teacher who supports mental health.
Provide Support & Mental Health Check-Ins
When students know someone cares about them, they are more willing to open up and share their feelings. It is vital to check in with students and see how they are doing. Some students will talk about their favorite movies and food. However, others will speak about hardships going on at home. Checking in with all students will help build relationships while providing extra support for those who need it.
Students will receive much-needed support by utilizing Mental Health Awareness Month ideas and activities for upper elementary classrooms. Additionally, it will help end the stigma of mental illness and mental health issues. Students will see it is okay to struggle and seek needed help!
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