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Mental Health Basics

Ninth graders learn that mental health — their emotional wellbeing — matters as much as physical health, and that everyone has ups and downs. They learn to notice signs of stress, use healthy coping, reduce stigma, and know when and how to seek help. They explore the basics, then build a support plan.

Grade 9Mental Health Basics45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Define mental health.
  • ✓Notice signs of stress.
  • ✓Use healthy coping.
  • ✓Know when to seek help.
Essential Question

Why does mental health matter as much as physical health?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Mental Health Basics

Project this and tap each. Have students explore the basics of mental health.

🧠 Explore mental health basics — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Check In

5 min

On a scale of calm to stressed, how are you today?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Reflect quietly.
  • Share a word if you like.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Reflect.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Mental Health

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Mental Health Basics.
  • Tap each card.
  • Note coping & seeking help.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a sign of stress.
  • Name a healthy coping skill.
  • Say who you could talk to.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name.
  • Name.
  • Say.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List 3 coping strategies for you.
  • List trusted adults.
  • Note a counselor or helpline.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List.
  • List.
  • Note.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what mental health is.
  • Name a healthy coping skill.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Name one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
HE.1

Explain that mental health is part of overall health.

SHAPE
HE.7

Practice healthy coping strategies.

SHAPE
HE.4

Communicate feelings and ask for support.

SHAPE
HE.3

Access trusted help and resources.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Coping picture cards.
  • Frame: “a healthy way to cope is ___.”
  • Pair share safely.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Name one coping skill.
  • Use a calm visual.
  • Keep reflection private.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Make a coping toolkit.
  • Learn to support a friend.
  • Map local resources.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🧠Coping cards
  • 💻Mental Health Basics
  • 📋Support-plan sheet
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

mental healthyour emotional and psychological wellbeingwellbeingfeeling healthy in mind and bodystresstension from pressure or demandscopinghow you handle hard feelingsstigmaunfair shame around a topiccounselora trained helper for feelingstrusted adulta safe person to talk tosupporthelp from others
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Is mental health part of overall health?
Yes — it matters as much as physical health.
QUESTION 2
Name a healthy coping skill.
Movement, sleep, talking to someone you trust, or taking a break.
QUESTION 3
When should you seek help?
When feelings are intense or last a long time — talk to a trusted adult or counselor.

Cool-down: mental health basics.

Have students list 3 coping strategies and their trusted adults. A printable support-plan sheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Mental Health BasicsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Mental Health BasicsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Mental Health BasicsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: coping, counselor, mental health, stigma, stress, support, trusted adult, wellbeing
  1. feeling healthy in mind and body
  2. unfair shame around a topic
  3. a trained helper for feelings
  4. help from others
  5. a safe person to talk to
  6. tension from pressure or demands
  7. how you handle hard feelings
  8. your emotional and psychological wellbeing

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Is mental health part of overall health?
  2. Name a healthy coping skill.
  3. When should you seek help?
Answer key — Part A: 1) wellbeing · 2) stigma · 3) counselor · 4) support · 5) trusted adult · 6) stress · 7) coping · 8) mental health
Part B: 1) Yes — it matters as much as physical health. 2) Movement, sleep, talking to someone you trust, or taking a break. 3) When feelings are intense or last a long time — talk to a trusted adult or counselor.