Lesson Plans and Activities

MindUp Curriculum

• A social and emotional learning program for the classroom
• Uses 15 short lessons to offer easy strategies for helping students focus their attention, improve their self-regulation skills, build resilience to stress, and develop a positive mind-set in both school and life.
• Books available for review or short-term loan from Health Unit by contacting your school’s public health nurse or health promoter

Media Smarts

• Lesson plans and activities about body image, cyber bullying, and a variety of other digital and media literacy topics.

Stress Lessons for Kids 

• Developed by the Psychology Foundation of Canada
• Offers three different programs/toolkits with lesson plans for various grades
• Grade 1-3 toolkit pdf available here
• Grade 4-6 toolkit pdf available here
• Grade 7-9 toolkit pdf available here

OPHEA’s Level Up Program

• A free online resource that supports educators and program leaders in promoting positive mental health and overall well-being with children and youth ages 6-18.

 Mental Health Kit: Be Kind To Yourself and Others

• 4-6 teacher guide
• 7-9 teacher guide
• Kits include grade-specific lessons on topics such as healthy relationships, hope, stress, body image, healthy lifestyles, cyber bullying, suicide prevention
• Also includes in-class and take home activities
• Developed by Alberta Health Services

Bullying Prevention lesson plans (Gr. K-8)  

Curriculum Supports

PREV/Net – What Educators Need to Know about Bullying

• Includes tips for various members of the school community, fact sheets and tools for schools, bullying prevention activities, teacher handbook, etc.

Additional Resources

Mind Your Mind

• interactive youth website with information on types of mental illnesses, wellness strategies, support resources and contacts, and tools to educate and help them cope, de-stress, or start thinking about a plan for being well.

Promoting a Positive School Climate: A Resource for Schools

Positive Mental Health Toolkit

• Designed to promote positive mental health practices and perspectives within the school environment
• Discusses the components of positive mental health and how to put them into action in a school setting

Haldimand-Norfolk REACH

• Information and contact details about services such as 24/7 crisis support line, Mental Health Workers in Schools (ROKS), Walk-in Counselling clinics, etc.

Kids Help Phone

Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental Health and Well-being

• A K-12 resource guide to provide educators with information on the early signs of mental health and addiction problems, along with strategies that can be used in the classroom to support students.

Ontario Teachers’ Federation’s list of useful links for bullying prevention

Teacher’s Guide – Everyday practices for Mental Health and Well Being in the Classroom

Teach Resiliency – designed to support your journey towards engagement and energy at work and school and building healthy futures for yourselves and your students