New lessons will be posted here if the school moves back to an online only format at any point in the year.
In person lessons occur weekly for 20 minutes in homeroom:
8th Grade: Tuesday at 8am
7th Grade: Thursdays at 8am
​6th Grade: Fridays at 8am

Week of 5/18-5/22: resilience (may is mental health month!)

Last week we learned how to identify and plan for obstacles that might get in the way of our goals. This week, we're talking about resilience- which is a term that describes our ability to overcome stressors that get in the way of our happiness. We've been having some pretty unique stressors lately because of COVID-19 that can make it hard to stay happy and positive. Watch this video about resilience to learn some ways to cope with those stressors in a way that supports your Mental Health! Notice that many of these are the same as our Healthy Habits lesson from March. ;)

Week of 5/11-5/15: Overcoming obstacles

As we're pursuing our goals, especially long term goals, we're often faced with obstacles that make those goals harder to reach. Watch this TEDTalk to learn more about how one student set out to overcome his obstacles, and then fill out this worksheet to help predict and plan for the obstacles you might face for a long term goal or dream. You'll also have to set short-term goals along the way... so remember to make them S.M.A.R.T.!

Week of 4/27-5/9: Goal setting

Part of making good decisions is figuring out how those decisions match our goals for the future. If we know what we want from life- and are working towards a goal- then we can make decisions that help us to reach that goal!

Not all goals are "SMART" goals, though. By following the SMART guide, you can learn to set goals for the future that are easier to achieve. Remember, the goals you set should be:
For example, you might have the goal to "eat healthier". But what does that actually mean? How do you measure it? What if you aren't in charge of buying the groceries... and there's no "healthy" food in the fridge? Here's how we could set a SMART goal for eating healthier (that we're more likely to achieve):
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S: I want to eat healthier by having more fruits and veggies in my diet.
M: I will eat 3 servings each of fruits and vegetables each day.
A: My parents already buy fruits and veggies, so it's possible. 
R: Right now I eat 2 servings per day of fruits and vegetables, so this should be easy to achieve.
T: I will check my progress at the end of the week. 
Try setting a small goal for yourself that you could achieve this week. Maybe you want to get some missing assignments turned in, or finish the book you've been reading. Use this worksheet to turn that goal into a SMART goal... and then check back in to the Wellness page for more tips next week.

Week of 4/20-4/24: Getting "un-stuck" on hard decisions

Last week we learned about decision making, and how a simple model can help us to make effective decisions- from the smallest daily choices to decisions that could make a big impact on our lives. But sometimes anxiety about a decision can keep us stuck at Steps 2 or 3 of the model- and we never get around to actually making the decision! In the video, you'll see an example of a character named Chidi from one of my favorite shows- The Good Place. Watch and see what can happen when we get stuck:
Chidi got stuck on a seemingly simple decision... picking someone for a game. The more complicated a decision is, the easier it is for us to get stuck. But staying stuck is, itself, a decision! I love this quote: "NOT making a decision is a DECISION not to decide".

So how do we get un-stuck? Thinking about our values and what is most important can help us navigate those tough choices. For example: if what we value is our education, we're more likely to make decisions that lead us towards good grades. That means we might choose to study instead of watching another hour of TV when faced with the decision of 'what to do tonight'. 

Getting advice from a trusted adult or friend can also help us get un-stuck when a decision seems too difficult. When somone knows us well, and knows what we value, their advice can lead us down the right path! On the other hand... sometimes pressure from our friends or family might be pushing us towards a decision that doesn't line up with what we value or who we are. When our friends are trying to get us to make a decision that we know is wrong, it's called peer pressure. Check out this tipsheet for advice on what to do when peer pressure is interfering with our good decision making skills. 

Week of 4/13-4/17: Decision Making

Every day is full of small decisions- from the moment we wake up and have to decide whether to hit the snooze button on our alarm. Choosing what to eat for breakfast, which outfit to wear that day, or what to watch on Netflix... our brains are decision making machines! Most of the small decisions we make throughout the day don't take a lot of brain power. Other decisions are more complex- like deciding what to do with our birthday money or allowance. Should you save it, or spend? Should you go out to the movies with friends, or buy that videogame you've been eyeing? With almost limitless options, it can be hard to choose. That's where a decision making model comes in handy!
​Step 1: Give your problem a name. What do you actually need to decide?
Step 2: Brainstorm a list of possible choices. If it's a long list, try limiting yourself to the top 3-5 choices.
Step 3: Think about what would happen if you made each choice. What are some pros and cons?
Step 4: Make the best choice with the information you have
Step 5: Reflect on your decision- was it a good choice?

​Once you've read about the model, use this worksheet to practice the steps with a simple decision you have to make this week (e.g. what game to play with your family). We'll talk about BIG decisions and some other considerations next week. :)

Week of 4/6-4/10: ONLINE SAFETY + CYBERBULLYING

Now that we're spending a bigger chunk of our school days on computers, it's important to remember how our school rules and citizenship expectations still apply to online learning environments.  Follow the links below to learn more about online safety and how to identify and prevent cyberbullying. Remember, you can always use SafeUT to report bullying or unsafe behaviors.  In the video, Ms. Harris will talk about ways to stay Safe, Responsible, Respectful, and Kind during the school dismissal.

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​Week of 3/18-3/27: Healthy Habits

School isn't going to stop just because we're stuck at home- and that includes Wellness! The focus of our first lesson during the dismissal is learning how to build healthy habits.  It can be easy to fall into bad habits when our normal routine is disrupted, so starting things off the right way is important to yourselves up for success. Here are the steps to completing this assignment: 
  1. ​Click here   to download a fillable copy of the lesson plan and worksheets, or download and print the pdf version below.
  2. Read through the list of healthy habits for each area of wellness (or try to brainstorm some of your own!).
  3. This week (3/18-3/20), decide which habits you want to add to your daily routine and write them into your "plan" worksheet.
  4. Starting on Monday 3/23, keep track of which habits you followed through with each day on the weekly calendar.
  5. How did you do? How could you do even better next week? We will talk about this assignment in class when school starts again. :)