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CNN Student News Learning Activity: Holiday Stress

  • Story Highlights
  • Students will learn about different types of stress and stressors
  • Students will learn how the human body responds to different types of stress
  • Students will identify ways to manage holiday stress
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(CNN Student News) -- Students will learn about different types of stress and stressors and how the body responds to different types of stress. Students will identify ways to manage holiday stress.

Procedure

Inform students that everyone experiences stress; it's a normal part of everyday life. Stress is the reaction our bodies and minds have to everyday demands and threats. There are three different types of stress (acute, episodic acute and chronic), each with its own characteristics, symptoms and treatment approaches. Contrary to popular belief, stress isn't always bad; depending on how it's perceived and managed, it can be helpful. Ask students:

  1. How can you tell if you are feeling stressed?
  2. What are some of the things that can cause you to become stressed?
  3. Why do you think that it is important to be able to manage stress?

Next, group students and have them consult their texts and other resources to learn about the three different types of stress, different kinds of stressors and how the body responds to different types of stress. Ask students to identify the following:

  1. the three stages of stress (alarm, resistance and fatigue);
  2. the reactions of the nervous system and the endocrine system to stress;
  3. the role that cortisol and other stress hormones play in emergency situations;
  4. the positive effects of stress;
  5. what happens when people are under stress too often or for too long;
  6. the diseases and disorders that can be directly related to harmful stress, including depression;
  7. ways to relieve harmful stress and the physiology behind these methods.

After groups share their findings, point out that, while there are several reasons that the holidays should be a happy time for students (e.g., they're on vacation, they get to hang out with their friends, they can sleep in), not everyone is in good cheer. Like many adults, children and teenagers can get stressed during the holidays. Ask students: What do you think are some of the reasons why young people might get stressed during the holiday season?

Following the discussion, have each group create a roleplay depicting a student dealing with a stressful holiday situation. Following each group's presentation, have group members ask the audience to strategize a solution to resolve the stressful situation. Have each group demonstrate stress management techniques by acting out the proposed solution.

Correlated Standards

Health Standards

Standard 4: Knows how to maintain mental and emotional health

Level III Grade : 6-8

Benchmark 1: Knows strategies to manage stress and feelings caused by disappointment, separation, or loss (e.g., talking over problems with others, understanding that feelings of isolation and depression will pass, examining the situation leading to the feelings)

Level IV Grade : 9-12

Benchmark 2: Knows strategies for coping with and overcoming feelings of rejection, social isolation, and other forms of stress

McREL: Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education (Copyright 2000 McREL) is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014.

Thinking and Reasoning Standards

Standard 5: Applies basic trouble-shooting and problem-solving techniques

Level III Grade : 6-8

Benchmark 2: Selects the most appropriate strategy or alternative for solving a problem

Benchmark 3: Examines different alternatives for resolving local problems and compares the possible consequences of each alternative

Level IV Grade : 9-12

Benchmark 6: Represents a problem accurately in terms of resources, constraints and objectives

Benchmark 10: Evaluates the feasibility of various solutions to problems; recommends and defends a solution

McREL: Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education (Copyright 2000 McREL) is published online by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) (http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014.

Keywords

stress, depression, holidays, cortisol, endorphins, nervous system, endocrine system E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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