Mental Health and Resilience — Year 5 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: PSHE/RSE — Health and wellbeing: simple self-care techniques, including the importance of rest, time with friends and family, and benefits of hobbies; the importance of respecting and looking after their bodies; the concepts of resilience (KS2 statutory guidance).
Overview
Pupils deepen their understanding of mental health by exploring resilience — the capacity to manage setbacks and bounce back from difficulty. They investigate a wider range of evidence-based wellbeing strategies, develop skills for recognising when a friend may be struggling, and understand clearly when self-help strategies are not enough and professional support is needed. The lesson is positive, practical and empowering.
Learning Objectives
- Define resilience and explain why it is an important component of mental health.
- Identify a range of evidence-based strategies for protecting and improving mental wellbeing.
- Recognise the signs that a friend may be struggling with their mental health and know how to offer support.
- Understand when to seek adult or professional help and know where to access it.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Open with a brief mindfulness moment: ask pupils to close their eyes (if comfortable), take three slow breaths and notice how they feel right now — physically, emotionally. Share in one word. Introduce the session: today we are going to think about how we build a mental health toolkit that works when things get difficult.
Introduce resilience using the image of a rubber band — it stretches under pressure but returns to its shape. Discuss: what makes some people more resilient? Cover the key factors: strong relationships, a sense of purpose, physical health, the ability to ask for help, and having strategies to manage difficult emotions. Share research-backed wellbeing strategies in simple terms: social connection, physical activity, time in nature, creative expression, gratitude practice.
Pupils rate their current use of six evidence-based strategies on a scale of 1-5: physical activity, social connection, time in nature, creative activities, gratitude practice, talking about feelings. Discuss findings in pairs — which strategies do they already use? Which might they try more of? Why might some strategies be difficult to access? Acknowledge that circumstances vary and focus on what is within their control.
Pupils create a personal resilience plan: three strategies they will use when they notice their mental health dipping, one trusted adult they will talk to if strategies are not enough, and one organisation they could contact (e.g. Childline: 0800 1111). The plan is personal and does not need to be shared unless the pupil wishes.
Discuss: how do you know when someone might need more support than a friend can offer? Cover warning signs including: persistent sadness lasting more than two weeks, withdrawing from friends and activities, changes in sleep or appetite, expressing hopelessness. Reinforce the message: if a friend shows these signs, tell a trusted adult — it is an act of care, not betrayal. Close by affirming that looking after mental health is a lifelong skill worth building.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils sometimes think that resilient people do not feel sad, anxious or overwhelmed. Clarify that resilience is not about never struggling — it is about having ways to recover when you do. Everyone finds things hard sometimes.
- Some pupils think that seeking professional help for mental health means something is seriously wrong. Normalise therapy and counselling as a practical tool, just as seeing a doctor for a physical complaint is normal.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Understanding of the mental health spectrum and a range of basic coping strategies from Year 4.
- Awareness of trusted adults and knowledge of how to seek support.
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