Activity 1: (30 minutes) THE CHANGE CHALLENGE

Explain that students will work together to complete a fill-in-the-blank story. Encourage students to be silly, while still remaining school appropriate. Gather the following ideas from students and record them in a place where you can easily reference them:

• Adjective #1: Describes a noun (e.g., sparkly, yellow, stinky)
• Adjective #2: Describes a noun (e.g., silky, purple, tall)
• Verb #1: An action word ending in “ing” (e.g., skiing, smiling)
• Type of Food: Something edible, in plural form (e.g., grapes, crackers)
• Noun #1: A silly person, place, thing, or idea (e.g., fluffy unicorn, banana peel)
• Color: The more specific the better (e.g., periwinkle, hot pink, teal, eggplant, or mauve)
• Object: Something that can be seen and touched (e.g., chair, book)
• Family Member such as a second cousin or great-grandpa
• Adjective #3: Describes a noun (e.g., goofy, quaint, chill)
• Verb #2: Something that someone can do (e.g., scream, do a cartwheel)
• Noun #2: A person, place, thing, or idea (e.g., clown nose, top hat)

Using the student-generated words, read the completed fill-in-the-blank story aloud.

Explain that similar to the unexpected morning mayhem story, life often throws us surprises. Have a discussion:

• How would you feel if your real morning happened the same way as our unusual story? (EQ)
• If this is how your morning went, what would be going through your mind? (EQ)

Explain that the fill-in-the-blank story illustrates something we all experience every day: change. Ask students to share other words that come to mind when they hear the word “change,” and write their responses on the whiteboard. 

Review the definition of “change” from the slides. Ask for several volunteers to briefly share a time when something in their life changed, whether big or small. Examples include meeting a new teacher, adjusting to a new schedule, having a friend move, or when a favorite store closed. Encourage quick, varied responses without getting too personal.

Review the definition of the term “flexible” from the slides. Ask students to think about a rubber band. What makes it flexible? How can it stretch and bend without breaking? Have a discussion: 

• Why is being flexible, like a rubber band, so important in a world full of change? (EQ)

Read the scenario from the slides and encourage students to consider ways they could stay flexible while handling the change described. Divide students into groups of 3–4 and give them a few minutes to discuss the questions on the slide.

Gather groups back together and ask a few groups to share an answer from their discussion. Explain that when facing change, it is helpful to have strategies from our “flexibility toolbelt” to use. Review the lesson strategies together from the slides. If time permits, have a discussion:

• Which “tool” do you think would help most teens handle change in healthy ways?
• Which “tool” might require practice before you feel confident using it?

Reassure students that change is constant, but by using these strategies, we can adjust, grow, and thrive no matter what comes our way.

Activity 2: (20 minutes) CONTROL VS. CONCERN

Prior to this activity, draw 2 large circles on the whiteboard. Label the circles “My Control Zone” and the other “Outside My Control.”

Give each student a balloon and a permanent marker. Ask students to blow up their balloons and, on the outside, write down things that may be stressing them out but are beyond their control (e.g., moving to a new place, a family member being sick, or unexpected changes).

Once finished, have students let go of their stress by popping the balloon — they can pop it quickly, or carefully cut a small hole to let the air out slowly. Explain that this represents releasing the weight of things we cannot control when facing difficult changes. (Teacher Tip: Consider doing the popping part outside. If students are sensitive to loud noises, allow them to stay inside and slowly deflate their balloons instead.)

Explain to students that we handle change best when we focus on what we CAN control. As a class, brainstorm common changes or challenges that high schoolers face and record student ideas on the whiteboard. Examples might include shifting friend groups, challenging schoolwork, new rules at home or school, or changes in family dynamics.

Sort students into groups of 3–4 and give each group 3 index cards. Ask each group to choose 3 changes or challenges from the brainstormed list on the whiteboard. For each chosen scenario, have students follow the instructions on the slides to identify what they CAN control and what they CANNOT control.

After groups finish, have them share their ideas aloud. As they share, record their responses by writing “Can Control” ideas inside the “My Control Zone” circle and “Cannot Control” ideas in the “Outside My Control” circle on the whiteboard.

Once every group has had a chance to share, have a discussion:

• How does it feel to know that, even during big changes, there are always some things you CAN control? (EQ)
• Why is it more helpful to focus your energy on what is within your control rather than what is not?

Activity 3: (15 minutes) “FUTURE ME” GAME PLAN

Explain that planning and preparing for upcoming changes is an important way to build flexibility—like making a game plan for your future self.

Display the slide showing 4 different post-high school plans assigned to the 4 corners of the room. Invite students to stand in the corner that best matches their current vision for themselves after graduation.

Once in their chosen corner, students will find 2–3 classmates in their corner who have similar post-graduation plans and sit together. Pass out a piece of butcher paper and markers to each group.

Explain that their group task is to create a “Future Me Game Plan” for navigating this big transition after high school. On their paper, students will…

• Map out key steps they will need to take.
• For each step, think about how they can remain flexible.
• Use sticky notes to write ideas or potential challenges (“hiccups”), which they can move around or modify as they build their plan.

As they work, display the slide with thinking prompts that students should consider as they build their game plan.

Once groups have completed their posters, have them hang their work around the room. Instruct each group to visit all the posters and facilitate a discussion on how flexibility was incorporated into each plan. If time permits, ask a few students to share their observations about the plans and highlight examples of flexibility, encouraging reflection and peer learning.

Remind students that having a plan—even one that can change—helps make big transitions feel more manageable.

Activity 4: (20 minutes) MY SUPPORT STARS CONSTELLATION

Explain that life’s changes can sometimes feel like navigating a dark night, but just like stars guide sailors, there are people in our lives who shine light and help us find our way.

Ask students to think about the people in their lives who care about them and who they can turn to when facing a challenge. These could include family members, friends, teachers, coaches, counselors, neighbors, or even a pet or fictional character that brings comfort.

Using lined paper or student journals, have students list 3–5 of their “support stars.” Encourage them to reflect on why they would turn to each person and what kind of support or help they provide. Display the example slide to illustrate the idea.

Teacher Tip: Keep in mind that not all students may have a clear or strong support network. Avoid assuming access to caring adults or friends. Validate that support can come in many forms—including pets, hobbies, or personal interests—and that identifying even one trusted person is meaningful. Emphasize quality over quantity.

Pass out a dark paper and art supplies to each student. Ask students to draw or create a star for each person they identified as a “support star.”

• Encourage students to make each star unique, using a variety of art supplies (e.g., stickers, glitter, light-colored pencils, crayons) to reflect that person.
• Around or inside each star, have students write the name, initials, or a symbol for their supportive person and a brief note about the kind of support they provide.
• Have students connect their stars with lines to form a constellation, adding any generic stars they need.
• Encourage students to get creative.

Once the constellations are complete, have students hold up their artwork so the class can see the amazing support systems represented in the room. Invite anyone who feels comfortable to share who their stars represent. Then, encourage all students to quietly reflect on this question: How does having these people in your life make you feel about facing challenges?

Remind students that their “Support Stars” are always there for them. Emphasize that asking for help from people who care about you is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Activity 5: (20 minutes) OUR GROWTH GALLERY

Explain that every change we experience is a chance to grow, even when it feels tough at first.

Pass out a sticky note to each student. Ask them to draw a simple picture of a time they tried something new, faced a challenge, or adapted to a change.

Next, have them write a sentence describing how they grew from that experience. For example, a student might draw a stick figure learning to ride a bike and write: “I had a hard time learning to ride a bike, but I kept practicing and discovered a new passion.”

Once all students have completed their sticky notes, have them place their notes on the whiteboard in a line, like a “Gallery of Growth” comic strip. Ask students to observe each sticky note carefully and notice what growth looks like in the classroom.

Have students come up with 3 words or phrases that describe the class’s shared experiences of growth. Show the example from the slide to guide them. You can collect student words/phrases on the whiteboard, written around the Growth Gallery or use an online word cloud generator to display their responses.

Have a discussion:

• How did looking at our “Growth Gallery” make you feel about facing new challenges?
• What did you learn about yourself or others from the “Growth Gallery”?
• If a friend felt nervous about change, what advice from our “Growth Gallery” would you share with them? (EQ)

Activity 6: (20 minutes) CHANGES ARE COMING

Sort students into groups of 3–4. Explain the basic rules of a trivia game using the slides.

After a few questions, ring a bell and introduce a new rule to shift the game. As the game continues, introduce more unexpected rule changes. Some new rule examples include: 

• You are no longer allowed to yell out your answer. Write it on the whiteboard instead.
• You must sing your answers to a popular tune.
• You must do jumping jacks while answering.
• For the final round, you must choose someone from another team to answer for you.

Feel free to come up with your own trivia questions based on something your students are learning about or use the general trivia questions listed on the Trivia Questions list. Play until a team reaches a set number of points (e.g., 10) or until your desired ending time. Have a discussion: 

• How did you feel when the rules changed? (EQ)
• Which changes helped or hindered you?

Help students link their game experience to real-life changes, like a friend moving away or unexpected class adjustments. Emphasize that while they cannot control external events, they can control their reactions and adapt. Developing adaptability and learning to manage stress effectively are essential skills for handling life’s unpredictable challenges.

As a class, brainstorm simple calm-down strategies (e.g., deep breathing, counting down from 10, listening to music, drawing, taking a break) and write them on the whiteboard. Give each student an index card and have them write or draw a calm down tool they already use or would like to try.

After 2 minutes, pass out a Calm Down Bingo handout to each student. Review the instructions together and answer any student questions. Set students to work walking around the room and signing each other’s handouts.

Play until someone gets a Bingo. (Teacher Tip: Each person can only sign a bingo card once. If it takes too long for someone to win, you can lift the rule and allow students to revisit classmates who have already signed their card.)

If time permits, have a discussion:

• How did seeing everyone’s calm-down tools affect how you feel about handling future changes?
• What is 1 new calm-down tool you discovered today that you might want to try?
• Why is it helpful to know that everyone has different ways to manage stress when things change? (EQ)

Remind students that learning to use calm-down tools takes practice, just like learning a sport or an instrument. The goal is not to ignore or suppress feelings but to manage them in healthy ways. Acknowledge that big feelings are normal and okay—the focus is on progress, not perfection.