DEAL lesson plan: building resilience
This lesson plan introduces young people to different emotional coping strategies, and the concept of resilience.

DEAL is a free resource for teachers and other educational professionals designed to help develop resilience in young people.
In this lesson, students will learn:
- there are a range of coping strategies that can be helpful
- that everyone experiences difficult times and feelings
- resilience is about working through challenging times
Using this resource
This resource is designed for:
- young people aged 11 to 13
- use with whole classes
This resource form part of the Developing Emotional Awareness and Listening (DEAL) set of resources from the Samaritans. There are lesson plans on many other topics on their website.
Curriculum links
England - RSHE |
Mental health and wellbeing By the end of secondary school pupils should know: · how to talk about their emotions accurately and sensitively, using appropriate vocabulary |
Northern Ireland – Learning for Life and Work |
Personal Health KS3 pupils should have opportunity to: · investigate the influences on physical and emotional /mental personal health Key Stage 4 pupils should be enabled to: · reflect on, and respond to, their developing concept of self, including managing emotions and reactions to on-going life experiences |
Scotland – Health and Wellbeing |
Mental and emotional wellbeing I know that we all experience a variety of thoughts and emotions that affect how we feel and behave and I am learning ways of managing them. |
Wales - Health and Wellbeing |
Progression step 3 I can see the benefits of communicating about feelings as one of a range of strategies which can help promote positive mental health and emotional well-being. Progression step 4 I can advocate the benefits of communicating about feelings as one of a range of strategies which can help promote positive mental health and emotional well-being. |
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