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During conversations with students in middle school and high school, one thing always pops up as a stressor: social media. My students talk about everything from feeling like they need to buy cooler things to feeling like they need to look differently after comparing themselves to their peers and to celebrities online. Social media can be awesome too, after all, if used correctly. If social media is a stressor for your student(s), keep reading to find the social media lesson! This lesson was created by By: CounselorKeri
Warm Up: To kick things off, have a discussion with your student(s): how might social media affect your mental and emotional health?
Ted Talk: After this discussion, watch the TedTalk posted about exactly this. Many of the questions were answered by this talk! Afterward, talk about highlight reels and social currency. A common response from students is they often delete pictures that didn’t get enough likes or felt the need to constantly check how many likes they get. Have a discussion about how social media affects your student(s) lives positively and negatively. An important question that needs to be asked is, "how can teens use social media in a way that doesn’t cause unnecessary stress?" Try it: Is social media a stressor for your student(s)? Have your students create their own phone apps on paper that describe things that create happiness in their lives instead of stress. Some examples could be puppy snuggles, listening to music, reading a book, going for a walk, etc. Have fun with it and be creative! This activity is loose and mostly student-led, which is what I love about it! This lesson is a great way to get students who do experience social media-related stress to think about alternative activities where they can put their attention. |