Information for Teachers
Dear Teachers,
Welcome to the caring Minds Units and lesson plans. We have created these curricular materials with you in mind. In this twenty-first century, mental health issues and impacts are part of people’s daily lives. As academics and professionals, we have often heard teachers say that there is a need for relevant and timely materials that could be used to help young people understand the complex and sometimes controversial aspects of mental health and mental illness, and to appreciate the challenges and opportunities that people face as they deal with the “lived experience” of mental health difficulties, treatment, and recovery.
The four Units cover historical and current topics related to mental health: understanding, housing, self-determination, and treatment. As we developed the Units, we were fortunate to have advice and input from middle school and secondary teachers with respect to lesson content, organization, and format. Each lesson within the Unit is self-contained, with activities and resources included. We have attempted to estimate the time needed for each element in the lessons, however, these are approximate. Additional resources and extension activities are found at the end of each Unit, along with BC and Ontario curricular learning outcomes. All resources in the Units have been checked for appropriate context, however, it is always possible that some students will experience negative associations or be affected in unanticipated ways. Make sure that you have the necessary contact information for students who might need school or community service referrals. An information letter to parents is found elsewhere on this site.
We hope that you find the Units and lessons to be relevant and useful. Please feel free to adapt and extend the materials to suit your own context and students. We’d love to hear any comments, questions, and suggestions for improvement. It is our hope that we will be able to add new lessons and resources in the future.
Best wishes,
Megan Davies and Anne Marshall