Teaching Tool - Stigma Awareness (Grade 5)

The purpose of these resources is to provide lessons or activities on removing the stigma that surrounds mental health.

Learning goals

I will understand how mental health attitudes or media play a role in contributing / preventing the stigma
I will identify actions that can counteract stigma surrounding mental health

Core knowledge content provides the teacher with the background information needed to prepare and teach this health class.

Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education (2019)

D3.4 demonstrates an understanding of how our attitudes about mental health affect those around us and how they might contribute to or prevent creating stigma. This specific expectation is also connected with the Social Emotional Learning expectation A1.6 Thinking.

Bust stigma and stereotype: In this lesson, students will investigate how mental illness is portrayed in the media.
Class conversation starters: This resource contains different classroom conversation starters around mental health. This is a great resource for helping students develop positive mindsets towards mental health to help remove the stigma.
Stigma and discrimination: This resource is imperative for educators to familiarize themselves with because it breaks down the common and outdated terms that were once used and suggests the appropriate and preferred person-first language when talking about mental health.

Bell Let's Talk reducing stigma video : This video defines and explains what stigma is and how it has an impact on mental health.

1.2 use overt and implied messages to draw inferences and construct meaning in media texts
1.3 express opinions about ideas, issues and / or experiences presented in media texts, and give evidence from the texts to support their opinions