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Lesson Plan
Grade Level: ​10th Grade
Content Area:​Mental, Emotional, and Social Health
Topic:​Depression and Suicide

Standards:
1.7.M Analyze signs of depression, potential suicide, and other self-destructive behaviors.
1.10.M Identify warning signs for suicide.
7.3.M Discuss suicide-prevention strategies.

Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to define depression.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify 10 signs of depression and suicidal
behaviors.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to list and analyze 3 suicide-prevention strategies.

Anticipatory Set:​(5 Minutes)

At the beginning of class after the powerpoint is set up, go to the second slide and have students
do a journal entry answering the two questions presented.
1. “What do you believe depression is?”
2. “How prevalent do you think it is in today’s society?”

Input:​Lecture from powerpoint (20 Minutes)

Powerpoint: Depression and Suicide
Slide 1: Depression and Suicide Title
Slide 2: Journal Entry
● Take 5 minutes to answer the following questions. We will discuss them as a class after.
○ What do you believe depression is?
○ How prevalent do you think it is in today’s society.
Slide 3: What is Depression? (“Depression,” 2018)
● Common but serious mood disorder
● Causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities
● Symptoms must be present for at least 2 weeks for depression to be diagnosed
Slide 4: Different Types of Depression (“Depression,” 2018)
● Persistent depressive disorder
○ Depressed mood that lasts for at least 2 years
● Postpartum depression
○ Major depression during pregnancy or after delivery
● Psychotic depression
○ Severe depression plus some form of psychosis
● Seasonal affective disorder
○ Onset of depression during the winter months, where there is less natural sunlight
● Bipolar disorder
○ Different from depression but experiences episodes of extremely low moods that
meet the criteria for major depression
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Slide 5-6: Signs and Symptoms of Depression (“Depression,” 2018)

● Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
● Feelings of hopelessness, or pessimism
● Irritability
● Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
● Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
● Decreased energy or fatigue
● Moving or talking more slowly
● Feeling restless or having trouble sitting still
● Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
● Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening or oversleeping
● Appetite and/or weight changes
● Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
● Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause
and/or that do not ease even with treatment
○ NOTE: not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptoms or the same
as others. Some may experience only a few while other may experience many
Slide 7: What is Suicidal Behaviors? (“Suicide and Suicidal Behavior,” 2016)
● Any action that could cause one’s self to die
● Includes both completed suicide, attempted suicide, or plans of suicide
Warning Signs for Suicide (“Recognizing Suicidal Behavior,” 2017)
● Depression, excessive sadness or moodiness
● Sudden calmness
● Withdrawal
● Changes in personality and/or appearance
● Dangerous or self-harmful behavior
● Recent trauma or life crisis
● Making preparations
● Threatening suicide
Slide 8: Suicide Prevention Strategies (Clayton, n.d.)
● Know the risk factors, be alert to depression and other mental disorders
● Recognize warning signs for suicide and intervene before the person can complete the
process of self-destruction
● Contact the police immediately if a person has threatened or attempted suicide
● Doctors may hospitalize people who have threatened or attempted suicide
○ Even if it is against their wish if the doctors believe the person is at high risk of
harming themselves
● Suicide Intervention: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
○ 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255
■ Provides crisis intervention for people throughout the US
■ Trained crisis workers available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Slide 9: Preventing Suicide Chart (Stone et al., 2017)
Strategy Approach
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Strengthen economic ● Strengthen household financial security

support ● Housing stabilization policies

Strength access and ● Coverage of mental health conditions in health

delivery of suicide care insurance policies
● Reduce provider shortages in underserved
areas
● Safer suicide care through systems change

Create protective ● Reduce access to lethal means among persons

environments at risk of suicide
● Organizational policies and culture
● Community-based policies to reduce excessive
alcohol use

Promote connectedness ● Peer norm programs

● Community engagement activities

Teach coping and ● Social-emotional learning programs

problem-solving skills ● Parenting skill and family relationship
programs

Identify and support ● Gatekeeper training

people at risk ● Crisis intervention
● Treatment for people at risk of suicide
● Treatment to prevent re-attempts

Lessen harms and prevent ● Postvention

future risk ● Safe reporting and messaging about suicide
Slide 10: References

Modeling: ​(10 Minutes)

After the lecture, the instructor will begin a role play scenario.

Introduction to Scene: I have started to notice some warning signs of depression from a
companion and that I am starting to worry about them. After asking the person about how they
are feeling, the individual expresses to me that they want to end their life.

After the scene is set, demonstrate 2 ways that students can handle the situation. Emphasize to
students to keep in mind to not be judgemental or patronizing and to sympathize with the person.
Keep going until there is a positive resolution.
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1. Encourage the person to seek treatment and to call a suicide hotline number
a. Offer to help the individual take steps to get assistance and support
2. Talk to the person and listen to what they have to say
a. This will make a big difference to the individual because it shows that someone
cares
b. Offer reassurance that things will get better

Check for Understanding:

Throughout the lecture, asks students questions pertaining to the information and watch students
and see if they have any confusion.
● What are some symptoms of depression?
○ Thoughts of death or suicide
○ Lack of sleep or oversleeping
○ Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
○ Feeling hopeless and helpless
○ Loss of interests
○ Unintended weight change
● What are a couple of warning signs of suicide?
○ Depression
○ Sudden calmness
○ Withdrawal
○ Dangerous or self-harmful behavior
● How do you think depression and suicide is related
● What is the difference between depression and suicide and is it mutually exclusive?
○ Depression is a mood disorder that causes severe symptoms that affect how you
feel, think, and handle daily activities. Suicide is the act of taking one’s own life
intentionally. If a person is suicidal, they are depressed. But a person who is
depressed, is not always suicidal.

Guided Practice:​(10 minutes)

Instructions: In pairs of 2, students will act out the following scenario. One student will play
Francesca and the other will be her friend. Have the students continue the scene by trying to
come to a positive resolution by practicing any of the strategy or way of dealing with the
situation that they have learned from the role play or from lecture. The friend should be a good
listener and attentive to details. Students will switch roles after they have finished.

Instructor Notes: Be sure to correct students if they have not handled the situation in the best way
possible. Suggest better strategies.

Scenario: Francesca, a 19 year old college student, has recently lost her job and become
homeless. She has to live in her car and starts to worry about how to finance college. After some
time, she begins to express her hopelessness and desire to end her suffering.

Closure:​(5 Minutes)
● At the end of the lesson, ask students some important questions to wrap up the lesson.
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○ What have you learned today about depression or suicide and what the most
important thing to do is when talking to a person with depression and/or at risk of
suicide?
○ How can you apply this new information to their lives and others’?

Independent Practice: ​(“Depression, Suicide Prevention, and Grief,” 2013)

For homework, students will have to finish the worksheet that will be handed out at the end of
class, which is due the following week. On the worksheet, a scenario will be provided in which
an individual is displaying signs of depression and suicide. Student will have to identify the
warning signs and then choose and explain which response is best.

Materials:
● Powerpoint
● Projector
● Screen
● Worksheet
● pencils/pen
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References:

Clayton, P. J. (n.d.). Suicidal behavior. ​Merck Manual Consumer Version.

https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/mental-health-disorders/suicidal-behavior-and-self-inj
ury/suicidal-behavior

​ etrieved from
Depression. (2018, February). ​National Institute of Mental Health. R
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

Depression, suicide prevention, and grief. (2013). ​JobCorps.​ Retrieved from

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8
&ved=0ahUKEwjQ5uCuranaAhVImK0KHSWLAaQQFggxMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fs
upportservices.jobcorps.gov%2Fhealth%2FDocuments%2FHECurriculum%2FHE_Curriculu
m_Depression_Suicide_Prevention_Grief.docx&usg=AOvVaw0MJjNvV8rX9Dd1EUDlQdo
c

Recognizing suicidal behavior. (2017, November 27). ​Cleveland Clinic.​ Retrieved from
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11352-recognizing-suicidal-behavior?view=prin
t

Stone, D., Holland, K., Bartholow, B., Crosby, A., Davis, S., & Wilkins, N. (2017). Preventing
suicide: a technical package of policy, programs, and practices. ​Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. ​Retrieved from
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjz
s5fd7q7aAhUDQ6wKHRP-BjkQFggsMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviole
nceprevention%2Fpdf%2Fsuicidetechnicalpackage.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2_TDiZ0D0Ni6CHpi
SCPQSH

​ etrieved from
Suicide and suicidal behavior. (2016, February 21). ​MedlinePlus. R
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001554.htm