Moral Education

Grade 6
Third Semester

Pilot Edition
2017 - 2018

I
 Ministry of Education - Call Centre
For Suggestions, Inquiries & Complaints

80051115 04-2176855 ccc.moe@moe.gov.ae www.moe.gov.ae

Trial Edition
2017- 2018
Copyrights reserved -Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates - Curriculum and Evaluation Sector

II
 Moral Education
Engaging, Enlightening, Enabling and Empowering Global Citizens

“ ”
‘A country’s greatest investment lies in building generations of educated
and knowledgeable youth.’… ‘To the young men and women of the
Emirates, the future is yours. You are those who will determine your
country’s future’
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan

“ ”
‘Values are the foundation of a nation’s stability, and the spirit of its
laws. Without values, a country has no security, stability or continuity.’
H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

“ ”
‘The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it.
It isn’t something you await, but rather create.’
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

“ ”
‘Our children face major challenges, and it is our responsibility to
prepare and protect them. We should not sit back and watch. We should
race faster than light to ensure that future generations are well
prepared to continue achieving and progressing.’
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

IV
Moral Education
Moral education seeks to foster in students a set of universal values, which will enable them to peacefully

interact and connect with people from different cultural and social groups who hold different views and

perspectives. It seeks to empower them to become active, responsible, local and global citizens. It enables

them to develop mutual understanding, respect for difference and empathy in order to sustain our cohesive

and prosperous society. Through dialogue and interaction, students are provided with opportunities to explore

different worldviews, to challenge one another’s assumptions and attitudes and to develop the knowledge,

skills and attitude necessary to think critically, to make informed ethical decisions and to act on them in the

interests of their society.

Values of the Moral Education Course

V
 Key Pillars of Learning
The Moral Education course will be experienced by students as they progress through the course, working

their way through four key pillars of learning. Each of the four pillars is constructed around a series of learning

outcomes.

Moral Education
Character and The Individual and Civic Studies Cultural Studies
Morality (CM) Community (IC) (CIS) (CUS)

Teaching universal The development Concentrating on Focusing on local

ethical values, of moral thinking Emirati history, Emirati heritage,
such as fairness, for individuals as trade, travel, archaeology, and
caring, honesty, active members of governance, as the importance of
resilience, their families, well as global preserving culture
tolerance and social environment citizenship
respect and communities
at large

VI
VII
 Table of Contents
Unit 4
Theme Character and Morality

Respect and Tolerance

What is culture? Is culture fluid or fixed?

How does culture influence our identity?

in a Diverse Community Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives?

Respect and Tolerance in a

How can we recognise and challenge prejudice?

How can we demonstrate solidarity?

Diverse Community Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3
Tolerance and Its Relation to Diversity
How Tolerance Appears in Society?
Exploring Our Own Beliefs and Attitudes
Lesson 4 Recognising Prejudice in Society
Lesson 5 Whole School Approach to Cultural Diversity

How can we best recognise, respect and understand

cultural diversity?

1 2

MEd_SB_G06_U04_UO_EN.indd All Pages 2/20/2018 10:37:09 AM

1  Tolerance and Its Relation To Diversity   �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 3

2  How Tolerance Appears in Society?  �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   P. 9

3  Exploring Our Own Beliefs and Attitudes  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 15

4  Recognising Prejudice in Society  �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 21

5  Whole School Approach to Cultural Diversity  ��������������������������������������������������������������   P. 27

VIII
Unit 5
Theme The Individual and
the Community

Mental Health
Why is it important to look after your mental health?

Mental Health
How would you know if someone is suffering from mental
health issues?

What sources of help are available to people with mental

health issues?

Lesson 1 Mental Health and Mental Illnesses How can an active lifestyle help people cope with mental
Lesson 2 Views of Mental Health
health issues?
Lesson 3 Causes of Mental Deterioration and Its Impact on
the Individual
Lesson 4 Asking for Help
How does developing resilience help protect your
Lesson 5 Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Health
mental well-being?

How can we deal with mental health issues in a way that respects
the individual and encourages a healthy lifestyle?

33 34

MEd_SB_G06_U05_UO_EN.indd All Pages 2/21/2018 5:10:17 PM

1  Mental Health and Mental Illnesses  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 35

2  Views of Mental Health  �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 41

3  Causes of Mental Deterioration and Its Impact onthe Individual �����  P. 47

4  Asking for Help  ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  P. 53

5  Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Health  �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������   P. 59

IX
Theme Character and Morality

Respect and Tolerance

in a Diverse Community

Lesson 1 Tolerance and Its Relation to Diversity

Lesson 2 How Tolerance Appears in Society?

Lesson 3 Exploring Our Own Beliefs and Attitudes

Lesson 4 Recognising Prejudice in Society

Lesson 5 Whole School Approach to Cultural Diversity

How can we best recognise, respect and understand

cultural diversity?

1
 What is culture? Is culture fluid or fixed?

How does culture influence our identity?

Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives?

How can we recognise and challenge prejudice?

How can we demonstrate solidarity?

2
Unit 4 Respect and Tolerance
in a Diverse Community

Lesson 1

Tolerance
and Its
Relation to
Diversity
Learning Outcomes
• Give reasons why it is important to respect the
beliefs, values and traditions of others.
• Articulate some of their own prejudices and provide
strategies to overcome these prejudices.

3
 Vocabulary

Culture Cultural significance

Attitude Communication

Go around your class, talking to classmates about their interests and

1 culture. You might be surprised to discover new things about your
fellow students.

Your teacher will give you a worksheet to complete.

Unit 4 Lesson 1 4
 Read the text about respecting other cultures then answer
2 the questions that follow.

No matter where you live in the world, there are chances

to meet people from other cultures and backgrounds. Our
knowledge of our own culture comes from our family, friends,
school and society. However, our experience of this culture
depends on a range of factors including gender, social class,
intellectual and physical abilities and age. Our views are
shaped by our surroundings, and as young children we assume
that everyone in the world looks, thinks and behaves just
like we do. As we grow, we realise that this is not the case.
The world is made up of people with different backgrounds
and cultures from ours. It is important to acknowledge our
similarities and understand our differences.
Respect and tolerance of other cultures is not about change
people’s views to see, think and behave like ourselves. Rather,
it is about exploring and getting to know the differences that
exist among us. Many believe that the key to making world
peace possible is respect and tolerance to our differences.
The more we know and understand about other cultures, the
easier it is for us to show them tolerance and respect.

5
a. With your group, complete the table below.

Elements of Emirati Culture Another Culture

Culture
Dress and
Appearance
Communication
and Language
Food and
Eating Habits
Beliefs and
Values
Arts and
Literature

b. Did you notice differences between the cultures?

c. Why should you respect and tolerate those differences?

Unit 4 Lesson 1 6
 Read the article about the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights then
answer the questions.
3 Paris, 1948: The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the General Assembly
of the United Nations. This document outlined the
basic rights that all human beings are entitled to
regardless of their gender, socio-economic status,
beliefs, nationality or race. The UDHR has been
translated into more than 300 languages, more than any other document in the
world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
The document consists of 30 ‘articles’ or parts, here are some of them:

Article 2: Freedom from discrimination

Article 19: Freedom of opinion and information
Article 26: Right to education
Article 27: The right to participate in the cultural life and traditions of your
community

a. Why was the UDHR created?

b. Why was Article 27 included in the UDHR?

c. How do the other articles above relate to culture?

7
 We think of a person’s culture as being the clothes, music,
literature, food and holidays that are shared by that group
4 but it is much more. It is also the customs, traditions,
beliefs, and artefacts of a society. We can say that culture
is a combination of thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that
are shared by a group. We see part of it, but the rest
is deeper.
a. How does the metaphor of the iceberg help us
better understand the nature of culture?
b. List some of the deeper aspects of cultures. And
recommend ways of getting to know them.

The UAE has become one of the top international holiday destinations in
5 recent years.
Draw a picture for tourists showing a symbol of UAE cultural heritage.
Consider the following:
• Why you chose this item.
• Why it is important to you.
• What cultural significance
it has.

Unit 4 Lesson 1 8
Unit 4 Respect and Tolerance
in a Diverse Community

Lesson 2

How Tolerance
Appears in
Society?
Learning Outcomes
• Explain how social background (such as social class,
school, town, ethnicity and religion) plays a role in
fostering (or undermining) tolerance, respect and
equality between people.
• Demonstrate respect for differences while treating
peers as equals in interactions in the classroom and
wider school.

9
 Vocabulary

Diversity Snap judgment

Multiple perspectives Policy

You are about to meet two visitors to your class! Think about
1 questions you can ask them to find out more about them and their
culture. But take note that the visitors can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’
to your questions. Think of a few questions before your teacher
introduces them.

KEY FACT
Africa is home to nearly 1,500 of the world’s languages which makes it the most linguistically diverse continent in the world.

Unit 4 Lesson 2 10
 Read the story The Boots then discuss the questions that
2 follow.
Khaled wasn’t listening to the teacher. He was staring at his
new trainers. Their school had a strict uniform policy except
for feet. You could wear whatever you wanted on your feet,
and Khaled was determined to make the most of that! He
thought all of his personality was reflected in his bright blue
trainers. School was hard work but at least his trainers were
interesting.
Suddenly, the teacher was introducing a new boy - Khaled
looked up. Abdallah stood in front of the class, shuffling
nervously from foot to foot... but Abdallah wasn’t wearing
bright trainers like him. He was wearing ordinary solid black
boots, covered in dust. “I don’t think he’s a very interesting
person,” thought Khaled. He wouldn’t bother trying to make
friends with Abdallah. Later that day, after spending what
seemed like a long time on his homework, Khaled went
outside to play with his friends. Khaled spotted a little figure
walking towards one of the small houses at the end of his
street, a school bag swinging on his shoulder. “Who is coming
home from school so late?” he wondered. He watched as
the figure reached his front door and sat down on the step,
exhausted. “It’s Abdallah!” realised Khaled. As soon as he sat
down, Abdallah reached for his feet and ripped off his boots.
Khaled felt a strange unease in the pit of his stomach.
“No wonder he wears those boots if he had to walk for so
long,” thought Khaled. “And I thought it was because he
wasn’t interesting!” Khaled left his friends and wandered over
to meet Abdallah properly.
11
 a.

a. Why do you think Khaled thought shoes were so important?

b. What was Khaled’s first impression of Abdallah?
c. Why do you think he made such a snap judgement?
d. “Khaled felt a strange unease.” What do you think this line from the
story means?
e. Can you think of a time you made a snap judgment about someone
only to change your mind when you got to know them a bit better?

Unit 4 Lesson 2 12
 Read about diversity in schools of the UAE then answer the question.

UAE recognises the importance of preparing its students for the diversity they will
meet in their future careers. “We have to prepare our students for rapid change and
working collaboratively with people they have never met before from all parts of
the world,” said one school head. “We are proud of the diversity and tolerance that
exists in our school community,” he said. “For the learners in our classrooms, it is
normal for them to be working together with other students from different parts of
the world with multiple perspectives. This encourages them to think flexibly, to be
balanced and open-minded, and inter-culturally aware.”

a. How does diversity at young age affect being a global citizen?

13
 Stand in a circle and examine your potato carefully. Does it have any special
features? Any particular lumps or bumps? Pay special attention to its shape
4 and size. Put your potato in the sack with all the other ones. When they
are spread out on the floor, see if you can identify the potato that belonged
to you!

KEY FACT
Did you know there are over 4,500 different types of potatoes in the world?! Think of all that diversity among just one type of vegetable!

Diversity involves respect for difference. We are all different. And we all have
5 different skills. By working together and learning from each other, we can achieve
many things.

What skills and qualities do you have?

What would you like to learn about and benefit from different cultures?

Unit 4 Lesson 2 14
Unit 4 Respect and Tolerance
in a Diverse Community

Lesson 3

Exploring
Our Own
Beliefs and
Attitudes Learning Outcomes
• Give reasons why it is important to respect the
beliefs, values and traditions of others.
• Articulate some of your own prejudices and offer
strategies to overcome them.
• Demonstrate respect for differences and treat peers
as equals in the classroom and wider school.

15
 Vocabulary

Enriched culture Tolerance

Look at the image of an incomplete jigsaw puzzle. What do you think is

1 missing from the picture? Draw what you think the whole picture should
look like. Then share your images. Are any of the images the same?

QUOTE
‘To be creative is to add something new to life as opposed to being a passive part of it’
His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum

Unit 4 Lesson 3 16
 2 Read the account of one student’s experience at school
then answer the questions that follow.

When I look back on my school days, I realise that tolerance

and acceptance made those years bearable for me, and many
of my classmates. I remember one teacher in particular. She
was funny and patient and she made everyone in the room
feel as if they were the best student there – me included.

In 5th Grade, I realised that I was struggling with even the

easier tasks at school. I was soon diagnosed with a learning
disability called dyslexia. Dyslexia means that things like
reading, spelling, and writing are very difficult. It meant that
other lessons were hard for me too, as I couldn’t read the
books. It made me different from the ‘typical’ student. My
teachers explained that I would need extra help. I announced
to the class what was happening and instead of making fun
of me, as I had feared, the other kids were great.

I discovered something that day –we’re all different. One

girl confessed how hard school had been for her before
she started to wear glasses. Another student said he had
struggled because he was from another country and had
trouble grasping the language. Yet another admitted that his
poor family struggled to pay for his school supplies.

The teachers and students at my school helped me realise

that being different is not necessarily a disadvantage.

17
a. Why does the writer say acceptance and tolerance made his school
years bearable?

b. What role should teachers play in creating a tolerant environment

for students?

c. Wًhy do you think the writer says that being different can be an
advantage?

d. How would you describe a ‘typical’ student?

Unit 4 Lesson 3 18
 Read the article about how diversity enhances the workplace then answer
3 the question that follows.

Years of research has shown that diverse groups of people are more innovative than
groups made up of people of similar backgrounds. If you think about it, it makes
sense that you need diversity of expertise to build something like an aeroplane.
For example, an aeronautical team consisting of engineers, physicists, designers,
and mechanics are needed to complete the project. Multiple perspectives improve
creativity and this can lead to better problem-solving in groups. When people come
together from different backgrounds, they bring a variety of opinions, information,
and perspectives. When designing a house, for instance, a male and a female
architect will have different perspectives and that will result in a better designed
house.

a. Apart from building an aeroplane, can you think of other projects where
multiple perspectives are necessary to achieve a task?

19
 Read about the enriched culture in Dubai and answer the following
4 questions.
Dubai has built a reputation for being
open to new ideas and ways of doing
things. This has enabled it to become
a global centre for innovation, tourism
and business.
Living and working in an environment
of open-mindedness and tolerance
has encouraged many to have the
confidence to discover their true
calling in life, knowing that they will
be supported and nurtured in their
endeavours. This has enriched life in
Dubai, just as Dubai’s spirit of freedom
has enriched the lives of so many
individuals.

a. How do new cultures enrich life in Dubai and how does Dubai enrich
the lives of many individuals?

b. How would an international company benefit from diverse employees?

Think about what makes you different or

5 unique from other people in your class.

Write two sentences about what you are most

proud of on a sticky label and place it with
a photograph of yourself for display in the
classroom.

Unit 4 Lesson 3 20
Unit 4 Respect and Tolerance
in a Diverse Community

Lesson 4

Recognising
Prejudice in
Society
Learning Outcomes
• Articulate some of your own prejudices and
offer strategies to overcome them.
• Demonstrate respect for differences and
treat peers as equals in the classroom and
wider school.

21
 Vocabulary

Prejudice Sympathise

“Why is the popular group of students teasing that new British kid?”
1 “How come Henry never gets picked to play on the team?”
“Why are those kids scribbling on Veronica’s new bag?”
Have you ever asked yourself questions like these?
What is the answer?

Unit 4 Lesson 4 22
 Read the story about prejudice then answer the
2 questions that follow.
Long ago, people used to be afraid of others who wore
different clothes, had different facial characteristics, or who
did things in a different way. Long ago, there were no cars
or aeroplanes either. That meant that people didn’t have
the means of transport to travel and meet different people.
They usually stayed in the place where they were born, with
the same people they had grown up with and never saw
an unfamiliar face or tried unfamiliar food. It’s no wonder
then that people were afraid when they saw strangers from
neighbouring communities. They probably thought they were
there to rob them! Maybe we have even heard stories that
have been passed down through the generations about ‘bad’
people from faraway places.

Nowadays, we all have the freedom and the means of

transport to travel to, or live in different places. So we are
constantly meeting new people from different backgrounds.
Not only are we meeting different people in real life, but we
are also getting to know the world through television and
social media. TV documentaries and shows enable us to learn
about other cultures and social media provides us with even
more information.
Never before have people from all over the world been
so close.
We live and work side by side so we need to respect each
other’s differences and overcome any prejudices that
we have.

23
a. “It’s no wonder they were afraid.” Why do you think the writer
said this?
b. If the neighbouring communities had the opportunity to get to
know each other, what do you think might have happened?
c. What role do you think the media has played in helping diverse
groups of people get to know each other?

Unit 4 Lesson 4 24
 Read the story about prejudice then answer the questions
3 that follow.

Last year, Jack joined our class. His

family had recently moved to Abu Dhabi
from North America. I had never really
met anyone from America before. To be
honest, I wasn’t expecting much! My uncle
Mustapha says that most Americans eat
unhealthy foods and watch TV all day. As
he’s my favourite uncle I tend to believe
what he says.

One day, the teacher put Jack next to me in class. During lunchbreak we sat
together and he told me that his favourite hobby is indoor wall climbing. “That’s
my all-time favourite thing too!” I said. Jack told me that his mother gets nervous
that he will fall and we laughed because mine does too. Jack told me that he hardly
ever watches TV and prefers to read. I told him what my uncle said about Americans
eating unhealthy food. Jack said that some Americans do eat unhealthy food but
that many don’t. His family are vegetarian and his mother hardly ever lets him eat
sugar. I sympathised because mine is very strict about treats too. It turns out that
Jack and I have a lot in common and we are now best friends. These days when I
meet new people I try to judge them after I get to know them not before.

a. Why do you think the writer had this view of Americans? Was he right?
b. The writer says that he believed his uncle because he was his
“favourite uncle”. What lesson can we learn from this?

25
 Share in this walking debate
4 where you vote with your feet!

Remember this is not like other

subjects, there are no right or wrong
answers and you can change your
mind about a statement at any time!

List five cultures in the order of which you like best. Then prepare your
5 project for the next lesson.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Unit 4 Lesson 4 26
Unit 4 Respect and Tolerance
in a Diverse Community

Lesson 5

Whole School
Approach to
Cultural
Diversity
Learning Outcomes
• Articulate some of your own prejudices and provide
strategies to overcome the prejudices.
• Demonstrate respect for differences while treating
peers as equals in interactions in the classroom and
wider school.

27
 Vocabulary

Anti-racism Audit

1 a. What are some of the things you have in common with the other people
in your group? Write a list and stick them on the umbrella!

b. What are some of the things that are unique to you?

c. Think about the rest of the school. What do you have in common with
students in other grade levels?

Unit 4 Lesson 5 28
 Read the text about diversity in schools then answer the
2 questions that follow.

One day the teacher in a school decided to teach the class

about diversity. “Diversity?” asked one child. “There’s no
diversity in this school. We’re all the same, aren’t we?”

“It’s great that you can say that, Ibrahim,” said the teacher.
“We are all EQUAL in the school but we are not the same.
Why don’t we do an audit and find out just how diverse
the school is?” The class got together and drew up a
questionnaire to give to all the teachers and students in
the school. The questionaire included questions like ‘What
language do you speak at home’, ‘What country were you
born in?’, and ‘What country were your parents born in?’.
There were also questions about gender and abilities.

When the survey was complete, Ibrahim was surprised to

see how diverse his school was. There were children from
different countries and cultures, children of determination,
children with learning difficulties, children with different
native languages.

“So, Ibrahim,” said the teacher. “With all this diversity, we

have a lot to learn in this school, don’t you agree?”

29
a. How important is it that a school knows how diverse it is?

b. You probably know how diverse your class is but do you know how
diverse your school is? Conduct a school audit to find out.

Unit 4 Lesson 5 30
 In a school where diversity is embraced, no student
3 should feel excluded or unappreciated. We have
learned that tolerance of difference is key to Anti-Bullying
making the school a place where students come & Anti-Racism Charter
together to learn about the world and learn how to
grow into happy citizens of tomorrow’s world.

We can ensure that our school is accepting and tolerant

of difference by writing a school charter. While writing,
think about all the things that may make a student feel
uncomfortable in school and then write a rule to make
sure this doesn’t happen.
In our school, we make a commitment to:
What do you think is the most important statement your charter
includes? Why?

Read the article about how one school in the UAE celebrated diversity.
4 World Day for Cultural Diversity is celebrated on May 21 each year and many schools
across the emirates hold international days to celebrate multiculturalism.
In one school in Dubai, visitors were greeted with a myriad of colours, music and
cultures.
The school claims to have students from about 90 different countries – quite a
multicultural mix. They had decorated the classrooms in themes that emphasised
the culture of the different countries that the students came from.
“Our class is representing Costa Rica, so we decorated the room in a way that would
give people an idea about the country,” said one student, who was wearing the
national attire of that country.

31
 Costa Rica has five active volcanoes and dozens
of inactive ones so students had made models of
volcanoes. They also displayed some of the food
and traditions associated with the country. “I didn’t
know a lot about the country before we prepared for
this event,” said another student. “But I’ve learned a
lot over the past few weeks.”
Elsewhere, visitors were treated to performances of traditional dance from Pakistan,
Syria, Lebanon, and India.
Visitors to the classrooms were served traditional sweets and coffees associated
with the different countries.
a. What did students learn about other cultures by organising
this event?
b. Do events that celebrate multiculturalism promote tolerance and help
people overcome their prejudices?
c. Read what HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said on
International Tolerance Day, November 16, 2017.
“We should be proud of being a nation where different nationalities are living in
peace and harmony. With true love and tolerance, all live and work together to build
their children’s future without fear of intolerance and hatred or racial discrimination
or distinctions based on colour, religion, race or ethnicity.”
How does this quote make you feel?

KEY FACT
The pedestrian bridge over the Dubai Water Canal has been named Tolerance Bridge. Announcing the name via Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed
said bridges in the UAE connect humanity “literally and metaphorically”.

Present the project you started in Lesson 4.

5
Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.
Anonymous

Unit 4 Lesson 5 32
Theme The Individual and
the Community

Mental Health

Mental Health and Mental Illnesses

Lesson 1 

Lesson 2 Views of Mental Health

Lesson 3 Causes of Mental Deterioration and Its Impact on
  the Individual
Asking for Help
Lesson 4 

Lesson 5 Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Health

How can we deal with mental health issues in a way that respects
the individual and encourages a healthy lifestyle?

33
 Why is it important to look after your mental health?

How would you know if someone is suffering from mental

health issues?

What sources of help are available to people with mental

health issues?

How can an active lifestyle help people cope with mental

health issues?

How does developing resilience help protect your

mental well-being?

34
Unit 5 Mental Health

Lesson 1

Mental Health
and Mental
Illnesses
Learning Outcomes
• Understand the link between mental and
physical health.
• Understand how to maintain good mental health
and resilience.
• Know about the nine basic mental health issues
young people experience, and know how to
identify if someone is at risk.

35
 Vocabulary

Mental health Connect

In this game you will connect with your classmates and maybe even
1 learn some new things about them.

Find someone who:

• Has the same number of siblings as you.
• Was born in the same month as you.
• Has the same pet as you.
• Likes the same food as you.
• Lives in the same neighbourhood as you.

Time to connect

Unit 5 Lesson 1 36
 2 Read the definition of mental health then answer the
following questions.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and
social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also
helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and
make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of
life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Positive mental health allows people to:
· Realize their full potential
· Cope with the stresses of life
· Work productively
· Make meaningful contributions to their communities
Mental health is closely related to physical health. Broadly
speaking, the less you are active, the more likely you are
to end up with physical, but also mental, health problems.
We often talk about the mind and body as though they
are completely separate - but they aren’t. The mind can’t
function unless your body is working properly. If you keep
active, you are less likely to be depressed, anxious or tense,
more likely to feel good about yourself and more likely to
concentrate and focus better. Exercising and playing sports
can also help by getting you together with other people,
which is in itself very important for maintaining good
mental health.

37
 Mental Health Ribbon

a. What is mental health? And what is its importance in life?

b. How is mental health related to physical health?

Unit 5 Lesson 1 38
 Read about Mental Health Challenges then answer the
3 following questions.

Mental health challenges are disorders of brain function. They have many causes
and result from complex interactions between a person’s genes and their
environment.
Nine common mental health challenges face young people today.

5 Addiction
4 Eating
Disorders 6 Trauma

3 Psychotic 7 Development
Disorders Disorders

2 Anxiety
Disorders 8 Self Harming

Mental
1 Mood
Disorders
Health 9 OCD
challenges

a. Can you explain these disorders? Your teacher will help you!
b. How do you think you would know if someone is experiencing mental
health challenges?
c. How can you support them?

KEY FACT
World Mental Health Day is on October 10.

39
 Look at the picture and answer the following.
4 a. Discuss how connecting with others can improve mental health.
b. Did you ever support your friend at difficult times? Share your
experience with the class. Make sure you respect confidentiality.

Connecting with friends

a. Create a poster for World Mental Health Day encouraging people to

5 have a healthy mental and physical life.
b. With your group, do research about one of the disorders designated
to you.

Unit 5 Lesson 1 40
Unit 5 Mental Health

Lesson 2

Views of
Mental
Health
Learning Outcomes
• Understand that mental health issues can affect
anyone. They are not something to stigmatise.

41
 Vocabulary

Gratitude Stigmatisation

Destigmatisation

1 Often we are too busy doing things to stop and take notice of what is
happening in our lives.

During this activity you will be given a sheet where you can list 10 things
that you are grateful for in your life. These can be people, things, activities
or feelings.

Thank you!

Unit 5 Lesson 2 42
 2 Read the article about Destigmatising Mental Health
then answer the questions that follow.
People who suffer from mental health issues face many
obstacles in life. If they are lucky, they have a good support
network around them, with friends and family who help them
through their days. However, unlike other health issues,
mental health issues are often misunderstood. People who
suffer from depression, for example, are often told that they
are just “having a bad day” or going through “a phase”. They
might be told to “cheer up” or pull themselves together. They
might hear that they need to “try harder” to get “better”.
These unhelpful attitudes add to the stigma of mental health.
Sufferers might feel ashamed about their condition, and in
extreme cases might be discriminated against because of it.
This of course all adds to burden they are already carrying.
So how can you help to combat the stigma often associated
with mental health? First, remember that these people
are suffering. How would you deal with a friend who was
suffering from a toothache or a broken leg? You’d show
empathy and try to help him, right? The same attitude is
needed when dealing with mental health. Suppose you have
a friend who is dealing with a mental health issue. Show
empathy and compassion. Think about the impact of your
words and actions. If your friend wants to open up and talk
to you, listen to him. Show him that you want to help. If he
chooses to stay silent, don’t force him to talk. Sometimes
people need time to make the decision to share their

43
thoughts. Just let him know that you’ll listen when he
wants to talk. Give advice if you think he’s open to that.
But remember, mental illness can affect anybody. It’s
nobody’s fault. So give your advice in a caring fashion.
By listening and being there, you can help your friend deal
with his illness.

No more stigma!

a. What challenges might people who have mental health

issues face?
b. How could you deal with these challenges?

Unit 5 Lesson 2 44
 With your group, present a three-character role play.
3
Having a mental illness is not a choice or moral failing. Mental illnesses occur at
similar rates around the world, in every culture and in all socio-economic groups. A
mental illness makes the things you do in daily life, like school, work and socialising
with other people, hard.

• One character plays a person dealing with mental health issues. Play
the role in a caring way.
• The second character is someone who has a negative attitude to
mental health problems.
• The third character challenges this negative attitude and supports the
first character.

What are your attitudes to mental health? True or False?

4 Your teacher will call out statements. True False

Young people feel that their parents won’t take them seriously if they
tell them they are facing mental health challenges.  

Mental health issues can be cured if help is sought.  

Young people need more strategies to deal with stress and worry  
Young people who suffer from mental health issues worry that their
friends will make fun of them for it.  
It is normal to experience mental health issues .  
Mental health issues may get worse without help from friends, family
and professional services.  

45
5 Write a short paragraph about how you feel.

We all need to take notice of our thoughts. Think about how you feel today. What
are you happy about? What are you grateful for? Are you worried about anything?

I take notice

Unit 5 Lesson 2 46
Unit 5 Mental Health

Lesson 3

Causes of
Mental
Deterioration
and Its Impact
on the Individual
Learning Outcomes
• Know how to access structured support such as
peer support and formal counselling.

47
 Vocabulary

Active Exercise

Physically fit

Look at the picture and discuss what you see with your class.
1

What’s in the mirror?

Unit 5 Lesson 3 48
 2 Read about inclusion of individuals with intellectual
disabilities in sports then answer the questions that
follow.

The 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games will take

place in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the
human spirit through the transformative power and joy of
sports, every day around the world. We empower people
with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued
members of their communities, which leads to a more
respectful and inclusive society for all.
7,000 athletes and their families, from 170 countries will be
welcomed at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in
Abu Dhabi. The athletes will compete in 22 sports, taking
place at multiple venues throughout the city.
Commenting on the momentous occasion, the Chairman of
the Abu Dhabi World Games Higher Committee, said: “Abu
Dhabi has long been at the forefront of the inclusion of
individuals with intellectual disabilities in our region. Today,
we are celebrating a milestone in a journey that began with
the vision of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahian-may God have
mercy upon his soul-in promoting an inclusive society. We
are proud to continue this tradition through our leaders, and
extend our commitment to the Special Olympics movement,

49
which has the firm backing of the Crown Prince Court of Abu
Dhabi, and the entire nation, as it brings us a step further
in achieving social inclusion. Thanks to the Special Olympics
athletes of the UAE who have inspired us to reach this
milestone.”

HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the signing of hosting the Special
Olympics in Abu Dhabi in 2019

a. How does the power and joy of sports unleash the human spirit?
b. What role can a school play in encouraging a healthier lifestyle?

Unit 5 Lesson 3 50
 Read the article about Five Ways to Well-being. Then answer the
3 questions that follow.

Because we live in such a fast-paced world, we

may neglect our mental emotional and needs.
But this can just lead to further problems later
in life. Mental health issues can include feelings
of panic, anxiety, loneliness, despair, or even
lack of direction. This turn leads to `negative
thinking’, as we focus on our problems and
things that we think are going wrong in our
lives. So sometimes we need to give ourselves a `mental workout’.
One effective way to protect your mental health is to use the `Five Ways to Well-
Being’. These are simple activities that people can easily do in their everyday lives
to look after their health and wellbeing.
They were developed by the New Economics Foundation based on evidence
gathered about mental health and well-being. The five ways have been used by
health organizations, schools and community projects worldwide to help people
take action to improve their wellbeing.

a. With your group, analyse the meaning of each of the 5 ways and how
would it help.

5 Ways to Wellbeing

Connect Be Active Take Notice Keep Learning Give

51
 Mental health issues can stem from many causes. With your partner,
4 discuss some of the causes listed below and decide how the `five ways’
could help people in these situations.

a. There are no right or wrong answers here-just creative ideas to help

you, your community and your world.

Cause Solution

Feeling isolated Connect with others

Unhealthy ‘lazy’ lifestyle and diet

Sense of fear or anxiety

Shocking experience

Sense of worthlessness

The Five Ways and Me.

5 In order to help others, we first need to look after and care
for ourselves. The Five Ways provides a strategy to do just
this. Think about how you could apply the five ways to look
after your own mental health. Think specifically about the
first way, Connect.
Write a short paragraph about how the five ways
could help you.

Unit 5 Lesson 3 52
Unit 5 Mental Health

Lesson 4

Asking for
Help
Learning Outcome
• Know how to access structured support such as
peer support and formal counselling.

53
 Vocabulary

Support Seeking help

Counselling Mindfulness

You are not alone in the world. You don’t have to do everything yourself.
1 You can ask for help.

I need help!

With your partner, consider these questions:

a. When is it time to ask for help for yourself?
b. When is it time to ask for help for a friend?
c. Who could you ask for help?
What I might say when looking for help:

Unit 5 Lesson 4 54
 2 Read the following article then discuss the questions
that follow.

In the modern world, everybody seems to be busy. Life is a

constant swirl of activity: tasks, deadlines, classes, meetings,
chores and so on. We are all moving so fast that we forget
that sometimes we need to slow down. We need to literally
take a breath!
Because we are constantly doing, we may lose touch with
how we are feeling. Mindfulness is a very effective relaxation
technique that gives you a chance to ‘check in’ with yourself.
You choose to stop for a moment (maybe a minute, maybe
fifteen minutes) and take notice of how you are feeling.
One of the core practices in mindfulness is attention to
breathing. This simply involves paying attention to your
breath, noting each in breath and each out breath. You don’t
need to change your breathing; you just need to notice this.
This helps your brain to slow down and helps you to notice
how you are feeling. You have a chance to listen to what your
body is telling you.
As you relax more, you start to pay attention to your body.
Do you feel relaxed? Is there pain or tension anywhere? Do
you feel calm or is your mind (and your heartbeat) racing? For
now, you are just noticing your feelings. You are not judging
or analysing them.
By taking notice of what your body and mind are telling you,
you can start to think about whether you need to change
your lifestyle or seek help.

55
As you become more
skilled at mindfulness,
you can apply it to
many aspects of your
life. You can walk
mindfully, paying
attention to each step.
You can eat mindfully,
paying attention to
taste. And you can even listen to music mindfully, paying
attention to each note.
Isn’t it time that you stopped and took a breath?

a. How can mindfulness help you to take notice?

b. How can mindfulness help you to keep learning?

Complete the almonds eating exercise. Share your thoughts

about the experience in the box below.

Unit 5 Lesson 4 56
 Read the following article, then complete
3 the activity that follows.

Children and young adults need guidance and

support, especially when it comes to dealing
with academic, personal, parental and social
pressures. This is why many schools employ
guidance counsellors.
A counsellor’s job is to help students reach I’m here for you!
their full potential. First and foremost, they
listen to students’ concerns. They also act as advocates for students’ well-being,
and as valuable resources for their educational advancement. Counsellors can help
students with issues such as bullying, disabilities, low self-esteem, poor academic
performance and relationship troubles. In addition, they can evaluate students’
abilities, interests and personalities to help them develop realistic academic and
career goals.
On the job, school councellors listen to students’ concerns about academic,
emotional or social problems. They help students process their problems and
plan goals and action, mediate conflict between students and teachers. They can
also improve parent/teacher relationships, assist with college applications, jobs
and scholarships. They can help in organizing peer counselling programs, work on
academic boards to improve learning conditions.
Because everyone’s home and social life is different, guidance counsellors need to
be caring, flexible, adaptable and patient.
Being a counsellor can be difficult, but you can make a fulfilling career from easing
students through the often tumultuous school years. With your help, they can
navigate problems with confidence.

a. What skills should a good counsellor have?

b. With your group, prepare a role play where one character raises
concerns about their mental health, and another character urges them
to seek help.

57
 With your group, make a simple poster urging people to seek help if
4 they need it. It can be for seeking help for a specific mental health
disorder or can be a guide to accessing help for any challenges you or
your friends are facing.

Make sure to include:

Nonprofessionals: Professional
support:

Help me in:

Write a short paragraph about asking for help.

5 Everybody needs some help sometimes. Perhaps you’ve
needed help in the past. Or maybe you might need help
in the future. If you needed help, would you know who to
turn to? Would you know what to ask? And how do you
think you’d feel after asking for and receiving help.

Unit 5 Lesson 4 58
Unit 5 Mental Health

Lesson 5

Healthy
Lifestyle and
Mental Health
Learning Outcomes
• Understand how to maintain good mental health
and resilience – e.g. through participation in arts
and sport – as well as the risks to mental health
from such things as isolation and substance
abuse.

59
 Vocabulary

Compliment

Resilience

Sit in a circle.
1 When it’s your turn, give a compliment to the person on your right. Then,
when it’s your turn again, give a compliment to the person on your left.
As you participate in this activity, consider the following:
• How does it feel to give a compliment?
• How does it feel to receive a compliment?

It’s nice to be nice!

Unit 5  lesson 5 60
 Read about applying the five ways in order to improve
2 your physical and mental health, then answer the
questions that follow.

By applying the Five Ways, you can greatly improve both your
mental and physical health, and become a more resilient
person, better able to cope with life’s trials.
When you connect with others, you build a support network.
People are stronger when they reach out and work together.
The more active you become, the healthier you will feel,
both in your mind and in your body. You will become tougher
and stronger, able to overcome obstacles and deal with
problems that you encounter.
Remember to take time to take notice. Be mindful of what
your body is telling you. What are your thoughts? What are
your feelings? The more aware you are of your developing
strengths, the more your confidence and enthusiasm grow.
We all have bad days. We can’t achieve everything on our
own all the time. Sometimes on your journey, you need
help along the way. Knowing when to ask for help isn’t a
weakness; it’s a strength.
Finally, give something back to others. Be grateful for the
good things in your life. And share the goodness with others.
Develop an attitude of gratitude.

6161
If you first focus on improving and helping yourself, you will then
have the strength to help those around you. As your support
network grows, you develop more resilience, you feel ready to
help even those you don’t know, those who may be struggling in
your community.
And then everyone starts to grow together!

Supporting each other

a. How can you use the five ways to strengthen your

own resilience?
b. How can you use the five ways to help your friends and family to
strengthen their resilience?
c. How can you help the people in your community to strengthen
their resilience?

Unit 5 Lesson
Unit 5  lesson 5
5 62
62
 Read the following article and then complete the tasks that follow with
3 your partner.
Charitable work and social solidarity have been
the fundamental pillars of UAE society and have
always helped the people of this country face
all kinds of hardships before the discovery of
oil and the advent of prosperity. Philanthropy
has developed with the growth of the Emirates,
as reflected in the establishment of charitable
societies and organizations dedicated to
alms-giving and charitable activities. Other
contributors include government institutions and domestic initiatives launched by
UAE nationals as well as other residents.
The UAE’s most important charities include the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation. Founded in 1992 for charitable projects
inside and outside the UAE by Sheikh Zayed (may God have mercy on his soul), the
founding father of the UAE, the organisation has helped many countries through its
aid projects.
Another leading charity is the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.
Launched in 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, its stated goal is
to empower future generations to create knowledge-based societies by funding
research projects and initiatives.
The importance of tradition in contemporary charities is reflected in the name of
another important UAE charity, the Zakat Fund. The Zakat Fund was created in 2003
by Sheikh Zayed and is a public body that officially collects Zakat donations in the
UAE. Its charitable projects provide for widows, orphans, unemployed persons, the
elderly, and the disabled.
• Consider why charity is such an important element of UAE life.
• Find a charity in the UAE that helps people with mental health issues.

63
4 It’s time to get creative!

 se your creativity to make a gift for your

U
assigned classmate. You can:
• Make them a card
• Write them a poem
• Draw them a picture
• Make them a mini sculpture.
Think about their gifts and talents while
you make it for them. Create something
that will make them smile. For you!

We’ve been on a journey in this unit! We’ve covered five ways to

5 improving our well-being.

Think about your own journey. Write a short paragraph about your journey and
where you’d like to go from here.

Are you more

resilient now than How do you think
you were before? you can improve
your own well-
being?

What about those

close to you? And how can you
give something
back to society?

Unit 5  lesson 5 64
 Unit 6

Moral Education in Action

‘We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts’ (Aristotle).

Introduction to Moral Education in Action

Now that you have completed the Grade 6 units in the Moral Education programme, what happens next? In
this unit, you and your classmates will build on the skills you have learnt by taking part in an action project.
The Moral Education programme has taught us that our actions are shaped by our values. This action project
helps you to put the theory into practice.
Young people are not ‘Citizens in Waiting’ (Professor Audrey Osler). You will be able to examine your own
understanding of citizenship and explore a range of moral issues in the classroom. At this stage in the
programme, you should feel able and willing to take responsible action to help create a better community.
The action in the project can range from individual charitable acts and making more ethical consumer
choices, to group actions such as raising awareness about important issues or campaigns for change.
This action project gives the student, the opportunity to make a difference in many ways and at many levels
in real-world situations. It’s your ‘Call to Action’.
Before deciding on your action project, it is important to take some time to step back and plan for the
project.

Reflect about
your school

School policies
School
environment

Is collective Recent actions

action at school
something new
in your school

65
 Reflect about
your project Decide on the
kind of direct
Reflect with all action
the students in
the class

Base your project What change

on what you have can you enact on
studied this year community level?

Think outside
Decide on the of merely
topic the school
environment

Grade 6 Unit 6 66
 The Action
Once you have decided on your project, together with your classmates you should brainstorm the
following questions

What is the specific aim of the project?

How are you going to get it on the agenda of the relevant

decision makers?

How can you encourage the rest of your school to get on board?

How are you going to encourage the public to make a change for
the better?

What kind of follow-up plans will help to really maximise change?

Ideas for Action Project

1. Creative project:

As a Grade 6 student, you could work collaboratively with your class to construct a sculpture, mural or art
piece for the school exploring a theme from your Moral Education programme.
You could bring ideas from earlier lessons into your approach to the project. For example, based on what
you learned about sustainability and looking after the planet for future generations, you could look to use
recyclable materials in your art piece. Organise your class to collect used paper, paper cups, bottle caps,
glass jars, bags, wool, textiles or other materials in advance of creating the art piece and involve other
grade levels in contributing supplies for the installation.

2. Memory book or Memory box:

With the rest of your class, create a ‘Memory box’ of some of your favourite times from school so far.
You could include photos or poems or pieces of art work from previous project work or lessons. Why
not add copies of certificates or awards or achievements of your class? You could even work together to
create a template or framework for the memory box which other grade levels could then use in the future.
You could come back to the school in five years and open your memory box together to remember the
cohesive school community that you all created for yourselves!

67
3. Whole-school cultural passport project:

Along with your class you could organise a whole school project whereby each class learns about aspects
of a particular country. Find out about the cultural, political and societal characteristics of your chosen
country and distil the main facts and learning into a cultural ‘passport’. You can then visit other ‘countries’
in the school to learn more about them and get your passport stamped when you have completed a visit!

Showcase Event for Your Parents

Now that you have undertaken the project work, you will want to update your parents about your
progress! Along with the rest of your class you will plan a showcase event. Below are some ideas for
organising a showcase event for them:

1. Design:
•  With your class and teacher, choose the space and venue for your showcase. (your classroom or the
school hall).
•  Plan how you will design the space.
•  You could represent the flags of all the countries of people in your class.
•  You could design a ‘name wall’ where everyone writes their name.

2. Display:
•  Ensure that everything you have learned from the action project is visually represented.
•  Include posters or other graphical representations of the work that you have done.
•  Set up a self-running slideshow of photos that were taken during your action project.

3. Engagement:
•  Prepare questionnaires.
•  Prepare quizzes for parents to attempt.
•  Conversation starter sentences to start dialogues.

4. Think:
• Define the best ways through which you can communicate the new knowledge you have acquired and
the skills you have developed as a result of this project.

Grade 6 Unit 6 68
 Other Ideas for Sharing Your Action Project

You may decide that you would like to share what you have learned through the action project in
alternative ways to the showcase event for parents. Below are some other suggestions:

•  Share the main learning from your project in a school blog or newsletter.
•  Summarise the main points of your project in a poster or infographic.
•  Take part in a partnership event with a local school that has also completed a moral education
action project.
•  Contribute to a reflective journal or learning log.
•  Use social media to share details of some of your project work, for example a class Twitter account
or podcasts.

69
QUOTE
‘How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world’
Anne Frank

Grade 6 Unit 6 70
 Parents’
Guide
Grade 6

71
 Respect and Tolerance in a Diverse
Unit 4
Community

Unit 5 Mental Health

Grade 6 72
 Lettre to the Parents/ Guardians

Dear Parents/ Guardians

Welcome to a new term, one that we hope will be fruitful and
beneficial.
We have decided to teach Moral Education in order to
facilitate the character development of our students. We aim
to introduce them to a set of individual and social values,
which we hope they will abide by. This will enable them to
play an effective role in the community and create a bright
future on both personal and social levels.
Therefore, we hope you will contribute to our efforts by talking
to your children and discussing with them the topics and
lessons of this course.
At the beginning of each unit, you will find a summary of its
content and intended learning outcomes. We hope you will
read the summary and learning outcomes and work with your
children to complete one or more activities from the menu
suggested in this unit, thus ensuring interaction between the
students and their family members.

73
Grade 6 Unit 4 74
Theme Character and Morality

Unit 4

Respect and Tolerance in a

Diverse Community

Objectives of the Unit

To understand that cultural diversity is a natural part of the human experience and that an
appreciation of multiple perspectives will enrich the school environment.

How can we best recognise, respect and understand

cultural diversity?

75
Exploratory Questions

- What is culture? Is culture fluid or fixed?

- How does culture influence our identity?

- Why is it important to consider multiple perspectives?

- How can we recognise and challenge prejudice?

- How can we demonstrate solidarity?

Learning Outcomes:

- Explain how social background plays a role in fostering (or undermining) tolerance,
respect and equality between people.
- Give reasons why it is important to respect the beliefs, values and traditions of others.
- Articulate some of their own prejudices and offer strategies to overcome them.
- Demonstrate respect for differences and treat peers as equals in the classroom and
wider school.

Grade 6 Unit 4 76
 Home Activities

Activity 1:

Help your child choose a cultural artefact/symbol of your culture to draw and discuss at
school.

- Help the child find and, if necessary, clean up the cultural artefact.

- As a family, discuss why this artefact is important to your family.

- Ask each family member to share a story of why the artefact is important to them.

- Bring your child to visit relatives, especially older relatives, to learn more about your
family history and discover other family artefact that are important to your culture.

77
Activity 2:

What’s in my lunchbox?! The food we eat comes from lots of different countries around
the world.

- Along with your child, look up where the food in their lunch or in your weekly shopping
comes from.

- Research about the countries where the different food items come from, and the
importance of that food item to that country.

- Draw a mind map of your dinner, tracing where the different foods and drinks come
from. Use this as the basis for an after-dinner conversation about ‘interdependence’,
how we are inextricably linked with other people around the world through the food we
eat, the transport we use and the consumer choices we make.

- One evening, have each family member bring a food item from a different country
(choosing food items that the family wouldn’t normally eat) and then use the different
items to make a fun family meal.

Activity 3:

Being a responsible citizen.

- Along with your child, jointly write a letter to their future self about what type of citizen
you hope they will become. Put it away somewhere safe and give it to them when they
turn 18.

- Draw up a family charter on the types of behaviours and belief that all members are
expected to adhere to. These should reflect the values of tolerance and respect for
difference.

- Have each family member share a story of when they experienced some form of
prejudice.

- Play a game of ‘charades’, where two family members mime a situation of prejudice,
and the other family members have to guess what’s going on in the scenario.

Grade 6 Unit 4 78
Theme Character and Morality

Unit 5

Mental Health

Objectives of the Unit

The aim of this unit is to help students explore the issues surrounding mental health,
including recognising how to deal with mental health issues and interact with those
suffering from mental health issues.

How can we deal with mental health issues in a way

that respects the individual and encourages a
healthy lifestyle?

79
Exploratory Questions

- Why is it important to look after your mental health?

- How would you know if someone is suffering from mental health issues?

- What sources of help are available to people with mental health issues?

- How can an active lifestyle help people cope with mental health issues?

- How does developing resilience help protect your mental well-being?

Learning Outcomes:

- Understand the link between mental and physical health.

- Understand how to maintain good mental health and resilience – e.g. through participation
in arts and sport – as well as the risks to mental health from such things as isolation and
substance abuse.
- Know how to access structured support such as peer support and formal counselling.
- Understand what can cause stress or mood changes.
- Know about the nine basic mental-health issues young people experience, and know
how to identify if someone is at risk.

Grade 6 Unit 5 80
 Home Activities

Activity 1:

Applying the five ways

Have a series of activities around the five ways

- Spend an evening connecting with each other, taking time to learn something new
about each other or sharing hopes and plans for the future. Try to deepen the connections
between family members.

- Set aside an hour where you can be active together as a family. Maybe take a walk
together, or spend some time in the gym. Perhaps go to a swimming pool. The idea is
to show that being active can be more fun when done with others.

- On another evening, have some quiet time as a family. Perhaps set aside 20 minutes
when there’s no talking, no music, no television, just silence.

- Share one thing that is concerning you with another family member. Show that it’s okay
to ask for help and advice.

- Have a gratitude evening, where all member share three things that they are grateful
for in life (grateful to family; grateful to community; grateful to UAE).

81
Activity 2:

Being mindful

Over the week, carry out different activities that develop mindfulness. After each activity,
discuss the experience.

- Have a 15 minute breathing exercise, where each family member pays attention to their
breathing and embraces the silence so they can hear what their body is telling them.

- Go for a mindful walk. Walk slowly and deliberately, noticing every step. You don’t even
have to leave the house to do this. Walking around a room can help you develop mindful
walking.

- Have a mindful eating feast. Put a selection of small treats on a table. Family member
select a treat and slowly eat it, paying attention to the various senses (taste, touch,
sound, small, sight).

- Have a mindful concert. Set aside 20 minutes to listen, really listen, to a peace of music.
It can be any music, though calm, relaxing music is preferable. Try to notice every note
and every instrument.

Grade 6 Unit 5 82
 Activity 3:

Asking for help

Create an atmosphere at home where people feel comfortable asking for help.

- Assign each family member a subject to research, something that another family
member may be more familiar with. Family members then should ask each other for
help with their assignment. People should be supportive, not judgemental, when offering
help.

- Each family member should choose a practical problem that they like to solve. However,
they need to ask other members for help in solving the problem. For example, if
someone’s phone isn’t working, they could ask another family member to help them
find a solution, rather than searching for a solution on their own.

83
Activity 4:

Being grateful

Try to cultivate an “Attitude of Gratitude” in the home.

- Encourage people to say thank you for even small things and acknowledge when people
do express gratitude.

- Each evening for a week before going to bed, have each family member identify one
thing they are grateful for in that day.

- Search for gratitude. Ask family members to identity one thing that annoyed them
during the day, and then encourage them to find something to be grateful for in the
experience. For example, “My car broke down, but I had an interesting conversation
about football with the mechanic.”

Grade 6 Unit 5 84
 Glossary
Active: Moving and energetic; not still.
Anti-racism: Opposition to all types of discrimination based on race or
culture.
Attitude: A belief or opinion that varies from one culture to the next, such
as attitudes towards money or health.
Audit: An official evaluation or assessment of an organisation.
Communication: The process of transferring information from a source to
a target.
Compliment: To say something nice or positive to or about another person.
Connect: Engage with someone else in a meaningful way and share
thoughts and feelings with them.
Counselling: Professional support for people suffering mental health
issues or stress.
Cultural significance: The reason why something (an artefact or symbol,
for example) is important to a particular culture.
Culture: The ideas, knowledge, behaviours, patterns, customs, beliefs,
characteristics or habits of a group of people.
Destigmatisation: The process of challenging negative beliefs and
attitudes about a situation or a condition.
Diversity: Many different types of people (or things) being included and
treated as equal.
Enriched culture: A culture that is vibrant, innovative and evolving, and
interacting with other cultures.
85
Exercise: Activities that use up energy and improve your physical health.
Gratitude: Giving thanks for the good things you have, good things that
have happened to you, or good things you received.
Mental health: The condition and ‘fitness’ of your thoughts and your
emotions, as opposed to the fitness of your body.
Mindfulness: Focussed awareness of your thoughts and feelings.
Multiple perspectives: Acknowledging that there are numerous ways of
looking at something and that a variety of different standpoints can
be helpful.
Physically fit: Having a healthy body that is able to do many exercises
and activities.
Policy: A document or statement used by an organisation to guide action.
Prejudice: Pre-judging someone or something. A pre-conceived idea
formed without any basis in knowledge or fact.
Resilience: The ability to cope with life’s difficulties and to recover
after setbacks.
Seeking help: Contacting others when you feel overwhelmed, in danger
or stressed.
Snap judgment: A decision made in a hurry without thinking, usually
straight after meeting someone or an event.
Stigmatisation: Negative beliefs and attitudes about a situation or
a condition.

86
 Support: Help or encouragement, especially in times of difficulty.

Sympathise: Feel with others.

Tolerance: The quality of accepting people and their behaviour and
opinions even if you are not in agreement with them.

87
89
References
P 2 shutterstock/LizCoughlan; P 4 Shutterstock/Dilen; P 6 Shutterstock/Annasunny24; P 7 Shutterstock/corgarashu;
P 8 Shutterstock/Natasha Pankina; P 8 Shutterstock/Maria Averburg; P 10 Shutterstock/anythings; P 12 Shutterstock/
Viacheslav Nikolaenko; P 13 Shutterstock/ZouZou; P 14 Shutterstock/Ratcha1; P 16 ALAMY/RTimages; P 18 Shutterstock/
wavebreakmedia; P 19 Shutterstock/Sergey Nivens; P 20 ALAMY/Thailand Wildlife; P 20 Shutterstock/RastoS; P 22
Shutterstock/wavebreakmedia; P 24 Shutterstock/El Greco; P 25 Shutterstock/Creativa Images; P 26 Shutterstock/
Kamil Macniak; P 28 Shutterstock/miroslav110; P 30 Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com; P 31 Shutterstock/kontur-vid; P 32
ALAMY/Art Directors & TRIP; P 34 Shutterstock/Patryk Kosmider; P 36 Shutterstock/A. and I. Kruk; P 38 Shutterstock/
Click Bestsellers; P 40 Shutterstock/View Apart; P 42 Shutterstock/WAYHOME studio; P 44 Shutterstock/Gustavo
Frazao; P 46 Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images; P 48 Shutterstock/Des Green; P 50 Special olympics/National
Archive; P 51 Shutterstock/Atstock Productions; P 52 PhocalMedia/Kami-arabianEye; P 54 Shutterstock/val lawless; P 56
Shutterstock/STUDIO GRAND OUEST; P 57 Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images; P 58 Shutterstock/Zurijeta; P 60
PearsonLibrary/Andresr. Shutterstock; P 62 ALAMY/ZUMA Press, Inc.; P 63 Shutterstock/Kertu; P 64 PearsonLibrary/
Sarawut Aiemsinsuk. Shutterstock; P 65 Shutterstock/TETIANA SUKHORUKOVA; P 65 shutterstock/Abert; P 66
Shutterstock/TETIANA SUKHORUKOVA; P 66 shutterstock/Abert; P 77 ALAMY/AVI Pictures; P 81 ALAMY/
Grapheast

90