Christina Carey

Mental Illness - Mental Health Escape Room

AIM: What can you do to help yourself &/or someone else improve their mental health?

DO NOW:
● Find your name on the signs & sit with your groups
● Take out your mental health packet

OBJECTIVES:
● SWBT communicate and collaborate with each other to complete the escape room puzzles.
● SWBT determine ways to start a conversation and be an active listener to someone in need of mental health
guidance.
● SWBT apply concepts and resources learned in class to determine the importance of helping themself or
someone else
● SWBT understand the importance of following up/checking in with those who are enduring hardship.

NYS STANDARDS:
● STANDARD 2: Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and
healthy environment
● STANDARD 3: Students will understand and be able to manage their personal and Community Resources
● STANDARD 4: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.

NY STATE HEALTH GUIDANCE DOCUMENT SKILLS:

● SELF MANAGEMENT
○ SM.C.2: Analyze the attributes (knowledge, skills, competencies) of a safe and healthy person.
○ SM.C.4: predict short – and long-term benefits and harmful consequences of behaviors based on
their personal health and safety assessment
○ SM.C.5 Selects and applies a health skill to improve Personal health and safety.
○ SM.C.6 Identifies and accesses personal support persons or systems.

● COMMUNICATION
○ CM.C.1: Employees active listening and response skills and health enhancing ways.
○ CM.C.6: Demonstrates ways to communicate care, consideration and respect of self and others
○ C M.C.9: Close collaboration skills to address complex health issues.

● RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT
○ RM.C.2: Analyzes the attributes (knowledge, skills, competencies) of a nurturing, and pathetic,
respectful, responsible person.

EDISON VALUES:
● Health & Wellness
● Respect
● Responsibility

MATERIALS:
● Sudoku Puzzle
● Word Search
● Cryptogram
● Word Scramble
● Mental Health Packet
LESSON:
● Students will be instructed to enter the room and find their designated group.
● Teacher will explain the escape room puzzles.
● Students will have 25-30 minutes to complete all of the puzzles and “escape”
○ When a group has “escaped” they will be advised to complete page 8 in their mental health packet
● Puzzle Answers / CLOSURE
○ Word Search → Start the Conversation
■ Conversation starters for mental health.
■ What can you say to start a conversation with someone you are concerned about?
● Page 8 (Conversation Starters)
○ Ask students for their answers
○ Cryptogram → Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the
intent to reply.
■ How can you be an active listener? What does active listening involve?
● Provide unbiased feedback, ask questions/calrofy,, eye contact, remove distractions.
● Just listen, doesn't necessarily mean they are looking for a response.
○ Sudoku Puzzle → 1800-273-8255
■ Resource available for crisis situations
○ Word Scramble → Repeat
■ What should you be repeating after you start the conversation and find out your friend is going
through a tough time?
● Check in and follow up with that person.
■ PAGE 8
● Listen, Care, Repeat
○ What did you need to do in order to “escape - break free” from mental illness?
■ Ask for help, communicate, work together, use your resources.

ASSESSMENT/ CLASSWORK/ HOMEWORK

● Page 8
○ Teacher will collect the packets on the next class day to determine that the students have completed
the work correctly with appropriate conversation starters.

DIFFERENTIATION:
● Students will be provided with 4 different puzzles (2 of each puzzle per group). This will allow the students to
work together but apart to ensure social distancing.
○ Group work & Independent Work
● Visual powerpoint, Kinesthetic work to target various learning styles.