Objective: To help students recognize how stress shows up physically and build awareness of common body signals.
Instructions:
1. Place a large sheet of paper or cardboard in the center of the classroom with a life-size outline of a human figure.
2. Give each student several sticky notes. Ask them to write down one physical symptom they notice in themselves when stressed (e.g., tense shoulders, headache, sweaty palms) or something they observe in others. (If someone feels uncomfortable, they can step out of the activity anytime.)
3. One by one, students come forward and stick their notes on the part of the figure where that symptom occurs. If a symptom is already listed, they still add their note to show how common it is.
4. When everyone has contributed, look at the figure together and notice patterns.
Reflection Questions:
1. Which areas of the body have the most notes?
2. What helps you reduce stress when you feel it in those areas?
3. How does your body feel when you are relaxed?
4. Did you notice any new signs of stress you hadn’t thought about before?
5. What is one takeaway from this activity?