1. Emotional Strength Training
Lesson 6
Adapted from “Strong Kids”
For grades 6-8

2. Learning Target
I can identify negative thought patterns.

3. Review How do you define emotion, empathy, perspective, and cues?
What are some visual cues you look for to tell someone’s emotional state?

4. Feelings Thermometer
high
Think of a time when you felt angry. Use the thermometer to help you figure out the level of emotion you felt in that situation.
If you only felt a little angry, you might be towards the bottom. The more angry you felt, the higher up on the thermometer you would be.
medium
low

5. Common Thinking Errors
Binocular Vision
-looking at things in a way that makes them seem bigger or smaller than they really are
Black-or-White Thinking
-looking at things in extremes, either all good or all bad, never or always, all or none
Making it Personal
-blaming yourself for things that are not your fault
Dark Glasses
-thinking about only the negative parts of things
Fortune-Telling
-making predictions about the future without enough evidence
Blame Game
-blaming other people for things you should take responsibility for

6. Activity 1
With a partner, read each situation and identify the common thinking error.

7. Activity 2
With a group, complete the table with situations where you had a negative thought and used a common thinking error.
Choose one of the situations and role-play the situation, showing which common thinking error was used.

8. Exit Slip On a half-sheet of paper, answer the following question.
Which Common Thinking Error do you use the most? Give one example of when you used this Common Thinking Error.