Divide the day into major activities like school, sleep, entertainment, homework and work. Ask the students to write down how much time they spent on each activity category each day. Have them log this information for a week. The following week, evaluate amounts of time that could be spent in healthier, more productive activities. For example, if a student spends five hours on the Internet or television each night, suggest spending that time working at an extracurricular activity.
A 2005 report from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse revealed that approximately 2.1 million teens abused prescription drugs. This made it the second most abused drug after marijuana. Inform students about the dangers of prescription drug abuse by debunking common myths and reinforcing the facts. Create a worksheet that includes common myths about prescription drugs, and require that the students use the Internet to find out the truth about the consequences of abusing them.
Print off the Stress Scale for Youth and pass it out. Ask each of the students to fill out the stress scale based on experiences in the last 12 months. After everyone has finished, ask the class to tally up their final number. Any students with a number exceeding 250 may have too much stress. Discuss the consequences of too much stress, and give examples on how to handle life's stresses.
According to the Center for Disease Control, physical activity in youth may reduce risks of mental illnesses like anxiety and depression, and promotes positive mental health. Encourage students to stay active. Use an obstacle course as a classroom activity. Gather old tires, ropes and cones to help build your obstacle course. Provide enough room to build the course for two people to go through at the same time. Have the students race against one another. If you do not have enough to make a two-person obstacle course, time the students. Then, the one with the fastest time through the course wins. Use these activities to inform the students about the positive effects of regular exercise.