What is depression?
The word ‘depression’ is thrown around a lot, but there’s more to this condition than many people realise. It’s important that students learn about depression, including what it is, its causes, typical signs and symptoms, and how to seek help.
Year level
9-12
Duration
5 minutes
Type
In class activity
SEL Competencies
Self-awareness
Self-management
Learning intention
Students will be able to describe what depression is, including its signs and symptoms.
Key outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
describe what depression is
identify signs and symptoms of depression.
Materials needed
Access to the ReachOut.com article ‘‘What is depression?’
Pen and paper
Timer
Mapped to
Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Plan, rehearse and evaluate strategies for managing situations where their own or others’ health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk (AC9HP10P08)
Evaluate emotional responses in different situations to refine strategies for managing emotions (AC9HP10P06)
Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capability:
Self-awareness
Self-management
NSW PDHPE Syllabus
Assesses their own and others’ capacity to reflect on and respond positively to challenges (PD5-1)
Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses, and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses to health and wellbeing (VCHPEP147)
Activity 1
Instructions
5 minutes
Provide each student with a copy of the ReachOut.com article 'What is depression?'
Set a timer to 4 minutes.
Students study the article independently, trying to remember as much as they can of what they read.
Students put the article away.
Set the timer for 1 minute.
Students write down or draw everything they can remember from the article. Punctuation and spelling don't matter. The important thing is the content.
As a class, discuss the the key take-aways from the article and anything that surprises them.
