Understanding Mental Health

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Understanding Mental Health

About This Video

Understanding Mental Health helps learners learn that mental health is an important part of overall health. This video explains that mental health includes thoughts, feelings, mood, stress, and how a person handles daily life. Learners are encouraged to notice changes in sleep, appetite, mood, energy, motivation, or focus, and to talk to a trusted person when they need support.

Learning Objectives

After watching this video, learners will:

  1. Identify key ideas and routines related to understanding mental health.
  2. Explain how the skill supports health, comfort, safety, or well-being.
  3. Choose or sequence appropriate actions for using the skill in everyday life.

Resources for This Video

Use these resources to extend learning and build communication skills.

A digital guide with key concepts, visual supports, and review questions.

View Learning Guide

Clinician & Educator Supports

Grade 8
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1 – Participate effectively in collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing ideas clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2 – Analyze information presented in diverse media and formats and explain how it contributes to understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.4 – Present information and findings coherently using relevant evidence and appropriate organization.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.6 – Acquire and accurately use grade-appropriate academic and domain-specific vocabulary.

Grades 9–10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 – Participate effectively in collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing ideas clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.2 – Integrate information from diverse media and formats and evaluate its credibility and accuracy.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4 – Present information and evidence clearly, concisely, and logically for the purpose, audience, and task.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6 – Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain-specific vocabulary appropriate for college and career readiness.

Grades 11–12
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1 – Participate effectively in collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing ideas clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.2 – Integrate information from diverse sources and evaluate the credibility and accuracy of each source.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 – Present information and evidence clearly and logically while addressing audience, purpose, and differing perspectives.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.6 – Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain-specific vocabulary appropriate for college and career readiness.

  • By the end of the instructional period, the learner will identify at least four aspects or possible indicators of mental health (e.g., mood, stress, sleep, energy, focus) with 80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions.
  • By the end of the instructional period, given a scenario involving a change in emotional well-being, the learner will describe the concern and identify an appropriate trusted person or support option in 4 of 5 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions.
  • By the end of the instructional period, the learner will use appropriate emotional-health vocabulary to describe a character’s thoughts, feelings, and possible needs using at least two relevant details in 4 of 5 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions.

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