Lesson Plan

Anxiety Detective Plan

Guide a 5th grader to spot and record anxious thoughts like clues, then use detective strategies to ‘catch’ and challenge them, building coping skills and self-awareness.

By framing anxiety as a mystery to solve, this lesson empowers the student to externalize worries, practice evidence-based thinking, and develop self-regulation skills in a fun, relatable format.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Detective Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Thought Catcher Warm-Up

5 minutes

Step 2

Detective Role Introduction

5 minutes

Step 3

Anxiety Case File Investigation

20 minutes

Step 4

Detective’s Log Reflection

10 minutes

Step 5

Closing and Next Steps

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Clue Board: Searching for Anxious Thoughts

What Is an Anxious Thought?

Common Clue Types

Detective Questions

Ready to Begin Your Case?

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Warm Up

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Activity

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Journal

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Can You Catch Anxiety?

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