Lesson Title: Myth vs.

Fact
Grade Level: 9 12th Grade
Duration: 30 40 minutes
ASCA/NYSSCA National Standards for Students
Academic Development
Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that
contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.
Competencies: A: A1 Improve Academic Self-Concept
- A: A1.1 Articulate feelings of competence and confidence as
learners
- A: A1.2 Display a positive interest in learning
Competencies: A: A3 Achieve School Success
- A: A3.5 Share Knowledge
Standard B: Students will complete school with academic preparation
essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post secondary
options, including college.
Competencies: A: B1 Improve Learning
- A: B1.2 Learn and apply critical thinking skills
- A: B1.6 Use knowledge of learning styles to positively influence
school performance
Career Development
Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of
work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career
decisions.
Competencies: C: A2 Develop Employment Readiness
- C: A2.5 Learn to respect individual uniqueness in the workplace
Personal/Social Development
Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and
interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
Competencies: PS: A1 Acquire Self-Knowledge
- PS: A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate
behavior
- PS: A1.11 Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles
Competencies: PS: A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills
- PS: A2.3 Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual
differences
- PS: A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and
nonverbal
behavior

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary
action to achieve goals.
Competencies: PS: B1 Self-knowledge Application
- PS: B1.7 Demonstrate a respect and appreciation for individual and
cultural
differences
- PS: B1.8 Know when peer pressure is influencing a decision
New York State Learning Standard
English Language Arts
Standard 1 - Language for Information and Understanding Students will listen,
speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers,
students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and
generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically
produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language
that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret,
apply, and transmit information.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and EvaluationStudents will listen, speak,
read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers,
students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by
others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language to present, from avariety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on
experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As
readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich
their understanding of people and their views.
Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Science
Standard 2: A Safe and Healthy Environment
Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a
safe and healthy environment.
NOSCA Components
3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement
Goal: Ensure equitable exposure to a wide range of extracurricular and enrichment
opportunities that build leadership, nurture talents and interests, and increase
engagement with school.
Learning Objectives:
After a counselor led lesson, 80% of the students will be able to distinguish myths
from facts related to mental illness. Students will be able to identify some of the

false ideations or information that they have held and replace with correct
understanding related to mental illness.
Co-Leaders: 9 12th Grade classroom teachers
Materials:
Envelopes for each pair of students
One myth and fact sheet per student, with myths and facts cut into individual
pieces and placed in the envelope.
Each student pair will have an envelope that contains 12 myths and 12 facts
Internet access to the walkinourshoes.org website + projector
Preparation:
Before introducing the activity, use the myth/fact sheet at the end of this lesson to
prepare the envelopes for students.
Accommodation: For a student with delayed speech or language development. To
assist students with delayed speech or language development, speech therapists
will individually help the student to comprehend by reading the material to them,
simplifying or summarizing the concept in ways that the student understands. In
addition, if necessary, assistive technologies will be used in identifying certain
emotions, words and phrases that the student will like to use to express.
Introduction (5 10 minutes):
The counselor will begin by following up of previous lesson on mental health. The
counselor will ask what the students learned, to share any experience in regards to
previous lesson. Then, the counselor will ask the students - Who can tell me in their
own words what a fact is? Can someone else share what a myth is? (Note to
teacher: A fact is a concept whose truth can be proved. For example, it is a fact that
there are x number of boys and x number of girls in this classroom. A myth is a
traditional story often accepted as a fact even though it is not. For example, it is a
myth that boys with blonde hair are better students than boys with brown hair.
Activity (20 minutes):
To start the activity, the counselor will put students into working pairs and give each
pair an envelope with the 24 myths and fact cutouts. The counselor will then
instruct the students to take all 24 cutouts and together decide which ones are
myths and which ones are facts, ensuring that it is not a test. Then, the counselor
will tell them to put all the myths in a column on the left of their desk and all the
facts in a column on the right side of their desk. Allow students 10 - 15 minutes to
complete the task. After students have completed the task, go to
http://walkinourshoes.org/myths-vs-facts to review the answers to the assignment
and review each myth and fact.
Conclusion (5 10 minutes):
The counselor will ask the students - Who can share with me again what is the
difference between a myth and a fact? Why do you think it is important to know the

myths and facts about mental illness? How could it be hurtful for people to think
that the myths of mental illness are facts? (Note to teacher: Some things to
emphasize include - the more we know the differences about the myths of mental
illness and the facts, the better we can help and support the people in our lives who
are living with mental illness.)
Then the counselor will ask following application questions: What can you do to
make sure that people know the facts of mental illness and not think that the myths
are true? (Note to teacher: Challenge students about whether they would or would
not do the things that they suggest. What are the stumbling blocks? Is stigma a part
of their hesitation?)
Assessment/Evaluation:
Accomplishment of the learning objective will be assessed during the conclusion of
the lesson, when the counselor will ask questions as a review of the lesson. As
students raise their hands and share their answers, the counselor will make a
judgement as to whether the learning objectives have been met (80% of students
distinguishing facts and myths on mental illness and knowing how to bring correct
information to others.

Myths and Facts to Cutout to Place in Envelopes

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Kids cant get depression or anxiety, only adults can.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Kids can develop a mental illness, like depression and anxiety disorders. This can
happen to anyone at any age.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Kids only get mental illness because they have bad parents.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Mental illness is not caused by doing something wrong. Also, you cant cause
someone to have a mental illness. Doctors think that mental illness is caused by a
mix of whats going on in your body and whats happening around you.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Mental illness is the same as being disabled (sometimes incorrectly called mental
retardation).
Myth or fact
Mental illness has nothing to do with how smart you are. A mental disability is a
cognitive disability, which means its a different journey with different challenges.
Its still important to treat all people with respect, because you dont know what life
is like in their shoes.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Myth or fact
Having a mental illness means youre a wimp who cant handle life.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Your personality or ability to handle your feelings does not cause mental illness.
Mental illness is not just in your head or something that goes away if you try hard.
The right combination of what helps is different for each person. Once they find
something that helps them, most people with mental illness live healthy, full lives.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
People with mental health challenges have to take special tests to get a job or go to
college.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
People with mental health challenges do not have to take special tests to get into
college, get a house, or get a job. They can work, learn, and do all the things that
people without mental health challenges can do.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
People with mental illnesses have trouble handling schoolwork, a job, and daily
tasks.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
It is common for all people to sometimes have trouble at school, at home, at jobs
and feel sometimes like they dont know what to do. No matter what, its good to
talk to others and learn what works best for you. What helps you calm down? What
makes you happy and what makes you sad? Knowing these things will help you find
a way to do well in school and life.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
myth or fact
If you have a mental illness, it will be harder to get an apartment or house once you
grow up and you won't be able to live on your own. myth or fact All mental illnesses
are different, but being diagnosed with one will not keep you from being able to
grow up, learn how to take care of yourself, and get an apartment or house like
everyone else.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
When people have mental illnesses, they will never get better.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
People diagnosed with mental illnesses can get better. Every illness is different.
Some people feel better when they talk to someone, like a friend or a doctor, or
take medication. Most people need help from friends and family to talk and figure
out how to live with their illness. Not all people have to take medicine or see a
therapist for the rest of their lives.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Talking about your mental health challenges is a waste of time. Its better to just
take medicine.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
If you have a broken leg, it will not get better with just aspirin. It also takes time and
exercise and hard work. In a way, having a mental illness is the same. You have to
be patient, get help, and talk about it- and youll start to feel better, too.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
People with mental health illness are dangerous and violent.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Most people diagnosed with mental illnesses are not violent. Most violence in the
world is not caused by people with mental illnesses. In fact, a person with a mental
illness is more likely to be the one who gets hurt or bullied by someone else.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Mental illness is more common in some racial groups than others.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
Mental illness can happen to anyone. It doesnt matter what you look like, what you
wear, or where you come from.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact
I cant help someone with a mental illness, only a doctor can.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Myth or fact

You can help someone who has a mental illness. Dont call people words like crazy
or mental. If you know people with mental health challenges, try to get to know
them and notice their talents and skills, not just their illness. Learn about mental
wellness and share it with others. If you hear something that isnt true, dont be
afraid to speak up and talk about what is true.
_____________________________________________________________________________________