Mental Health & Wellness for Catholic Schools: Emotions, Resiliency, Belonging, & Dignity of the Whole Person

Sep 24, 2026

Curriculum resource for Catholic schools designed to promote proactive mental health and wellness through classroom discussions and structured activities. Builds a whole-person focus integrating emotions, resiliency, belonging, and dignity across lessons for multiple grade levels, with each grade including five lessons and a culminating activity. Provides educator-oriented guidance, including resources and a connection to Catholic faith to help students identify, name, and remember God experiences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPaper Templates

FormatPDF

Pages178

Reading Time1 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Introduction and Resources

Kindergarten

Lesson 1 – Emotions

Lesson 2 – Building Resiliency in our Young Learners

Lesson 3 – Building a Sense of Belonging and Community for our Young Learners

Lesson 4 – Developing a Sense of Dignity in Every Child

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Creating a Toolbox of Strategies

Grade 1

Lesson 1 – Resiliency

Lesson 2 – Belonging / Relationship

Lesson 3 – Emotions / Feelings

Lesson 4 – Dignity

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Gratitude Party and Cards

Grade 3

Lesson 1 – Just Breathe

Lesson 2 – The Resilient Bird Gets the Worm

Lesson 3 – We Belong to Each Other

Lesson 4 – The Invisible Boy

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Sharing is Caring

Grade 4

Lesson 1 – Feelings and Emotions

Lesson 2 – Stretching and Bouncing Back

Lesson 3 – Belonging

Lesson 4 – Upholding Dignity

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Acceptance and Dignity for All

Grade 6

Lesson 1 – Strong in Faith, Hope and Charity

Lesson 2 – So, How Are You Really Doing?

Lesson 3 – Be Careful How You Talk to Yourself: You are Listening

Lesson 4 – A Heart to Love and Hands to Serve

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Attitude of Gratitude

Grade 8

Lesson 1 – Emotions

Lesson 2 – Resiliency

Lesson 3 – Belonging

Lesson 4 – Dignity for All

Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Action Challenges

Cover Photos Top Image by StockSnap from Pixabay Bottom Image by Pexels from Pixabay Every child, every person needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child, every person, needs to be celebrated. Only when all of our weaknesses are accepted as part of our humanity can our negative, broken self-images be transformed. Jean Vanier, Becoming Human, Paulist Press, 2008 Table of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction and Resources Kindergarten Lesson 1 – Emotions Lesson 2 – Building Resiliency in our Young Learners Lesson 3 – Building a Sense of Belonging and Community for our Young Learners Lesson 4 – Developing a Sense of Dignity in Every Child Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Creating a Toolbox of Strategies Grade 1 Lesson 1 – Resiliency Lesson 2 – Belonging / Relationship Lesson 3 – Emotions / Feelings Lesson 4 – Dignity Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Gratitude Party and Cards Grade 3 Lesson 1 – Just Breathe Lesson 2 – The Resilient Bird Gets the Worm Lesson 3 – We Belong to Each Other Lesson 4 – The Invisible Boy Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Sharing is Caring Grade 4 Lesson 1 – Feelings and Emotions Lesson 2 – Stretching and Bouncing Back Lesson 3 – Belonging Lesson 4 – Upholding Dignity Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Acceptance and Dignity for All Grade 6 Lesson 1 – Strong in Faith, Hope and Charity Lesson 2 – So, How Are You Really Doing? Lesson 3 – Be Careful How You Talk to Yourself: You are Listening Lesson 4 – A Heart to Love and Hands to Serve Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Attitude of Gratitude Grade 8 Lesson 1 – Emotions Lesson 2 – Resiliency Lesson 3 – Belonging Lesson 4 – Dignity for All Lesson 5 – Culminating Activity: Action Challenges Have the courage “to swim against the tide". Have the courage to be happy. - Pope Francis Mental Health & Wellness for Catholic Schools: Emotions, Resiliency, Belonging, & Dignity of the Whole Person Acknowledgements Project Coordinator: Charlotte Rouleau Project Lead: Ruth McNulty Writers: Anne Marie Landon Lisa Landry-Prescott Ashley Brown Denise Sammon Lise Pignal-Hanson Laurie Azzi Rebecca Paulsen Reviewers: Jody Anne McDonald Charlotte Rouleau Executive Director, EOCCC Vice-Principal, St. Joseph's Catholic School, Arnprior Renfrew Country Catholic District School Board Principal, George Vanier Catholic School Renfrew Country Catholic District School Board Teacher Renfrew Country Catholic District School Board Teacher Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board Teacher Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board Teacher Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario Teacher Ottawa Catholic School Board Mental Health Lead Renfrew Country Catholic District School Board Teacher Renfrew Country Catholic District School Board Executive Director, EOCCC Introduction and Resources The first edition of this curriculum resource, Mental Health and Wellness for Catholic Schools: Feelings, Emotions, Resilience and Dignity of the Whole Person (2013) came to fruition when Renfrew County Catholic District School Board Principal Clint Young discovered resources that provide a reactive approach to mental illness, but very few that address mental health and wellness proactively in the classroom. The Eastern Ontario Catholic Curriculum Corporation agreed to help develop curriculum resources that promote mental health and well-being through classroom discussions and activities. The result was EOCCC’s 2013 publication of Mental Health and Wellness for Catholic Schools: Feelings, Emotions, Resilience and Dignity of the Whole Person, which includes lessons for grades 2, 5, & 7. Given the positive reception of that resource, EOCCC Catholic member Boards suggested that the document be enhanced to include lessons for all grades, from Kindergarten through 8. Writers and contributors from all four Catholic sch

FAQs

What is the overall purpose of this curriculum for Catholic schools?

To promote proactive mental health and wellness through classroom discussions and activities focused on emotions, resiliency, belonging, and dignity.

How is the curriculum structured across grade levels?

Each grade includes five lessons aligned to the focus areas and a culminating activity/celebration, intended for use with entire classes.

What role does Catholic faith play in the curriculum approach?

The document describes a natural connection to Catholic faith, helping students identify, name, and remember their God experiences.

Sep 24, 2026

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