LEARNING OBJECTIVE

To understand the concept of resilience and identify the importance of specific coping skills

HEALTH ED STANDARD

Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks (NHES 4).

KEY VOCAB

resilience, diminutive, catastrophic, despondent, fluke, adversity, tentatively

Lesson Plan: Why Him, Why Me?

 This story of a high school football player who made a fatal hit during a routine game will teach students important lessons about facing hardship and developing resilience.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What does it mean to develop resilience, and why is it an important skill to have? 

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. What does it mean to deliver a textbook hit? A textbook hit is a clean tackle executed exactly as it was coached. Nothing about it is too aggressive or out of the ordinary. 
  2. Why did the team’s pastor contact Brad Gaines to talk to Cody? Gaines had gone through a similar situation while playing football in college and could possibly offer Cody advice. 
  3. Why did Cody decide to return to football after the accident? His friends, identity, and routine were all connected to it. 
  4. What are some of the proven benefits of high school sports? Studies show that high school athletes have lower rates of diabetes and high blood pressure; better grades; and lower dropout rates.

Like What You See?

Then you'll love Choices, our health, social-emotional learning, and life-skills magazine for grades 7–12 

 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. Why might Cody not want to continue playing the game after the accident? Possible answer: He was probably upset that another player had been hurt and didn’t want to go on as if nothing had happened. 
  2. When Cody asks Gaines “When will it go back to normal?”, Brad answers, “I don’t know.” Why do you think that is? Possible answer: Gaines knows that it will never truly go back to normal, but he doesn’t want Cody to give up hope. He knows that with support, Cody will find a way to manage the pain. 
  3. How did Gaines cope with his tragedy, and how does it compare to the way Cody is dealing with his? Possible answer: Gaines had years to reflect and move on with a new goal of helping athletes with trauma. Cody needs time to heal before he is ready to turn a bad experience into something good in Tyrell’s honor.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

MAKING CONNECTIONS

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1; NHES 4

Ask students to think about a setback they experienced at school and identify someone—a friend, parent, teacher—who helped them through it. Students will then partner up and use the DISCUSSION GUIDE handout to examine the ways in which that person provided support, and to share effective strategies for helping friends or family members who are facing challenges. 

WRITE AND REFLECT

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4

After the Making Connections activity, have students use the LETTER GRAPHIC ORGANIZER worksheet to write to that person, explaining how much their support meant. They’re not required to send the letter or share it with you. The point is to practice expressing gratitude and to reflect on how that support helped them develop resilience.

Print This Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech