Middle School Journal (Sample)

BRIDGE BUILDERS ®

LEADERSHIP

Activity Book

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Written November 2022

Version v1.0CS

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CONTENTS

_____________________________________

Lesson 1 – Respecting Ourselves ..................................... 4

Lesson 2 – Respecting Others .......................................... 10

Lesson 3 – Cyberbullying ................................................. 16

Lesson 4 – React or Respond ........................................... 22

Lesson 5 – Calming Our Mind .......................................... 27

Lesson 6 – Calming Our Body ......................................... 34

Lesson 7 – De-escalating Strategies .............................. 39

Lesson 8 – Resolution Strategies ...................................... 44

Lesson 9 – Restoring Strategies ....................................... 50

Lesson 10 – Let It Go ......................................................... 55

Lesson 11 – Getting Help ................................................. 60

Lesson 12 – Moving On .................................................... 67

Vision Board ........................................................................ 75

This Activity Book / Journal belongs to:

This document is copyright and is only to be used in a school class with a current paid subscription to the BRIDGE BUILDERS ® Online Program.


Page | 3

Lesson 1

Respecting Ourselves

Share

What does it mean—

’ the brain is

UNDER CONSTRUCTION ’

during the adolescent years?

________________________________________________________________

Differences are a good thing.

We are all unique. There is

only one YOU in the world and

YOU are truly wonderful.

Don't settle for a cheap copy

of someone else, because ...

you are priceless!!

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

What helps your brain

to be empowered??

1. ______________________________________

2. ______________________________________

3. ______________________________________

4. ______________________________________

Think

Write down the road blocks you

have become aware of in your life

that reduce your self-respect.

5. ______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________



Page | 4

Foundations in Faith

Circle the truths from scripture below that

you need to remind yourself of the most.

How does knowing what God says

about us help us to have respect

for ourselves?

I praise you because I am fearfully and

wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I

know that full well.

Psalms 139:14

chosen

JOHN 15:16

special

EPHESIANS

2:10

loved

JEREMIAH 31:3

forgiven

1 JOHN 1:9

precious

ISAIAH 43:4

redeemed

GALATIANS 3:13

not

alone

MATTHEW

28:20

accepted

ROMANS 15:7

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

created for

a purpose

JEREMIAH 29:11

strong

ISAIAH 40:31

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

a child

of God

ROMANS

8:17

a new

creation

2 CORINTHIANS

5:17

protected

PSALM 121:3

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

important

1 PETER 2:9

empowered

PHILIPPIANS 4:13

unique

PSALM 139:13

treasured

DEUTERONOMY

14:2

_______________________________________________________

Write a note to a friend who is losing their

self-respect because of stuff happening online.

What advice would you give?

Cyber Safety

How can our self-respect be

affected by technology?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________



Page | 5

Cyber Safety

Cyber safety Tips that help protect your self-respect:

Fill in the missing words:

comparing, not the real world, hook, exploit, negave, protector

Watch out for the trap of ________________ yourself with others –

most of what we see is not real, true or unfiltered.

Respect yourself – if it makes you feel down, turn it off. Put posi$ve

things into your head. Your self-worth should not be measured by

what you see in cyberspace. The cyber world is _________________

_________________ – truth can be distorted and manufactured.

Be careful of addicve behaviours – they sneak up on you.

Remember a lot of the online sites have paid experts to tell them

how to _______ you in and release your dopamine – especially on

social media, gaming, gambling and pornography sites. This is how

they make money and _____________ YOU!

It may feel harmless now, but it can have huge _______________

impacts long term on your brain’s reconstruc$on, mental health and

rela$onships. Ul$mately, they don’t care about you.

YOU are your best ________________.

Do not be conformed to this

world, but be transformed by

the renewal of your mind, that

by tes$ng you may discern

what is the will of God, what is

good and acceptable and

perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV)

The Plum Poem

_________________________________

_________________________________

You can learn that you cannot be loved by all people

You can be the finest PLUM in the world,

RIPE – JUICY – SUCCULENT

And offer yourself to all.

However you must remember there will always be people who do not

like plums.

You can learn to understand that if you are the world’s finest plum,

And someone you like does not like plums,

You have a choice of becoming a banana.

However, you need to be warned that if you choose to become a

banana,

You will be a second-rate banana,

However, you can always be the best plum.

You need to understand that if you choose to be a second-rate

banana,

There will always be people who do not like bananas.

Furthermore, you can spend your life trying to become the

best banana (which is impossible if you are a plum),

Or: You can seek again to be the

BEST PLUM!!

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

______________________________

_______________________

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he

created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27



Page | 6

YOUR journey

starts here ...

“God wants you to be firmly grounded in the

confidence that HE makes you worthy.”

thanks.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

Thinking of something you are thankful for, has been shown through research to

help you have be=er physical and mental health, increased happiness and life

sa$sfac$on. Write something you are thankful for about yourself or your life.

meditate.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which

God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

Meditate by focusing on this Bible verse and saying it 5 $mes to help you relax and

gain confidence and courage.

Done

you can

do it !!.

How did you go?

Fill in next $me.

My goal this week is to try to:

____________________________________________________________________

Write a small goal you could set yourself to try to do that helps you to have selfrespect

and feel be=er about yourself this week (e.g. it could be about sleep, food,

exercise, thinking, or how you might relax).

pray.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, I pray that you help me to see the value you see in me. I thank you

for my uniqueness. I pray that I will have the wisdom to make choices that

help me to be the best me and love my life! Amen.

watch: Lauren Daigle – You Say

h=ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIaT8Jl2zpI

Date ___ /___ /_____



Page | 7

Did you know?

The Pre-frontal cortex is found directly behind your eyes and

forehead. It is the most significant area of the brain for

determining your personality, goals and values. It is used to

focus a=en$on, predict consequences, control reac$ons,

manage emo$ons, plan and make choices. It is the last part of

the brain to fully develop. In the teenage years it undergoes

changes in the networks of neurons and connec$ons

par$cularly to the limbic system where the amygdala is. This

can make dealing with stress challenging at $mes. Experience

and $me helps the ‘maturing’ brain.

The Amygdala is part of the limbic brain system, the emo$onal

control centre of the brain. Emo$ons are the automa$c

reac$ons to a threat in the body and mind. This part of the

brain is quickly triggered in the teenage years. Fear is one of

the strongest emo$ons the amygdala relates to.

Slot the changes that can happen to your

brain into the crossword below.

Across

1. Not recognising other’s feelings

3. Uncalculated risks

6. Mood swings

7. Sleep cycle changes

Down

2. Reacting emotionally

4. Getting into arguments

5. Addictive behaviour

1 2

Can you think why this is so?

Did you know that the Bible has 365 references saying ‘FEAR

NOT’? That’s one for every day of the year! Can you find some?

FACTS about you

Your eyes blink about 20 times a minute which

equates to 10 million times a year.

80% of your brain is water.

4

5

You’re taller in the morning.

Your nose and ears continue growing

throughout your entire life.

3

It takes the body around 12 hours to

completely digest the food you eat.

6

All humans are 99% genetically identical.

Every second, you produce 25 million cells.

7



Page | 8

THIS IS ME on the journey:

I am good at:

__________________________

My favourite ac$vity is:

I am fearfully and

wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:14

__________________________

My favourite song / music

group is: __________________

My favourite food is:

__________________________

My least favourite food is:

__________________________

In my spare $me I like to:

__________________________

Respecting yourself to be your best you. How are you going?

Sleep – on average how much sleep do you get a night?

Less than 3 hours 4-5 hours 5-6 hours 7-8 hours 9 hours or more

Healthy food – how many mes do you eat fresh fruit or vegies?

Not at all rarely once a day twice a day three $mes a day

Water – roughly how much water do you drink in a day?

None not much about 2 cups about 4-5 cups about 6-9 cups

Relaxaon – what do you do to switch off and chill on an average day?

_____________________________________________________________

Exercise – do you exercise for 15 minutes a day at least three mes a week?

Nope some$mes sort of most of the $me yep nailing it!

Thinking – circle the thoughts that you think about yourself the most.

I’m not good enough I can try my best I can’t do it

Nobody cares I won’t give up I’m OK I’m thankful for...



Page | 9

Boundaries define us.

They define what is me and what is not me.

FRIENDS can be one of our greatest

sources of happiness in our lives.

Friendships play a significant role in

our mental and physical health; they

can impact on our ability to relieve

stress, provide support, be fun to

spend time with and prevent loneliness

and isolation. Friends can also build our

confidence and help us feel valued, and

encourage us to be our best by being a

positive influence.

We should be friendly to everyone but

we are not necessarily ‘best friends’

with everyone. SAFE FRIENDS know us

and value us, invest in us, and see us

and know us for who we really are.

They are rare – value them!

GOOD FRIENDS share a commonality

with us but maybe not a high level of

trust or investment, and conflict will

occur from time to time that will

require effort to resolve.

POTENTIAL FRIENDS are maybe not

friends just yet (or ever) and need

strong boundaries in the relationship.

Becoming a GOOD FRIEND

We naturally gravitate toward others who are

like us and, sometimes without realising it,

we create a clique*. When we find people with

the same likes, same sense of humour and a

similar worldview, we want to spend more

time with them. We enjoy being around people

who validate our own perspectives and

personality. But the Bible tells us to love

everyone as we love ourselves (Gal 5:14),

including those who are different from us.

* a narrow, exclusive group of persons

C. S. Lewis famously stated that “friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another:

‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’”

A circle of friends becomes a clique when they lose interest in meeting new people and are not particularly

welcoming when someone new tries to fit in.

Think of a time when you were ‘new’ - maybe your first day in a new school or attending a group for the

first time. If you never forget how that felt, you can be the ONE who welcomes others who look out of place,

even if you don’t feel confident to do it. Remember: ‘new’ people aren’t looking for an expert, just someone

who will be brave enough to say ‘Hello’ and become a GOOD FRIEND, and maybe eventually, a SAFE FRIEND.



Page | 74



Page | 75

You can develop a healthy, robust

community that lives right with

God and enjoy its results only if you

do the hard work of getting along

with each other, treating each

other with dignity and honour.

James 3:18 (MSG)



Page | 76


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