Unit 06 · Mental Health & Stress
This unit studies the stress response, sleep, and ways to seek support; it does not diagnose the learner. Use a fictional or de-identified time series to interpret patterns and limitations. Optional personal tracking stays private. Choosing not to share sleep, stress, or health information does not reduce the grade. If you are struggling, seek help from a trusted adult or qualified professional.
| Criterion | Developing | Proficient | Mastery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Understanding the stress response | Cannot describe what happens in the body during stress, or treats stress as simply a personal weakness. | Names the stress response but cannot explain the biology behind it. | Explains the stress response as a normal biological reaction — the body releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to meet a demand — neutrally, without judgment. |
| The role of sleep | Thinks sleep is wasted time and cannot say why the body needs it. | Knows sleep matters but cannot connect it to how the body and mind recover. | Explains why sleep is essential — how it lets the body and brain rest, recover, and help regulate mood and stress. |
| Healthy coping & seeking help | Cannot name a healthy way to cope, or does not know who to turn to when things feel like too much. | Lists a coping strategy or two but is unsure when or how to ask for help. | Describes healthy coping strategies and explains clearly when and how to reach out to a trusted adult or professional for support. |
| Interpreting sleep & stress data | Cannot identify a pattern in the supplied record. | Identifies a pattern but overstates its meaning. | Interprets an approved time series, distinguishes association from cause, and states limits without diagnosing or judging a person. |
| Anchor lab (stress & sleep data investigation) | Records no evidence from the approved task. | Records values but cannot explain the analysis. | Documents and analyzes the approved dataset honestly; a fictional or de-identified record fully satisfies the task without personal disclosure. |
| Integration (cross-domain) | Makes no supported connection between the source and the science. | Uses the source but needs help connecting evidence, writing, or limitations to the science. | Independently connects History, Reading, and Writing using a cited source, appropriate evidence, a limitation, and a scientific explanation. |
Integration is reported separately and cannot lower the science grade or block a science demonstration pass. Science and practical criteria determine that pass. Use the integration guide's evidence checklist for the separately reported criterion.
Assigned alternative: a fictional time series
This synthetic record fully supports the data-analysis task without sharing personal sleep, feelings, symptoms, or health information. It describes one fictional person over six days, not six independent participants. The demand categories are supplied context, not a clinical stress scale.
| Day | Sleep duration (hours) | Reported demand |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | High |
| 2 | 7 | Moderate |
| 3 | 8 | Low |
| 4 | 6.5 | High |
| 5 | 7.5 | Moderate |
| 6 | 8 | Low |
Task: graph duration over time, calculate the overall mean, and compare the high-demand and low-demand days. Write one supported pattern and two reasons it does not establish a causal direction or diagnosis. Missing values would be marked missing, not invented.
Submit your analysis and limitations using the unit's approved science reference. Personal tracking stays optional and private, with no grade penalty or token charge for using this alternative. Ask a trusted adult or qualified professional about real concerns; this exercise does not evaluate the learner's mental health.
“The fictional record has shorter sleep on its higher-demand days, but that does not identify a causal direction or diagnose anyone. I state the sample and measurement limits. Personal records are not needed to explain the science or ask how to seek appropriate support.”
“Stress just means I’m bad at handling things, I guess. Sleep is kind of a waste of time. I wouldn’t really know who to talk to.”
Explain the science using an approved fictional or de-identified dataset and supportive follow-up questions. Personal tracking and disclosure are optional; the alternative has no grade penalty or token charge. Assess scientific understanding, not feelings, symptoms, composure, or willingness to share private experiences.
A 5-page clipboard packet — unit overview, key terms, the mastery rubric, anchor examples, and a score sheet you can print and grade against.