Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What are some of the situations that can occur in life that people associate with feelings of anxiety?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might benefit from a group discussion to identify some of the uncertainties in life that can cause anxiety, for example, career choices, relationships (romantic, friends, family), tests and grades, money, social pressures, health, world problems (environment, politics, social justice, violence).

• “Overcoming Anxiety” – This 10-minute TEDx video of a teenager’s talk about dealing with his anxiety attacks relates to Coping Mechanisms and Safety in an Uncertain World.
• “The Uncertainties of Life” – This short post by a graduate student on facing the uncertainties in her life, published on Stories in Science (a website managed by the STEM Advocacy Institute), relates to Coping Mechanisms and Safety in an Uncertain World.

2. How can individuals develop skills that meet their own individual needs for coping with life’s uncertainties?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might benefit from discussing in pairs why certain coping mechanisms are more effective for some people than for others and the importance of respecting different approaches for different people.