Feelings Unit (Littles)
Lesson 4: Big Feelings — Anger

Lesson Goals

  1. Introducing strategies to manage anger
  2. Practicing dealing with anger

Lesson Description

Students will talk about one of the basic human emotions — anger — and learn some useful strategies to cope with this big feeling. 

Lesson Plan: Big Feelings — Anger

Play "Us Time" Song

Edit Content

Open Us Time with the “Us Time” song. Sing it together or play the video. 

Review Agreements

Edit Content

Agreements are rules that people decide, together, to follow such as:

  • Paying attention to each other;
  • Keeping our hands to ourselves; and
  • Giving everyone a turn to speak.

In each session, discuss agreements, add to them, modify them, and recommit. Students can raise their hands or say “I agree” to show that they agree.

Discuss: Let's Talk About Anger

Edit Content

Discuss the feeling of anger with the class. Here are some question prompts to get the discussion started: 

  • What does it feel like to be angry?
  • How does anger make our bodies feel? (Discuss how our bodies feel when angry — tight neck, hot face, etc.)
  • What happens when we’re angry?
  • What can help you calm down? Brainstorm ideas and share: Deep breaths, walking away, stomping, using words instead of bodies to show anger.
  • Practice saying: “I am Angry!”
Nummenmaaa, L., Glereana, E., Hari, R. (2013). PNAS: Bodily maps of emotions.

Movement: Hard Rock, Fluffy Cloud

Edit Content

Practice this exercise that can help children to regulate big feelings like anger:

  • Let’s pretend we are hard rocks. Let’s tighten our bodies and hold our breath for three seconds: one, two, three!
  • Now, let’s breathe out, relax our bodies, and lift up our hands like they are fluffy clouds.
  • Let’s try it again!

Activity: Scribble Your Anger Out

Edit Content

Crayons respond to the strength of children’s pressure and movements across the paper, making them a great art supply to use when discussing feelings like anger. Practice Scribble Your Anger Out to give children a way to practice managing angry feelings:

  • Let’s get out our crayons and make feelings art.
  • Let’s imagine the last time each of us felt really angry.
  • Let’s pick a color (or colors) that represent that feeling.
  • Let’s close our eyes, take a deep breath, and think about how anger feels. When you’re ready, open your eyes and start to draw with our crayon.
  • As you draw, think about anger: how does it make you feel? Where in your body do you feel it? What color does it remind you of? What reminds you of the feeling?
  • Let’s talk about how your fingers, hands, wrists, and arms move while you’re drawing. How does your hand feel when you’re finished?
  • Let’s look at all of our finished art.

Closing Discussion

Edit Content

As a closing discussion, review the big ideas of the lesson: 

  • What did we learn about anger?
  • Let’s agree to calm down and use our words instead of our bodies when we’re feeling angry.

Thank You: Share the Us Time Closing Song

Edit Content

Conclude with “Thank You,” the Us Time “goodbye” song. This song marks the end of Us Time. Invite children to share what they want to say “thank you” for! Find the song online at playsparkler.org/UsTimeSongs.

Standards
  • ELOF: Goal P-SE 5, Goal P-SE 6, Goal P-SE 8, Goal P-LC 1, Goal P-LC-2, Goal P-LC 4, Goal P-LC 6
  • CT ELDS: SE.36.3, SE.48.3, SE.60.3, SE.36.4, SE.48.4, SE.60.5, SE.24.6, SE.36.6, SE.48.6, SE.60.8, L.36.3, L.48.3, L.60.4, L.36.5, L.48.5, L.60.5, L.36.11, L.48.11, L.60.10 
What You'll Need
  • Your “Us Time” classroom space, where the class will gather
  • Feelings Grid PDF
Lesson Quick Links

Family Engagement Materials

From this lesson, you can share:
Feelings Reading List
Activities to Play At Home
Suggested Letter to Send Home
Research/Sources

Explore Other Us Time Resources

For Toddlers 2-3 Years Old
For Littles 4-6 Years Old