What Makes Me Angry - 3

Lesson Plan

Goal: With visual and/or verbal prompts, the student will manage his/her anger in positive ways, in 8 out of 10 observable opportunities, as measured by a teacher assessment tool.

Objectives:
1. Self-identify anger.
2. Identify the activities or situations that may cause the student to become angry.
3. Use a learned strategy to manage his/her anger in a positive way.

Definitions of Key Terms: Anger is the feeling people get when something unfair, painful, or bad happens; it is a feeling of displeasure.

Discussion Points:

  • Everyone feels anger.
  • What appropriate reactions to anger have you had?
  • What inappropriate reactions to anger have you had?
  • What are other emotions a person can experience while they are angry? (frustration, sadness, disappointment, fear, rage)
  • You can learn coping skills to control your anger.

Discuss with students what anger is. Review the discussion point questions.

Possible activities to review the discussion points or use your own:

Think. Pair. Share: The teacher will pose questions related to the discussion points. Explain to students that the purpose of the activity is to think about the question and activate prior knowledge. The teacher will model the procedure to facilitate student understanding.

  • T (Think): Teacher begins by asking a specific question using the discussion topics.
  • P (Pair): Each student should be paired with another student, small group or work with a teacher. Pairs write brief answers on sticky notes or scrap paper.
  • S (Share): Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher then leads a whole-group conversation using students’ answers.

SEL Categories Activity:

  • Ask students to create a list of words associated with the topic (give them 2-5 minutes to complete).
  • Once time is up, ask each student to share a word or thought from their list.
  • Other students must cross that word or thought off their list.
  • Continue the process until all words or thoughts have been listed.

Directions for In-Person or Virtual Learning: You have three options for students to complete this lesson.

  • Option 1: Print the Student Activity Sheet for each student. Complete the lesson as a group and assign the activity sheet to the students.
  • Option 2: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and post to your Learning Management System (if your school has one) or send the link to the student. The student may complete the activity sheet electronically within the classroom on a shared computer or device.
  • Option 3: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and send the link to the student. The student may access the link from a home computer, chromebook, iPad or other device.

Activity 1: Knowing Your Signs

As a group, discuss and develop a list of signs that an individual may be becoming angry.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board
  • Student Activity Sheet A - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

Examples can include:

  • Scowling at people
  • Your hands ball up into fists
  • Your heart pounds
  • Shaking or trembling.

Record the answers on chart paper or the board. Discuss how each person experiences anger in different ways with different indicators. Discuss how that is okay, that everyone is different and that anger is a natural emotion.

Ask students to complete Student Activity Sheet A. When all students have finished, discuss their answers.

Student Activity Sheet A

Directions: What indications do you have when you are becoming angry? Describe them in the space below:

When I am becoming angry I:

Activity 2: Triggers

Review the key points from Activity 1. Discuss with students that we all have situations where actions or remarks made by others can make us angry. We call these our triggers, such as losing a game, getting a bad grade, etc.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board
  • Student Activity Sheet B - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

Knowing our triggers help us be aware of situations that may cause us to become angry. Knowing our triggers also allows us to be prepared to use good coping skills. Give students time to think about their triggers. Ask for students to share their triggers. Record answers on the chart paper or board.

Ask students to complete Student Activity Sheet B. Ask for volunteers to share when finished.

Student Activity Sheet B

Directions: What are your triggers? Think about what makes you angry. Write your triggers below. Then answer the question.

How can knowing my triggers can help me?

Activity 3: Coping Skills

Explain to students that coping skills are strategies we use to help us calm down. Develop a list of strategies students feel may help them to calm down, like counting to ten, or taking a walk. Record answers on the board or chart paper.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board

Ask students to review the list made and pick one or two that they may want to try next time they feel themselves becoming angry. If time allows, you can have students practice the strategies with a partner.

Application Activity

Script Prompt: Develop a script and create an animation that includes two characters in a setting related to the problem. Use the script prompt provided below or create your own and include:

Materials Needed:

The dialogue between the characters must include:

  • Identifying what made the character angry.
  • Words or body language expressing anger.
  • A strategy to avoid the situation and/or getting angry at the same situation in the future.
  • An acceptable way to handle anger.

Script Extensions: Click the following hyperlinks to have students choose their Characters, Background and Props prior to writing scripts. For examples of script writing accommodations, click Here.


Methods for completing this activity include (choose one or a few, depending on your students’ levels and abilities):


Script Writing Practice: Teacher-led discussion of script creation. As a group, write both an appropriate and inappropriate version of the script. In small groups or individually, have the students independently create scripts that demonstrate the script prompt. Use the script sheet to create students' scripts.


Independent Script Recording: Pair students together to complete two scripts using the same script prompt detailed above. Direct each student to take turns being character one and character two.


Animation Creation: Have students record their scripts using the SiLAS software. Remind students to name and save their work. Premiere the movies with the group members at the end of each session.


Lesson Extension: Incorporate ELA standards by discussing both spoken and written grammar rules (dialogue punctuation, correct verb tense, sentence structure, character, setting, problem, solution). Consider using both the final animation and written script as an ELA grade/assignment.

Topic Checkout

Review the key points from previous activities and discussions with the students. Allow students to complete the Student Topic Checkout. Discuss their answers together as a group when all students have finished.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Topic Checkout - 1 per student
  • A pencil for each student

Allow students time to complete the student lesson review. Discuss answers when finished.

Student Topic Checkout

Directions: Answer the questions.

1. List two signs that indicate you are getting angry.
2. List two coping strategies that help you when you are becoming angry.