Davenport Elementary School Counseling Program
Emotion Management Lesson: Mad Hatter
Grade-K
Personal/Social Domain Standard A:
Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
Competency A1.5, 1.6, & 1.8
Personal/Social Domain Standard C:
Students will understand safety and survival skills.
Competency C 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 1.10, & 1.11
Objectives:
· To be able to identify situations that cause them to feel angry
· To identify several safe ways to calm themselves down
· To demonstrate some calming down techniques
Materials: Old hat; recipe cards or ¼ sheets of card stock; marker
Procedure:
1. Discuss the feeling of anger. Review other related feelings words introduced in previous guidance lessons and Second Step lessons.
2. Discuss safe vs. unsafe ways to express anger. Provide several examples with consequences of each (including how it would make other people feel).
3. When the class understands distinction between safe and unsafe (or “healthy/unhealthy,” “helpful/hurtful,” etc.) ways to express anger ask for
volunteers to suggest safe ways to handle anger. Be sure to include 3 calming down techniques from Second Step poster.
4. Write each idea which all agree are safe or helpful ways to handle anger on a
card and put it in the hat. Draw a small picture on the card to help non-readers know what the technique is.
5. With teacher’s cooperation, explain to students that when they feel angry, upset,
Frustrated, etc. they can draw a card out of the hat and try that calming down technique. If they don’t the card they may pick again or make up their own (as long as it is safe).
Note: It is probably best if teacher uses the Mad Hatter only during free play, center time, or other relatively unstructured activities to avoid students using it to avoid work or group activities.
Alternate idea: Use a “Bucket of Cool Downs” instead of a hat.