A Collection of Anger Management/Impulse

Control Activities & Lesson Plans

(PreK-3rd grade)

Provided by Project B.A.S.I.C. Child Development Specialist,

&

Child Care Consultation Staff

Creation of these materials is supported by the Child Care Consultation grant through the Tennessee Department of
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (2015)
Anger Management and Impulse Control Activities and Lesson Plans
What Can You Do to Calm Down? List of Ideas to Calm Down............................................................................................... 3
Use the Four Finger Technique to Calm Down ....................................................................................................................... 5
Angry Visuals: Balloons, Volcanos, and Corn .......................................................................................................................... 6
Tucker Turtle Activity Sheets Puzzles, Coloring Sheets, Crossword Puzzles, Dot to Dot and Puppets .............................. 11
Super Friend Using Words to Calm Down............................................................................................................................. 29
Cool Down Choices Wheel .................................................................................................................................................... 31
Making and Using Sensory Bottles........................................................................................................................................ 32
Letting Go of Worries the Hug Me Tree ............................................................................................................................. 33
Anger Map............................................................................................................................................................................. 34
The M & M Anger Game ....................................................................................................................................................... 35
Dont Flip Your Lid ................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Dont Be A Soda Pop Head! Control your Fizz! ..................................................................................................................... 37
Safe Ways to Release Anger.................................................................................................................................................. 38
The Anger Catcher ................................................................................................................................................................ 40
Step Back and Breathe: Lesson Plans for Teaching Anger Management to Children........................................................... 41
Got Mads? A pledge to be in charge of my feelings ............................................................................................................. 42
I Speak My Feelings When I Am Upset! ................................................................................................................................ 43
The To-Do List to Get Over It! ............................................................................................................................................... 44
Being the Boss Octopus ........................................................................................................................................................ 45
What is Best for Me Secret Message ................................................................................................................................. 46
Dont Be An Angry Bird Collection ........................................................................................................................................ 48
Lesson Plan: Bubbles and Impulse Control ........................................................................................................................... 60
Lesson Plan: Being Responsible for Our Own Actions When Sophie Gets Angry Really, Really, Angry by Molly Bang .. 62

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What Can You Do to Calm Down? List of Ideas to Calm Down
First the rules!

1. You cant hurt yourself

2. You cant hurt others
3. You cant hurt anyones stuff
4. You have to follow the rules (this means different things for different
teachers, so it will need to be taught!)

Note clip art throughout materials can be copied and enlarged to use
as visuals.

Be like Tucker Turtle and Take Time to Tuck and Think

Tucker Turtle Takes Time to Tuck & Think Spanish Version
When Tucker Turtle Gets Too Excited Spanish version

Walk away

STOP THINK before you speak!

o T Is it True?
o H - Is it Helpful?
o I Is it Inspiring?
o N Is it Necessary?
o K Is it Kind?

Take 3 deep breaths

Draw a picture of how you feel

Draw a picture of what you are angry about

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 Do something physical
o Run in place
o Jumping jacks
o Wall push-ups

o Sit-ups
o Punch a pillow
o Skip rope

Crumple or rip up scrap paper

Yell loudly outside

Hug a pillow or stuffed animal

Count backwards, forwards or by different numbers to 10, 25, 50 or more

and in different ways!

Get a grip.squeeze a stress ball or make and release fists

Tell yourself to Chill Out! Think of cold things!

Take a seat (sitting causes your body to relax)

Blow bubbles

Body Relax- relax your body from head to toe, one part at a time
Take a break - do something else

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Use the Four Finger Technique to Calm Down

Take Four deep breaths and exhale slowly 4 times

Count by 4s to 100
Name four:
o Feelings
o Animals
o Favorite Foods
o Favorite Games
o Flowers
o TV shows
o Songs
o Things you like about yourself
Do four:
o Jumping Jacks
o Wall Push-ups
o Jump up and downs
Draw/Write 4:
o Ways to calm down
o Feeling faces
Give yourself 4 compliments

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Angry Visuals: Balloons, Volcanos, and Corn

A Balloon filling up with too much air.

-Talk to children about how it feels inside when you start to get
angry.

-Use a red balloon as a visual, describe the beginning of getting

upset, and blow air into the balloon, continue describe how it feels
as you get progressively more upset, leading to anger and add more air to the
balloon. Ask what will happen if we keep blowing air into the balloon? Compare the
popping of the balloon to what happens if we get too angry that we cant control
our actions. (If we pop could hit someone, yell or scream or throw something).

- Blow up a blue balloon, until at stress point, ask children about ways to calm down
when we get upset or angry, with each response let air out of balloon and share
that we can manage our feelings in many ways.

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 Volcanos Let Off Steam-Using visuals of a volcano, explain how volcanos give
warnings before erupting (steam or earthquakes). Discuss the signals our
bodies send when we get upset or angry.

http://yearn4learning.blogspot.ca/2012/04/behavior-volcano.html

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Behavior Self-Regulation
Melt Down

Avoid Crisis

Back on Track
Take a short cut

Short Cuts
Calm in What bugs Signals of
Control me? Stress

http://yearn4learning.blogspot.ca/2012/04/behavior-volcano.html
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 Corn Using the life cycle of a corn plant as a visual, show how taking care
of the seed, seedling and growing plant will grow corn that is edible. But if
corn is not taken care of, it does not have sun, water, or fertile soil it will
not grow into corn to eat or if worms get into the corn, it cant be eaten.
Compare this to people, by being able to have self-control and stay calm
when you are angry you will be able to handle things that upset you. But if
you cant calm down when you get angry, and get in trouble for hurting other
people or things or yourself then others will not want to be around you.
Tucker Turtle Activity Sheets Puzzles, Coloring Sheets, Crossword Puzzles, Dot to
Dot and Puppets
Tucker Turtle Puzzle!
Targeted Social Emotional Supports: Teaching Anger Management and Problem Solving Skills

All children can use your help to learn social- emotional skills.
Before children can learn to problem solve, they must learn to control anger and impulses.
This involves three concepts:
1. Recognizing when they are angry and recognizing when others are angry.
2. Knowing how to calm down.
3. Expressing anger in appropriate ways.
The turtle technique was originally developed to teach adults anger management skills and
later was successfully adapted for school-age children (Schneider, 1974). Since then, the turtle
technique has been adapted and integrated into social skills programs for preschoolers (Kusche
& Greenberg, 1994, Webster- Stratton, 1990).

Tucker Turtle Puzzle!

After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached puzzle can be used as a follow-up
at home or in the classroom. Have children glue the puzzle on card stock and then cut out the
puzzle on the black lines. (If using the black-lined Tucker Turtle, have children color it before
gluing on to the card stock) After the children complete the puzzle you can talk to them about
Tucker and the steps he uses to calm down.
Make your own puzzles!
Materials needed:
Picture (clip art works as well as coloring book pictures) you would like to create into a
puzzle
A way to scan picture to your computer or copy picture on a piece of paper
Computer with a paint program or Microsoft Word and a printer
Marker, Scissors, Glue, Card Stock

Process:
Scan picture to your computer, or use clipart picture already on computer, or use a hard
copy of the picture (without the computer)

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 For the hard copy puzzle, make your own pieces with a dark marker and it is ready to
use
For the computer process, create a word document and insert your picture
Click on insert shape and cover the picture with connected shapes (Tucker was done
with a rectangle and a half circle)
Click on picture tools at the top of the screen and click on shape fill and click on no fill
(this will allow your picture to be visible under the lines) Keep the outline color a dark
color)
Once you have created the puzzle lines print. Let the children make the puzzle.

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 Tucker Turtle Color by Numbers!

After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached color by number
sheet can be used as a follow-up at home or in the classroom. Have children color
Tucker Turtle by matching numbers to colors. After the children complete the
coloring you can talk to them about Tucker and the steps he uses to calm down.

Make your own color by numbers (or letters) pages!

Materials needed:
Picture (clip art or character from scripted story or an object or already
created coloring sheets)
Printer to print completed coloring sheets
Microsoft software (or similar) Paint (to remove color if needed) or you can
use a website like the following:
http://mycoloringbook.keasoftware.com/coloring-book-extras/82-
resources/112-my-coloring-book-editor.html
Microsoft word or similar software to insert boxes for numbers or letters
and colors

Process:
Draw, copy or find a picture of your choice (Super Friend works also)
Scan picture to your computer, or use clipart picture already on computer
If needed go to a web site and create the coloring page or use Microsoft
Paint software or similar to remove to remove color
Create a color key by inserting small boxes in a text box and add the
numbers/letters and colors needed for the picture
Click on insert a text box and make a small box, just enough to place a
number in.
Copy the text box and place in sections of the picture, matching with your
key the needed colors (make sure there is not an outline for the text box,
which you can remove by clicking no outline in text tools box)
Print and have your children color your creation

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 1 1

4 5
6 3
4 5 6

5 2 2
3
1
2

1 2
Red 1
Yellow 2
Green 3
3
Purple 4
3 Blue 5
Brown 6
1
3
3 6 6
3 3
3 2
3
3
2
3 3

6 2 6 3

2
3
3

4
4

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 Tucker Turtle Coloring Pages!

After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached coloring sheets can be
used as a follow-up at home or in the classroom. Have children color Tucker
Turtle. After the children complete the coloring, you can talk to them about
Tucker and the steps he uses to calm down. (Tucking Turtle will be black and
white when printed)

Make your own coloring pages!

Materials needed:
Picture (clip art or character from scripted story or an object)
Printer to print completed coloring sheets
Microsoft software (or similar) Paint (to remove color if needed)
Website software (free) to create your own coloring pages from your
pictures: http://mycoloringbook.keasoftware.com/coloring-book-
extras/82-resources/112-my-coloring-book-editor.html

Process:

Draw, copy or find a picture of your choice (Super Friend works also)
Scan picture to your computer, or use clipart picture already on computer
Go to web site and create the coloring page or
Use software on your computer to remove color
Print and have your children color your creation

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 Tucker Turtle Dot to Dot!
After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached dot to dots can be
used as a follow-up at home or in the classroom. Have children connect the dots
(either 1-30 or 1-60too hard/too easy? See below) and color Tucker Turtle. After
the children complete the dot to dot you can suggest teachers or parents to ask
them to tell them about Tucker and the steps he uses to calm down.

Make your own dot to dots!

Materials needed:
Picture (clip art or character from scripted story or an object)
The follow web site creates dot to dots from your picture:
www.picturedots.com/make/makePuzzle.html

Printer to print completed dot to dot

Process:
Draw, copy or find a picture of your choice (Super Friend works also)
Scan picture to your computer, or use clipart picture already on computer
Go to web site and create the dot to dot
Print and have your children complete and color

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 Tucker Turtle Crossword Puzzle

Targeted Social Emotional Supports: Teaching Anger Management and Problem Solving Skills

All children can use your help to learn social- emotional skills.
Before children can learn to problem solve, they must learn to control anger and impulses.
This involves three concepts:
1. Recognizing when they are angry and recognizing when others are angry.
2. Knowing how to calm down.
3. Expressing anger in appropriate ways.
The turtle technique was originally developed to teach adults anger management skills and
later was successfully adapted for school-age children (Schneider, 1974). Since then, the turtle
technique has been adapted and integrated into social skills programs for preschoolers (Kusche
& Greenberg, 1994, Webster- Stratton, 1990).

After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached crossword puzzle can be used as a
follow-up at home or in the classroom. Review the story by using the words within the
crossword puzzle.

Make your own crossword puzzle:

Check out this link, http://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/crossword/

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http://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/crossword/
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Tucker Turtle Puppets
Targeted Social Emotional Supports: Teaching Anger Management and Problem Solving Skills

All children can use your help to learn social- emotional skills.
Before children can learn to problem solve, they must learn to control anger and impulses.
This involves three concepts:
1. Recognizing when they are angry and recognizing when others are angry.
2. Knowing how to calm down.
3. Expressing anger in appropriate ways.
The turtle technique was originally developed to teach adults anger management skills and
later was successfully adapted for school-age children (Schneider, 1974). Since then, the turtle
technique has been adapted and integrated into social skills programs for preschoolers (Kusche
& Greenberg, 1994, Webster- Stratton, 1990).

After reading the scripted Tucker Turtle Story, the attached Tucker Turtle puppets can be
made by the children at home or in the classroom. They can be used to act out the story as it is
read.

Puppet 1: Copy and cut out puppet pieces from cardstock. Follow the directions on the page
to make Tucker Turtle puppet whose head tucks into his shell by sliding in.

Puppet 2: Copy and cut out puppet pieces from cardstock. Use a paper/plastic plate (this can
be painted green by the children or use a purchased green plate). Attach legs & tail to the
plate. Attach the head to a popsicle stick and make a slit in the plate wide enough for the head
to tuck into the shell.

Puppet 3: Using a green plastic spoon as the head of Tucker, have children color and cut out
shapes. Glue each piece to one small paper plate. Staple or glue edges of paper plates
together leaving a place for the plastic spoon head to slide into the body. Have children add
eyes to the back of the spoon.

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 Super Friend Using Words to Calm Down

I can take 3 deep

breaths and go
with the flow

Its no
big deal!

Im in
charge of
my feelings!

I use my Super
Friend words and

I can handle this! go with the flow!

I can use my Super Friend powers! 29

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Cool Down Choices Wheel

Name:

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Making and Using Sensory Bottles

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Letting Go of Worries the Hug Me Tree

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Anger Map

Anger Map
What kind of face do you What things do you say
have when you are angry? when you are angry?

What happens to your body when

How do you behave when youre youre angry?
angry?

______________________________________

______________________________________
Other ways I can handle my anger:
______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Have you learned anything about

What could your anger help you
your anger?
to achieve?

What helps you when you are angry?

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The M & M Anger Game

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Dont Flip Your Lid
Ask children to tell you what they think Dont Flip Your Lid means. If the children are not familiar with the
expression explain:

When someone says Dont Flip Your Lid it means dont lose control or freak out when you get mad. We are going to
learn new ways to deal with our anger so you Dont Flip Your Lid when you get angry.

Each child (or the class) can have a prop box with visual reminders for different ways to help deal with their
angry feelings in ways that wont make them Flip Your Lid. (See list below)

Lowenstein, L. (2002). More creative interventions for troubled children & youth. Champion Press.

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Dont Be A Soda Pop Head! Control your Fizz!

Dont Be A Soda Pop Head!! Control Your Fizz!

Things that help me cool down

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Safe Ways to Release Anger

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The Anger Catcher

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Step Back and Breathe: Lesson Plans for Teaching Anger Management to Children
Retrieved from http://www.angriesout.com/anger-management.pdf (3/17/2015)

Selected handouts provided by Child Developmental Specialist, Project B.A.S.I.C. website provides lessons and activities

Website: http://www.angriesout.com

Got Mads?
I Speak My Feelings When I Am Upset
The To-Do to Get Over It List

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Got Mads? A pledge to be in charge of my feelings

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I Speak My Feelings When I Am Upset!

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The To-Do List to Get Over It!

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Being the Boss Octopus
Have children write different ways they can control their angry feeling in each of the octopus
legs.

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What is Best for Me Secret Message

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Dont Be An Angry Bird Collection

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Lesson Plan: Bubbles and Impulse Control

Activity Name: Control Those Grade Level(s): PreK-3 (and By: Marisa Dalton, Luttrell Elementary
Bubbles! beyond)
Brief Description: Using soap bubbles demonstrate how it is difficult to control our actions when we are
excited
Kindergarten Project B.A.S.I.C. Goal(s): Focus Area(s):
To Develop Understanding of Rules & Self-control
Expectations

To Understand and Express Feelings How to express feelings appropriately

Appropriately
1st Grade Project B.A.S.I.C. Goal(s): Focus Area(s):
To Develop Understanding of Rules and Self-control
Expectations
Learning to Express Feelings Appropriately Self-control

Learning to Make Choices and Decisions Basic problem solving skills

Facing new situations, failures and rejections
Develop Responsibility/Respect for Self and Taking responsibility for ones actions
Others
2nd Grade Project B.A.S.I.C. Goal(s): Focus Area(s):
To Develop Understanding of Rules and Self-control
Expectations
Develop Responsibility for Ones Actions Take responsibility for ones actions
Understanding how choices impact self and others
Problem Solving Skills Increasing social skills communication/choices
Using I-statements/choosing solutions/self-control
When to ask for help/develop solutions to problems
3rd Grade Project B.A.S.I.C. Goal(s): Focus Area(s):
To Develop Understanding of Rules and Making choices about ones behavior
Agreements
Improving Problem Solving Skills Resisting peer pressure
Put Problem Solving into Action Games and activities to practice skills
Materials:
Bubbles
Wand or bubble gun that allows many bubbles to fly at one time
Pipe cleaners one or two for each student
When Tucker Turtle Gets Too Excited
Lesson:
1. Start blowing bubbles across the classroom, allow children to respond naturally to bubbles
(giggling, catching, popping etc) Once bubbles have stopped flying on initial bubble launch,
wait to see if children calm down.
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2. Tell children you are going to blow bubbles again, this time however you want them to ignore
the bubbles and sit still and quiet (even if a bubble lands on them!)
3. Blow bubbles again.
4. Discuss with children how hard it was not to giggle, pop, laugh, talk or catch the bubbles. (select
questions below that children can relate to)
Was it hard/easy?
Why did you want to play with the bubbles?
What are some other things that are hard to resist?
Define and talk about being impulsive
Can you control your behavior?
Is it hard not to be impulsive? Why?
What is self-control?
5. Read When Tucker Turtle Gets Too Excited. And discuss what Tucker does to get calmed
down
6. Discuss different ways to calm down when you get excited.
7. Make a pipe cleaner bubble wand and practice taking calming breaths.

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Lesson Plan: Being Responsible for Our Own Actions When Sophie Gets Angry
Really, Really, Angry by Molly Bang

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