Anger Management Group: Lesson Plans

(Used with Middle School, 5th Grade)

Thomas Harrison Middle School
Internship: Spring 2015

Topic: Anger is Ok
Grade Level: 5
Session: 1
Group Goals:

1. Learn about anger and how to identify the physical signs.

2. Explore the primary feelings often associated with anger.
3. Identify and explore new ways of coping with difficult feelings and
situations that can cause anger.
4. Learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a healthy
way.
Session Goals:
1. Introduction to the rules and purpose of the group
2. Discuss Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters.
Session Details:
- Welcome
- Pass out folders
- Check In
o Students share what number they are feeling today on a scale from
1 to 10, where 1 is the worst you can feel and 10 is the best you
can feel and why. (See attached, Group Check-In)
- Pre-Assessment
o Students will complete the Pre-Assessment (See attached, Healthy
Choices Pre-Assessment). The leader should read at least one
question out loud to the group for clarification of how to answer the
scaled questions. Give students time to complete the assessment
individually.
- Group Rules
o Each student should be provided with their own copy of the group
rules (See attached, Group Rules). Review what the rules mean,
and ask for any other rules that the group thinks should be
included.
- Confidentiality
o Each student should be provided with a separate handout regarding
confidentiality (See attached, Confidentiality Handout).
Emphasize the parameters of confidentiality and why that is
important to the group.
- Introduce Group Motto
o Each student should be provided with the group motto handout
(See attached, Group Motto Handout). Talk about the group
motto, Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters. Ask for
volunteers to share their answers to the question Is anger ok? on
their pre-assessment and discuss.
- Balloon Activity
o Pass out balloons to students and complete the balloon activity
(See attached, Balloon Activity-Part One) to help show how anger
can build up and make you pop! as well as how releasing anger is
important to preventing someone from popping.
- Closing
o Collect folders and have students share their answers to the
question What do you want to learn in this group?
Notes:
** Collect balloons from students before going back to class decreases the
temptation to make bad choices

Topic: Physical Signs of Anger

Grade Level: 5
Session: 2
Group Goals:
5. Learn about anger and how to identify the physical signs.
6. Explore the primary feelings often associated with anger.
7. Identify and explore new ways of coping with difficult feelings and
situations that can cause anger.
8. Learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a healthy
way.
Session Goals:
3. Students will recognize their physical cues to their own anger
4. Students will share with the group how it feels when they are angry
Session Details:
- Welcome
- Pass out folders
- Check In
o Students share what number they are feeling today on a scale from
1 to 10, where 1 is the worst you can feel and 10 is the best you
can feel and why. (See attached, Group Check-In)
- Group Rules
o Each student should have a copy of the group rules in their folder
(See attached, Group Rules). Review what the rules mean,
including confidentiality, and ask for any other rules that the group
thinks should be included.
- Group Motto
o Each student should have a copy of the group motto in their folder
(See attached, Group Motto Handout). Review the group motto,
Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters.
- Introduce Todays Topic
o Ask students how they feel physically when they are happy or
excited. How can others tell that they are excited? What are some
things that they feel but someone else might not be able to see?
(Examples: Red cheeks, smiling, big eyes, sitting up straight,
butterflies in stomach, heart racing, etc.)
- Physical Signs of Anger Activity
o Now ask students to think about their physical warning signs of
being angry. Have them write down those physical cues on their
Anger Warning Signs Worksheet (See attached). After everyone has
had a chance to write down their warnings signs ask the class to
add those ideas to a poster that includes the outline of a body.
Encourage students to use colors, words, and drawings to
accurately describe their warning signs. Students should be
provided their own body outline worksheet (See attached, Physical
Signs of Anger Worksheet) to copy if they want to.

o As each student adds a warning sign to the poster, discuss whether

other students have felt that same way.
o Encourage students to reflect on their physical warning signs over
the next week and try to notice how their body reacts when they
are feeling angry
- Closing
o Collect folders and have students finish the sentence: Today I
learned
Notes:
** Students may confuse physical reactions with the choices they make when
they are angry (like yelling, kicking, etc.). Make sure to explain that the physical
reactions are the reactions our body has that are mostly out of our control like
our heart beating fast, sweating, stomach aches, fists clinching, crying, etc.
Topic: Being a S.T.A.R.! Calming Techniques
Grade Level: 5
Session: 3
Group Goals:
9. Learn about anger and how to identify the physical signs.
10.
Explore the primary feelings often associated with anger.
11.
Identify and explore new ways of coping with difficult feelings and
situations that can cause anger.
12.
Learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a
healthy way.
Session Goals:
5. Students will understand the S.T.A.R. acronym and how it can help
promote positive choices.
6. Students will learn new ways to calm down after feeling angry.
Session Details:
- Welcome
- Pass out folders
- Check In
o Students share what number they are feeling today on a scale from
1 to 10, where 1 is the worst you can feel and 10 is the best you
can feel and why. (See attached, Group Check-In)
- Group Rules
o Each student should have a copy of the group rules in their folder
(See attached, Group Rules). Review what the rules mean,
including confidentiality.
- Group Motto
o Each student should have a copy of the group motto in their folder
(See attached, Group Motto Handout). Review the group motto,
Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters.
- Review last week
o Ask students to talk about what they remember from the last
session about the physical signs of anger. Ask them if anyone
noticed their physical signs since last session. Review why it is
important to be aware of our physical signs in order to create the
space between our anger and how we act on it.
- S.T.A.R. Handout

o Review the star handout with students (See attached: Star

Handout). Talk about that this is another way to remember to
create space by Stoping Thinking Acting and Reviewing when we
are angry.
- Calming Techniques
o Begin the discussion by asking students about the ways in which
they are able to calm down when they get angry. Have students
volunteer to share ideas that have been useful to them in the past.
Have students add the ideas that they like to their Ways I Can
Calm Down worksheet (See Attached)
o Have a bag of ideas of your own with items that represent different
ways to calm down. This bag might include a glitter bottle, stress
ball, headphones (to represent music), coloring sheet, soothing
rocks, etc.
o Direct students in muscle relaxation and breathing exercises. Talk to
them about the fact that these are quick things they can do in the
moment and even in class if they need to. You will direct them
through the exercises described in the attached Breathing and
Muscle Relaxation Exercises worksheet.
- Closing
o Collect folders and ask students to practice at least one of these
calming tools before our next meeting.
Topic: Inside and Outside Feelings
Grade Level: 5
Session: 4
Group Goals:
13.
Learn about anger and how to identify the physical signs.
14.
Explore the primary feelings often associated with anger.
15.
Identify and explore new ways of coping with difficult feelings and
situations that can cause anger.
16.
Learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a
healthy way.
Session Goals:
7. Students will understand the difference between an inside feeling
(primary emotion) and an outside feeling (secondary emotion).
8. Students will be able to identify the primary emotions often associated
with anger.
9. Students will learn how to use I-Messages to express those emotions.
Session Details:
- Welcome
- Pass out folders
- Check In
o Students share what number they are feeling today on a scale from
1 to 10, where 1 is the worst you can feel and 10 is the best you
can feel and why. (See attached, Group Check-In)
- Group Rules
o Each student should have a copy of the group rules in their folder
(See attached, Group Rules). Review what the rules mean,
including confidentiality.

Group Motto
o Each student should have a copy of the group motto in their folder
(See attached, Group Motto Handout). Review the group motto,
Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters.
Review last week
o Ask students to talk about what they remember from the last
session about the different techniques we can use to calm down.
Ask them how they were able to calm down in the last week? Did
anyone feel their physical signs of anger? Review the S.T.A.R.
worksheet from last week.
Outside and Inside Feelings
o Review the Outside and Inside Feelings handout (See attached) with
students. Specifically review the inside feeling words in order to
expand their emotional vocabulary.
Paper Plate Activity
o Provide students with a paper plate. On the bottom of the plate,
have students draw their angry face. This will represent the
outside feeling. On the other side of the plate, students will then
write some inside feelings they have experienced that make them
mad. Students can refer to the previous handout for help with
words.
I-Messages
o Review the I-Messages handout (See attached) with students. Allow
students to practice with I-Messages using their emotional
vocabulary.
Closing
o Collect folders and ask students to use at least one I-Message with
a friend or family member before next week.

Topic: Review and Termination

Grade Level: 5
Session: 5
Group Goals:
17.
Learn about anger and how to identify the physical signs.
18.
Explore the primary feelings often associated with anger.
19.
Identify and explore new ways of coping with difficult feelings and
situations that can cause anger.
20.
Learn how to communicate effectively and resolve conflicts in a
healthy way.
Session Goals:
10.
Students will review their work in the group and the skills they have
built.
11.
Students will complete the post assessment.
Session Details:
- Welcome

Pass out folders

Check In
o Students share what number they are feeling today on a scale from
1 to 10, where 1 is the worst you can feel and 10 is the best you
can feel and why. (See attached, Group Check-In)
Group Rules
o Each student should have a copy of the group rules in their folder
(See attached, Group Rules). Review what the rules mean,
including confidentiality.
Group Motto
o Each student should have a copy of the group motto in their folder
(See attached, Group Motto Handout). Review the group motto,
Anger is ok, its how you handle it that matters.
Review last week
o Review with students what they remember from last week about
inside and outside feelings. Ask them to give you an example of
an I-Message that they used since the last meeting.
Balloon Activity Part Two
o Refer to the handout Balloon Activity: Part Two (attached) for
directions for this activity. This will help students to merge all the
skills they have learned.
Sharing and Reflection
o Allow each member of the group to say one or two things that they
learned in the group. Reflect back to them any progress or positive
involvement that you have noticed.
Post Assessment
o Have students complete the attached post assessment.
Closing
o Allow students to take their folders with them and encourage them
to keep working on their new skills!

Group Rules
1. Respect others
2. No put-downs (Treat others as
you want to be treated)

3. Do not use other students

names when telling a story

4. Confidentiality: what happens in

this group stays here. Including all
stories told by any member or
leader.

5. Right to pass: After giving an

answer for the check in question,
members can pass on other
questions or activities.

What you say in here,

stays in here

UNLESS.
1. Someone is hurting you
2. You want to hurt someone
3. You want to hurt yourself
*You may talk to your parents about what you said
in group and what you are learning.
Please dont share what anyone else says.

Group Motto

Being angry is
ok! Its how you

handle it that
matters

Todays Check-In
My name is:

_____________________
And today I feel like a:

__________

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Im ok

Anger Management Group: PreAssessment

Name:__________________________ Date:____________
1
Never
I handle my
anger well
I get in trouble
because of my
anger
I know what
causes me to
be angry

2
Sometim
es

3
Frequentl
y

4
Most
Always

5
All the
Time

When I am
angry, I keep
my feelings
inside
When I am
angry, I talk to
someone
about it
When I am
angry, I take it
out on
someone else

Is being angry ok?

What are some of your physical signs of anger?

What are some ways you can calm down when you are angry?

What do you want to learn in this group?

Balloon Activity;
Part ONE
This is a more basic balloon activity to help students visualize the effects of
letting anger build up. You will need one red balloon per student. Tell the
students that their balloon is a student and we are going to go through the
day with them. First ask, What is something that might stress you out,

upset you or make you angry in the morning? A student may respond with
something like A kid was mean to me on the bus. Then you would say So
a student was mean to this boy or girl this morning and that stressed him or
her out. Please blow a little into your balloon.
Then you can ask What is something that might stress you out, upset you
or make you angry at school? at lunch? after school? at night?.
At this point the balloons should be full. Then you can ask the students
What do you think will happen if we keep putting air in this balloon? They
will likely respond with It will POP! Then you can discuss how holding
anger in can cause someone to POP! and make a bad decision when they
are angry. You can then explain that in this class we will learn how to release
your anger in a healthy way to prevent you from popping. Then you can
let the students let go of their balloons and watch them fly around the room
as the anger is released!

Physical Signs of Anger Worksheet

CONTROL YOUR
ANGER
BY BEING A

TOP
HINK

CT
EVIEW
STOP:
In order to make a decision and prepare for action you must stop
long enough to think about what you are about to do. This is why it
is important to be able to recognize when we are getting angry!

THINK:
Once you stop, you have the time to think and make the best
choice. What should you think about? Ask yourself:

1. What are my choices?

2. What behavior will I choose?
3. What might be the consequences for that behavior?

ACT:
Once you decide on the best choice, you must act upon it.
Remember! YOU are making the choice. YOU are responsible for
what you do. Say to yourself I am choosing to

REVIEW:
After taking action, it is important to review what happened! Ask
yourself:
1. Did I make a good choice?
2. Were there consequences for my choice?
3. What did I learn?

Ways that I can

CALM DOWN

__________________________

___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

Breathing Exercise
1. Tell students Please close your eyes and keep them closed until we
finish the exercise. I will tell you when to open them.
2. I want you to breathe in deeply through your nose. Now hold your
breath there (1,2,3) then let your breath out almost like you are giving
a big sigh
3. Now lets do that again, breath in, hold it (1,2,3), and let it out.
4. We are going to do this 5 more times, breathe in (1,2,3) and let it out
5. And in (1,2,3) and out
6. In (1,2,3) Out (Repeat)
Ask students to tell you how they feel now? Did it help them to relax?

Muscle Relaxation Exercise

1. Tell students Now we are going to relax the muscles in your body.
Please close your eyes and keep them closed until I finish the exercise
and tell you to open them.
2. Pretend that you have an orange in your right hand and squeeze as
hard as you can (5 seconds) Pay attention to the muscles in your
hand as you are squeezing
3. Now drop that orange and pay attention to how your muscles feel as
they relax.
4. Now we are going to repeat with our left arm (Repeat).
Ask students how that felt for them?
Did they feel their muscles tensing up and then relaxing?
** Explain that they can do either of these techniques with their eyes open if
they need to in class by staring at a spot on the wall or even at the teacher
while they relax.

Our outside feeling is the feeling we show to

other people, like anger! Outside feelings are often
caused by inside feelings.

Inside feelings are the feelings inside us that we

might not tell other people. Examples of inside
feelings are:
Annoye Stressed Confused
Lonely
d
Depress
Jealous
Frustrate
Guilty
ed
d
Hurt
Embarrass
Sad
Disappoin
ed
ted
Tired
Anxious
Discoura
Scared
ged

Example:
Juans uncle promised Juan that he would pick him up from school and take
him for ice cream. Juan waited and waited after school, but his uncle never
came. When his Mom came to pick him up he yelled at her for telling him to
put his seatbelt on. When he got home he pushed his sister out of the way
and stomped up to his room

What was Juans outside feeling?

What was Juans inside feeling?

I-Messages are a clear, non-threatening,

respectful way of telling another person how you
feel and what you want. There are 3 steps!

1. I FEEL ___________________.
2. WHEN YOU_______________.
3. BECAUSE ________________.
Lets practice!
1.You are trying to do your homework and your little
sister keeps poking you in the side and tickling you
because she wants to play. What could you say to her?

I FEEL

frustrated ________________.

WHEN YOU poke me and tickle me______ .

BECAUSE

I cant focus on my homework .

2.You spilled some ketchup on your shirt at lunch and

your friend keeps laughing at it and showing other
people. What could you say?

I FEEL

______________________________.

WHEN YOU ______________________________.

BECAUSE

______________________________.

Balloon Activity;

Part Two
In a classroom setting, have two students volunteer to be helpers. One
student receives a red balloon (symbolizing anger) and the other student
receives a blue balloon (symbolizing cooling down or calmness). Read
scenarios aloud that might cause someone to become upset, such as "your
little brother makes you late for school.
Each time you read a scenario, both students blow their balloon up a little
bit. As a class, we discuss what the student with the blue balloon could do to
calm down or cool down. The student with the blue balloon lets air out of
the balloon after discussing coping strategies. The student with the red
balloon however, holds their balloon tight and does not let out any of the air
in after each scenario. As each scenario is read, more and more air
continues to be added to the red balloon.
After the red balloon is full of air, talk about what the balloon symbolizes.
Talk about how the balloon is full of a lot of anger and frustration and
holding it all in. Ask students what would happen if we tried to add more air
to the balloon. Students will likely suggest that the balloon might pop.
Explain that when we hold our anger in, we can explode. Using healthy
coping strategies like the ones they have learned in this group to relieve our
angry feelings allows us to feel comfortable and in control.

Anger Management Group: PostAssessment

Name:__________________________ Date:____________
1
Never

2
Sometim
es

3
Frequentl
y

4
Most
Always

5
All the
Time

I handle my
anger well
I get in trouble
because of my
anger
I know what
causes me to
be angry
When I am
angry, I keep
my feelings
inside
When I am
angry, I talk to
someone
about it
When I am
angry, I take it
out on
someone else

Fill in the blank:

Being angry is _________! Its how you ____________ _____ that matters.
What are some of your physical signs of anger?

What are some ways you can calm down when you are angry?

What did you like about this group? What did you dislike about it?