1. I know it’s ok to feel strong emotions sometimes
Year 3 – Strong emotions
I know it’s ok to feel strong emotions sometimes
This lesson fits into the Strong emotions strand. It focuses on recognising that experiencing strong emotions at times, such as anger, is normal. Children explore strategies for coping with these strong emotions and think about a strategy which might work for them in terms of calming down. Children will also think about explaining the steps involved in their chosen ‘calming down’ strategy.
© Leeds South and East CCG

2. Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills
I recognise that that I may experience strong emotions such as anger
I can learn there are ways to cope with these strong emotions
I can choose a calming down strategy that will work for me and explain the steps involved 2

3. How we will work together
Can you remember the ground rules we have already talked about, let’s take a minute to think about them
Teacher notes
Read these through with the children. Hopefully the ground rules will be displayed in the classroom already. 3

4. What do we already know? Group discussion Contented Embarrassed
Can you think of any examples of when someone might feel this way?
Did you all agree?
Why not?
Group discussion
Contented
Anxious
Embarrassed
Furious
Irritated
Elated
Groups/ pairs (as appropriate) to place emotions on the emotions scale. Ask the children to label the intensity of each emotion from 1 – 10 (1 being low intensity and 10 being high intensity). Discuss findings and link to strength of emotion. Did they all agree? Why? Why not? Could they give examples of a situation when those feelings/ mixture of feelings might be present? Emphasise that some situations will give rise to more than one emotion and therefore can be quite complicated. For example, if you were moving house, you might be excited about getting a new bedroom/ your own bedroom but you might also feel anxious because you are leaving behind all your old friends and don’t know anyone where you are going to live.
Terrified
Depressed
Let down
Pleased
Ecstatic
Unsure 4

5. Mindfulness Exercise 1: Mindful Hearing Listen to the audio clip
Right click on ‘Mindful Hearing clip’ hyperlink and click ‘open hyperlink’ to access video. Mindfulness exercise – Exercise 1; ‘Mindful Hearing’.
Listen to the audio clip
Annaka Harris 2017 5

6. Feeling angry Talk partners What makes you feel angry?
What’s the difference between someone feeling angry/mad and someone feeling explosive?
How does your body feel when you are experiencing anger?
Is it ok to feel angry?
Why/why not?
Why might we call some feelings strong feelings?
Watch the video clip
Copyright: BBC Bitesize, 2007
Right click on Video clip and click ‘open hyperlink’ to access video. Watch video clip (Stop at 00.36). Discuss: What makes you feel angry? What’s the difference between someone feeling angry/ mad and someone feeling explosive?
Continue watching video clip (stop at 01.58). How does your body feel when you are experiencing anger? Acknowledge that different people will experience different sensations when feeling angry and re-assure the children that this is ok. Watch the remainder of the video clip. Is it ok to feel angry? Why/ why not? Why might we call some feelings strong feelings? Link back to discussion as part of the baseline activity.
Talk partners 6

7. Feeling angry How might we cope when we’re feeling angry?
Group discussion
When I feel angry, I try and calm down by …
How might we cope with these strong feelings? Circle time discussion – ‘When I feel angry, I try and calm down by…’ Share other suggestions for strategies to help calm down when feeling angry. Acknowledge that different strategies will work best for different people and reassure the children that that’s ok. 7

8. Feeling angry You could try… Group discussion
Counting to 10, 50 or even 100
Listening to music
Taking deep breaths (smelling the strawberry and blowing out the candle)
Walking away and having a drink of water
Having a change of scenery/moving away from the situation
Play with putty, play dough or a stress ball
How might we cope with these strong feelings? Circle time discussion – ‘When I feel angry, I try and calm down by…’ Share other suggestions for strategies to help calm down when feeling angry. Acknowledge that different strategies will work best for different people and reassure the children that that’s ok. 8

9. Feeling angry How would you describe anger?
When you feel hurt or sad, you don’t really know what to do so you just might get mad and angry
How would you describe anger?
What words would you associate with anger?
…like the anger’s trying to get out but it’s stuck
Like a big rock stood in front of you and you can’t get rid of it
Share quotes from the children in the video clip about anger. How would you describe anger? What words would you associate with anger? 9

10. How has our learning progressed?
When I feel angry, I will try…
Exercise 2: Mindful Breathing
Re-cap LOs and discuss. Share depictions and explain to a partner. Ask children to share their chosen strategy for dealing with a strong emotion if they feel comfortable to do so using the sentence starter; ‘When I feel angry I will try…’
Mindfulness exercise –
Right click on ‘Mindful Breathing clip’ hyperlink and click ‘open hyperlink’ to access video. Mindfulness exercise – Exercise 2; ‘Mindful Breathing’.
Listen to the audio clip
Annaka Harris 2017 10

11. Taking the learning away
Practise using the strategy for calming down you have explored when you’re feeling angry
Discuss with family and friends strategies they might use when feeling angry
You might be able to help and support someone next time they’re feeling angry using some of the strategies you have explored and what you have learnt in today’s lesson
Practise the ‘mindfulness’ exercise we did at the beginning of the lesson to help you feel calm and help you when you are experiencing strong feelings 11

12. Additional resources and help
Talk to your teacher or an adult in school
Talk to your Mum, Dad or someone you trust at home about how you are feeling
If you have them: – Write your worry down and post it in the class worry box – Talk to a peer mediator in your school – Write your worry down on the worry wall on the school’s website
Contact:
im-a-young-person
Where can I go for help? 12