Anger Armor Express

Holly Child

Tier 2

Lesson Plan

Anger Armor Express Lesson Plan

Students will learn to identify personal anger triggers related to parental divorce, practice a calming breathing technique, and create a personalized coping plan to manage anger constructively.

Parental divorce can lead to hidden or suppressed anger in students. Teaching them to recognize triggers and use healthy coping strategies promotes emotional resilience and prevents negative behaviors.

Audience

6th Grade Special Education Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Discussion, breathing practice, and personalized planning.

Materials

Anger Trigger Cards, - Calming Breath Guide Handout, - Coping Plan Worksheet, - Emotion Thermometer Chart (printed), and - Timer or Stopwatch

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Review Anger Trigger Cards, Calming Breath Guide Handout, and Coping Plan Worksheet
Print or copy all handouts
Set up a visible timer or stopwatch
Arrange seating in a small circle for group discussion

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

Welcome students and explain this is a safe space to talk about feelings.
Briefly define anger and link it to changes like parental divorce.
Share the session goal: identify anger triggers, learn a calming breath, and plan coping strategies.

Step 2

Identify Anger Triggers

4 minutes

Distribute Anger Trigger Cards.
Ask each student to pick one card and think of a time they felt that anger.
Invite volunteers to share their trigger and why it made them angry.
Use the Emotion Thermometer Chart to rate intensity (1–5).

Step 3

Practice Calming Breath Technique

4 minutes

Show Calming Breath Guide Handout.
Model the belly-breathing exercise step by step.
Have the group practice together for 3 full breaths.
Ask students to notice how they feel after breathing.

Step 4

Create Personal Coping Plan

4 minutes

Hand out Coping Plan Worksheet.
Instruct students to list their top anger triggers and rate each on the Emotion Thermometer.
Prompt them to choose 1–2 calming strategies (including breathing) for each trigger.
Encourage students to write or draw their coping steps on the worksheet.

Step 5

Closing

1 minute

Recap the three key parts: identifying triggers, using breathing, and having a plan.
Encourage students to use their worksheet when they feel angry.
Thank everyone for participating and remind them they can revisit these tools anytime.

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Activity

Anger Trigger Cards

Use these cards to help students identify moments when they feel angry. Distribute one card per student and invite them to think of a time this happened to them.

"My parents argue or raise their voices in front of me."
"I feel caught in the middle when one parent talks badly about the other."
"I miss a parent on the days I don’t get to see them."
"I have to move to a new house or change my room."
"One parent makes a promise that the other parent changes."
"Seeing my parents pack up belongings or take things away."
"I feel misunderstood or not listened to by one of my parents."
"I meet a new step-parent or my parent’s new partner and feel upset."
"Family routines (like holidays) change and I don’t like it."
"I feel left out when my parents spend time with the other family."

Worksheet

Coping Plan Worksheet

Use this worksheet to build your personal plan for handling anger. Fill in each section as best you can.

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________

1. My Top 3 Anger Triggers

Write three things that make you feel angry related to your family situation, and rate each on a scale of 1 (a little) to 5 (a lot).

Trigger 1: ___________________________________________

Intensity (1–5): __

Trigger 2: ___________________________________________

Intensity (1–5): __

Trigger 3: ___________________________________________

Intensity (1–5): __

2. My Coping Strategies

For each trigger, choose two healthy strategies (like breathing, drawing, talking to someone) and explain how you will use them.

For Trigger 1:

Strategy A: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________
Strategy B: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________

For Trigger 2:

Strategy A: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________
Strategy B: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________

For Trigger 3:

Strategy A: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________
Strategy B: _________________________________

How I’ll do it: ____________________________

3. Breathing Reminder

Remember the Calming Breath technique from Calming Breath Guide Handout. When I feel angry, I will:

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

4. Reflection

After you try your plan, write what happened. Did it help? How did you feel?

Worksheet

Calming Breath Guide Handout

Use this handout to learn and practice the Belly Breathing technique. When you feel angry or upset, follow these steps to help calm your body and mind.

1. Get Ready

• Sit comfortably with your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
• Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.

2. Breathe In (Count 1–4)

• Slowly breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
• Feel your belly push your hand out while your chest stays still.

3. Hold (Count 1–2)

• Gently hold your breath for a count of two.
• Notice how your body feels.

4. Breathe Out (Count 1–6)

• Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of six.
• Imagine blowing air into a balloon, letting all the air out.

5. Repeat Three Times

Practice the full cycle (In–Hold–Out) three times. Use the space below to notice what happens in your body with each breath.

Breath 1 notes: ________________________________

Breath 2 notes: ________________________________

Breath 3 notes: ________________________________

6. Reflection

After your three breaths, write or draw how you feel now. Did your body or mind calm down?