Lesson Plan
Coping Skill Matchup
Students will identify simple emotions and match them with basic coping skills, building a foundation for emotional regulation.
Learning to recognize feelings and use simple coping skills helps first graders manage their emotions in healthy ways, leading to happier days at school and home.
Audience
1st Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion and hands-on matching.
Materials
Whiteboard or Chart Paper, Markers, Emotion and Coping Skill Discussion Guide, and Coping Skill Scenarios Activity
Prep
Gather Materials & Review Content
10 minutes
- Review the Emotion and Coping Skill Discussion Guide to familiarize yourself with discussion prompts and key concepts for first graders.
- Prepare the Coping Skill Scenarios Activity by printing or digitally preparing the scenarios.
- Ensure you have a whiteboard or chart paper and markers readily available for brainstorming.
- Review all generated materials as needed for student appropriateness and tailor examples to individual student needs if working one-on-one.
Step 1
Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students to point to or name an emotion they are currently feeling (e.g., happy, a little sleepy, excited). Validate all responses.
- Briefly explain that all feelings are okay, and we will learn ways to help ourselves when feelings feel big.
Step 2
Introducing Coping Skills
10 minutes
- Use the Emotion and Coping Skill Discussion Guide to introduce the idea of 'feeling tools' or 'coping skills'.
- Brainstorm a short list of simple emotions (e.g., mad, sad, happy, worried) and a few easy coping skills (e.g., deep breaths, talking, drawing, jumping) with the student(s) on a whiteboard or chart paper.
- Emphasize that different feelings might need different tools.
Step 3
Coping Skill Scenarios Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute the Coping Skill Scenarios Activity.
- Read each scenario aloud. Guide students to identify the feeling the character might have and suggest a coping skill from their brainstormed list or a new idea.
- Encourage discussion on why certain coping skills are a good choice for specific feelings, using simple terms.
Step 4
Wrap-Up: My Feeling Tool
5 minutes
- Ask students to choose one feeling they sometimes have and one 'feeling tool' they will try to use next time they feel that way.
- Reiterate that practicing our feeling tools helps us feel more in charge of our emotions.
Discussion
Emotion and Coping Skill Discussion Guide
Teacher Script:
"Hi everyone! Today we're going to talk about our feelings. We all have feelings inside us, right? Sometimes we feel happy, sometimes we feel a little sad, or maybe even a little bit mad. All feelings are okay to have!"
"Think about a time you felt a strong feeling. Maybe you were super excited about something, or maybe you felt a little bit frustrated because something was hard. What did that feel like? (Pause for student reflection/brief sharing, if comfortable.)"
"When we have big feelings, we can use coping skills! These are like special tools we keep in our minds or bodies to help us feel better or calm down. They help us manage our feelings in a healthy way."
"Let's think of some feelings together! What are some different feelings you know?"
- (Write down student responses on a whiteboard/chart paper. Guide them to simple feelings like: Happy, Sad, Mad, Worried, Excited, Calm, Scared.)
"Great job! Now, for each feeling, what is something we can do to help ourselves? For example, if you're feeling really happy, what might you do? Maybe jump up and down or tell a friend?"
- (For each feeling, prompt students to suggest simple coping skills. If they struggle, offer examples. For instance:
- Mad: Take three deep breaths, count to five, squeeze a toy, ask for help, stomp feet.
- Sad: Get a hug, talk to a grown-up, listen to a favorite song, draw a picture.
- Worried: Talk about it, ask questions, deep breaths, hold a comfort toy.
- Frustrated (when something is hard): Take a break, try again, ask a teacher for help.
- Excited: Share the good news, run around outside (if allowed), draw what you're excited about, use that energy to help someone.)*
"Wow, look at all these wonderful ways to cope! Remember, just like you use different tools for different jobs (you wouldn't use a spoon to hammer a nail!), you can use different coping skills for different feelings."
"Today, we're going to practice being feeling detectives and matching feelings with the best coping tools!"
Transition to Coping Skill Scenarios Activity.
Activity
Coping Skill Scenarios Activity
Instructions: Listen to each story. Think about how the person might be feeling. Then, tell us what coping skill could help them. Explain why that tool is a good idea.
Scenario 1: The Building Block Blunder
Leo is building a tall tower with blocks. He almost finishes, but then his tower falls down! He feels his face get hot and wants to yell.
1. What feeling might Leo have?
2. What coping skill could help Leo?
3. Why is this a good coping skill for Leo right now?
Scenario 2: The Missing Stuffed Animal
Lily is looking for her favorite teddy bear everywhere. She can't find him, and it's almost bedtime. She feels a little shaky and her tummy feels funny.
1. What feeling might Lily have?
2. What coping skill could help Lily?
3. Why is this a good coping skill for Lily right now?
Scenario 3: Sharing the Swing
Sam wants to play on the swing, but his friend is on it and doesn't want to get off. Sam really wants a turn and feels a little bit like crying.
1. What feeling might Sam have?
2. What coping skill could help Sam?
3. Why is this a good coping skill for Sam right now?
Scenario 4: Party Time Excitement!
Chloe just found out she's going to a big birthday party next Saturday! She's so excited she can't stop wiggling and wants to talk about it all day long.
1. What feeling might Chloe have?
2. What coping skill could help Chloe (to use her happy energy)?
3. Why is this a good coping skill for Chloe right now?
Slide Deck
Coping Skill Matchup: My Feelings
— All feelings are okay!
— We all feel different things.
— How are you feeling right now?
Welcome students and begin with an emotion check-in as outlined in the lesson plan. Validate all feelings.
My Feeling Toolbox
— What are feeling tools?
— Ways to help our feelings.
— Tools for different feelings.
Introduce the concept of coping skills as tools. Use examples relevant to the discussion guide.
Feelings & Tools
— Let's name feelings we have.
— What can we do when we feel them?
— Different feelings need different tools!
Guide students through brainstorming various emotions and suitable coping skills, referencing the Emotion and Coping Skill Discussion Guide.
Time to Play: Match the Tool!
— We'll read stories.
— What feeling is it?
— Pick the best feeling tool.
Explain the activity and transition to the Coping Skill Scenarios Activity.
My Feeling Plan
— One feeling I often have...
— One tool I will try...
— Keep practicing your tools!
Facilitate the wrap-up by helping students think about their personal coping plan, as described in the lesson plan.