Lesson Plan
Leaf Your Worries Behind! Lesson Plan
Students will identify common feelings and learn simple fall-themed coping strategies to manage their emotions.
Teaching young students to recognize and manage their emotions is a foundational life skill that promotes emotional well-being and positive classroom environments.
Audience
Kindergarten
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and a hands-on calming activity.
Materials
- Leaf Your Worries Behind! Slides, - My Calming Leaves Worksheet, - Calm Leaves Activity, - Real or paper leaves (for activity), and - Crayons or markers (for worksheet/activity)
Prep
Review and Gather
15 minutes
Review the Leaf Your Worries Behind! Slides, My Calming Leaves Worksheet, and Calm Leaves Activity.
Gather real leaves or cut out paper leaves for each student, along with crayons or markers.
Step 1
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel Today?
5 minutes
Begin by asking students to share a feeling word. Use the first few slides of the Leaf Your Worries Behind! Slides to guide a brief discussion on different emotions and how they might feel in their bodies. Ask questions like: "What makes you feel happy?" or "What does a 'grumpy' face look like?"
Step 2
Introducing Coping Skills: Leaf Your Worries!
5 minutes
Transition to the fall theme. Explain that just like leaves fall from trees, sometimes our worries or big feelings can feel like they're falling all over us. Introduce the idea of 'coping skills' as special ways we can help ourselves feel better. Use the Leaf Your Worries Behind! Slides to show examples of simple coping skills like 'leaf breathing' (tracing a leaf with a finger while breathing) or taking a 'calming walk'.
Step 3
Activity: Calm Leaves Creation
15 minutes
Distribute paper leaves (or real leaves if gathered) and crayons/markers to each student. Explain the Calm Leaves Activity. Guide students to either draw a coping skill they liked or practice 'leaf breathing' by tracing the leaf with their finger while taking slow breaths. If using paper leaves, they can decorate their leaf with a calming color or a drawing of a coping skill they learned (e.g., a quiet corner, a hug, deep breaths). Circulate to assist students and encourage them to verbalize their chosen coping skill.
Step 4
Cool-Down & Share: My Calming Leaves
5 minutes
Distribute the My Calming Leaves Worksheet. Ask students to draw or write one coping skill they will try the next time they have a big feeling. Encourage a few students to share their 'calming leaf' and the coping skill they chose. Emphasize that it's okay to have big feelings, and it's great to have tools to help ourselves feel better.
Slide Deck
Leaf Your Worries Behind!
Hello, Fall!
What do you love about fall?
Welcome students and introduce the fun fall theme! Ask them what they love about fall.
How Do You Feel Today?
Sometimes we feel...
- Happy! 😊
- Sad! 😥
- Mad! 😠
- Worried! 😟
All feelings are okay!
Ask students to show with their faces or bodies how they might look when they feel happy, sad, or mad. Emphasize that all feelings are okay to have.
Feelings Like Falling Leaves
Just like leaves fall from trees in the autumn...
Sometimes our big feelings can feel like they're falling all over us!
It's okay to have big feelings, but we can learn how to help ourselves feel better.
Connect feelings to the changing seasons. Explain that just like leaves change and fall, our feelings can change too. Sometimes big feelings can feel overwhelming, like a pile of leaves!
What Are Coping Skills?
Coping skills are special ways we can help ourselves when we have big feelings.
They help us feel calm, safe, and happy again!
What do you do when you have a big feeling?
Introduce the concept of coping skills. Give simple examples they might already do, like hugging a toy or talking to a grown-up.
Coping Skill: Leaf Breathing
Let's try Leaf Breathing! 🍂
- Put your finger at the bottom of a leaf.
- Breathe IN as you trace UP one side.
- Breathe OUT as you trace DOWN the other side.
Let's do it together!
Introduce 'leaf breathing'. Demonstrate tracing a finger along the outline of a leaf (real or imagined) while taking a slow breath in and out. Have students practice with you.
Coping Skill: Calming Walk
Take a Calming Walk! 🚶♀️🚶♂️
When your feelings are big, you can take a short, quiet walk.
- Look at things around you.
- Listen to sounds.
- Feel your feet on the ground.
What might you see or hear on a calming walk?
Explain a 'calming walk.' This could be a short walk around the room, focusing on what they see, hear, or feel, or a walk outside to observe nature. Ask what they might notice on a calming walk.
You've Got This!
You are learning great ways to help your big feelings!
Remember:
- Leaf Breathing 💨
- Calming Walk 👣
Let's keep practicing to help our feelings fall away, just like leaves in the autumn!
Review the coping skills and prepare them for the activity and worksheet. Emphasize that practicing these skills helps them grow strong inside.
Worksheet
My Calming Leaves Worksheet
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
Draw Your Calming Leaf!
Sometimes when we have big feelings, we can use a coping skill to help us feel better, just like leaves fall gently from trees in the autumn.
Think about the coping skills we learned today, like Leaf Breathing or taking a Calming Walk.
In the leaf below, draw a picture of yourself doing a coping skill that helps you feel calm. You can also color your leaf with colors that make you feel peaceful!
My Favorite Calming Skill Is...
After you draw your picture, tell us about your favorite calming skill.
I will try ________________________________________________________________ to help my big feelings.
Activity
Calm Leaves Activity
Objective: Students will practice a chosen coping skill and visually represent it on a leaf.
Materials:
- Paper leaves (pre-cut or students cut their own) or real leaves
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
Instructions for Students:
-
Choose Your Calm: Think about the coping skills we talked about today, like Leaf Breathing or taking a Calming Walk. Which one helps you feel calm?
-
Practice on Your Leaf:
- If you chose Leaf Breathing: Hold your leaf in your hand. Use your finger to slowly trace the edges of the leaf. Breathe in as you trace up one side, and breathe out as you trace down the other side. Do this a few times until you feel a little calmer.
- If you chose another skill (like thinking happy thoughts or taking a calming walk): Pretend to do that skill while holding your leaf. Imagine all your big feelings floating away like leaves on the wind.
-
Decorate Your Calm Leaf: Now, use your crayons or markers to decorate your leaf. You can:
- Color your leaf with colors that make you feel peaceful (like cool blues, gentle greens, or warm yellows).
- Draw a picture of yourself doing your chosen calming skill (e.g., drawing a little person breathing, walking, or thinking).
- Write a word or two about your calming skill (if you know how to write).
-
Share (Optional): When you are done, you can share your calm leaf with a friend or the class and tell them about the coping skill you chose! We can hang our beautiful calm leaves around the classroom to remind us of all the ways we can feel better.