Lesson Plan
Oops Not On Purpose Lesson Plan
Students will identify their own and others’ emotions and practice a four-step “Pause and Cool Down” strategy to reduce unintentional aggressive behavior.
Building emotional awareness and self-regulation empowers students to manage strong feelings, prevent accidental aggression, and foster positive social interactions.
Audience
3rd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Discussion, modeling, and guided role-play.
Materials
- Emotion Faces Cards, - Feeling Thermometer Visual, - Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster, - Drawing Paper and Markers, and - Timer
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Print or assemble the Emotion Faces Cards, Feeling Thermometer Visual, and Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster.
- Gather drawing paper, markers, and a timer.
- Review each material and the flow of the lesson to ensure smooth delivery.
Step 1
Introduction and Emotion Identification
5 minutes
- Show the Emotion Faces Cards one by one.
- Ask the student to name each emotion and share a time they felt it.
- Highlight that recognizing emotions is the first step in handling them.
Step 2
Emotion Intensity Exploration
5 minutes
- Display the Feeling Thermometer Visual.
- Explain how emotions range from calm (low) to overwhelmed (high).
- Have the student place emotion cards at the level they feel matches each emotion’s intensity.
Step 3
Teach "Pause and Cool Down" Strategy
5 minutes
- Introduce the four steps on the Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster: Pause, Breathe, Think, Act.
- Model using a scenario where someone bumps into you by accident.
- Invite the student to say the steps aloud to reinforce memory.
Step 4
Role-Play Practice
10 minutes
- Offer two or three simple accidental-aggression scenarios (e.g., spilling paint, stepping on a foot).
- Use the timer for 2–3 minutes per scenario.
- Student practices noticing the feeling, rating intensity, and applying the four steps.
- Provide positive feedback and correct gently as needed.
Step 5
Reflection and Closing
5 minutes
- Ask the student how using the strategy affected their feelings.
- Have them draw or write on paper one step they’ll remember most.
- Praise their effort and remind them to use “Pause and Cool Down” whenever needed.
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Slide Deck
Oops Not On Purpose
- Recognize different emotions
- Learn why we might act aggressively without meaning to
- Practice our “Pause and Cool Down” strategy to stay calm
Welcome! Today we'll learn how to notice our own and others’ feelings and use a simple strategy to stay calm when accidents happen. Introduce the lesson objective and get the student excited.
Recognize Emotions
- Look at each card from Emotion Faces Cards
- Name the emotion you see
- Share a time you felt it
Show the Emotion Faces Cards one at a time. Ask the student to name each emotion and share a moment they felt that way. Encourage open sharing.
How Strong Are Emotions?
- Emotions can be calm (low) or intense (high)
- Use the Feeling Thermometer Visual
- Place each emotion card at the level you feel it fits
Display the Feeling Thermometer Visual and explain that emotions have intensity. Invite the student to place the cards at low, medium, or high to show how strong each emotion can feel.
Pause and Cool Down Steps
- Pause
- Breathe
- Think
- Act
(See poster: Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster)
Introduce the four steps on the Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster. Model with a bump-into-you scenario. Have the student say each step aloud.
Role-Play Practice
- Scenario 1: Spilling paint on someone
- Scenario 2: Stepping on a friend’s foot
- Notice your feeling, rate it, then Pause • Breathe • Think • Act
Offer two simple accidental-aggression scenarios. Start the timer for about 2–3 minutes each. Guide the student through noticing the feeling, rating intensity, and using the four steps. Give positive feedback.
Reflection and Closing
- Which step will you remember most?
- Draw or write about that step
- Remember: Pause and Cool Down helps you stay in control
Ask the student which step stood out most and why. Have them draw or write their favorite step on paper. Praise their effort and encourage them to use the strategy anytime they feel upset.
Worksheet
Emotion Recognition and Self-Regulation Worksheet
Part 1: Identifying Emotions
Choose three cards from Emotion Faces Cards. For each card:
-
Name of Emotion: ________________________________
Draw your face showing this emotion: -
Name of Emotion: ________________________________
Draw your face showing this emotion: -
Name of Emotion: ________________________________
Draw your face showing this emotion:
Part 2: Rating Emotion Intensity
Use the Feeling Thermometer Visual to help you. For each emotion, write its intensity (low, medium, or high).
Happy: ___________
Angry: ___________
Scared: ___________
Sad: ___________
Tip: Draw an “X” on your own thermometer to show how strong each feeling is.
Part 3: Applying the Pause and Cool Down Steps
Read each scenario. Then write how you would use each step from the Pause and Cool Down Steps Poster.
Scenario 1: Your friend accidentally bumps into you in the hallway and your books fall.
- Pause: _______________________________________________________
- Breathe: _____________________________________________________
- Think: _______________________________________________________
- Act: _________________________________________________________
Scenario 2: You spill paint on your project and your partner looks upset.
- Pause: _______________________________________________________
- Breathe: _____________________________________________________
- Think: _______________________________________________________
- Act: _________________________________________________________
Part 4: Reflection
Which step of the “Pause and Cool Down” strategy will help you the most? Why?
_______________________________________________________________
Activity
Emotion Charades
Objective: Reinforce emotion recognition by acting out feelings without words.
Materials:
- Emotion Faces Cards
Time: Approximately 10 minutes
Instructions
- Lay out the Emotion Faces Cards face‐up on a table.
- Student selects one card in secret and acts out the emotion using facial expressions and body language—no words allowed.
- Teacher (or partner) guesses which emotion is being portrayed.
- After each round, discuss: “What clues helped you guess the emotion?” and “How did the actor show it?”
- Switch roles: Teacher or partner picks a card and acts, student guesses.
Variations
- Use a 1-minute timer for each turn to keep the energy high.
- Introduce more nuanced emotions (e.g., surprised, frustrated) for added challenge.
Follow-Up Discussion
- Which emotions were easy or hard to act out? Why?
- How can paying attention to these non-verbal cues help you stay calm if someone accidentally hurts you?