Lesson Plan
Pumpkin Pals Lesson Plan
Students will learn and practice three pumpkin-themed coping strategies—Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch, Squash-the-Worry Squeeze, and Calm-Count Carving—through storytelling and a hands-on craft, then demonstrate using one strategy during a group reflection.
Building fun, themed coping skills helps 2nd graders recognize and manage big feelings, boosting self-regulation and resilience. Small-group Tier 2 support ensures targeted practice in a safe setting.
Audience
2nd Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Storytelling, guided practice, and hands-on crafts.
Materials
- Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets, - Calm-Down Strategy Wheel Template, - Pumpkin Pals Story Cards, - Construction Paper, - Crayons and Markers, - Scissors and Glue Sticks, and - Pumpkin Stickers
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print copies of Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets, Calm-Down Strategy Wheel Template, and Pumpkin Pals Story Cards.
- Gather craft supplies: construction paper, crayons and markers, scissors and glue sticks, pumpkin stickers.
- Pre-cut paper shapes (pumpkin bodies, stems, leaves) to speed crafting.
- Arrange seating in a circle and set materials at each spot.
- Review each coping strategy and familiarize yourself with story card order.
Step 1
Welcome and Pumpkin Warm-Up
5 minutes
- Invite students to sit in a circle and share their favorite part of fall or pumpkins.
- Prompt: "When you see a pumpkin, how do you feel?" List emotions on a chart.
- Introduce the session’s goal: learning pumpkin-themed ways to calm big feelings.
Step 2
Interactive Pumpkin Story
5 minutes
- Use Pumpkin Pals Story Cards to tell a short story about three pumpkin friends who feel worried, angry, or sad.
- Pause at each emotion to ask: "What could our Pumpkin Pal do to feel better?"
- Record student ideas under each pumpkin friend.
Step 3
Introduce Coping Strategies
5 minutes
- Reveal the three pumpkin-themed strategies:
• Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch (slow breaths)
• Squash-the-Worry Squeeze (hand squeeze)
• Calm-Count Carving (counting breaths) - Show Calm-Down Strategy Wheel Template and demonstrate each one.
Step 4
Pumpkin Craft Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets and craft supplies.
- Students choose an emotion pumpkin, color it, and add a craft pumpkin showing their chosen strategy (attach a small wheel slice or draw breathing lines).
- Encourage labeling the strategy name on their craft.
Step 5
Calm Crew Practice and Reflection
5 minutes
- In the circle, invite volunteers to show their pumpkin craft and lead the group in that strategy.
- Ask: "Which strategy did you like most and why?"
- Reinforce that they can use these skills anytime they feel big emotions.
- Collect crafts for a classroom Calm Crew display.
Slide Deck
Pumpkin Pals Calm Crew
Welcome to your pumpkin-themed coping skills session!
Today we’ll learn three fun Pumpkin Pals strategies to help us calm big emotions and feel our best.
Title Slide: Greet students and introduce today’s session. Explain that they will become the Pumpkin Pals Calm Crew and learn three pumpkin-themed ways to calm big feelings. Remind them this is a fun group time lasting 30 minutes.
Welcome and Pumpkin Warm-Up
- Sit in a circle and share your favorite part of fall or pumpkins.
- Prompt: “When you see a pumpkin, how do you feel?”
- We’ll list our feelings and learn pumpkin-themed calming tools.
5 minutes
Invite students to sit in a circle. Ask each to share their favorite part of fall or what they love about pumpkins. Use the prompt: “When you see a pumpkin, how do you feel?” List all feelings on a chart. Explain that today they’ll learn pumpkin ways to calm those feelings.
Interactive Pumpkin Story
- Meet three Pumpkin Pals using Pumpkin Pals Story Cards.
- One friend feels worried, one feels angry, one feels sad.
- At each emotion, ask: “What can our friend do to feel calm?”
- Record student ideas to help our Pumpkin Pals.
5 minutes
Use Pumpkin Pals Story Cards to tell a short story about three pumpkin friends: one feels worried, one feels angry, one feels sad. At each card, pause and ask: “What could our Pumpkin Pal do to feel better?” Record ideas on chart paper under each friend.
Pumpkin-Themed Coping Strategies
- Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch
• Take slow, deep pumpkin breaths. - Squash-the-Worry Squeeze
• Squeeze your hands tight and release. - Calm-Count Carving
• Breathe in and out while counting on your fingers.
5 minutes
Reveal and demonstrate each strategy using the Calm-Down Strategy Wheel Template. Model slow breathing, squeezing hands, and counting breaths. Encourage students to practice with you.
Pumpkin Craft Activity
- Grab your Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets and supplies.
- Choose an emotion pumpkin and color it.
- Show your chosen strategy: attach a wheel slice or draw breathing lines.
- Label the strategy name on your craft.
10 minutes
Pass out Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets and craft supplies. Guide students to choose an emotion pumpkin, color it, and attach or draw their chosen strategy on a craft pumpkin (e.g., a wheel slice or breathing lines). Remind them to label the strategy name.
Calm Crew Practice and Reflection
- Share your pumpkin craft and lead us in your chosen strategy.
- Which strategy did you like most and why?
- Remember: use these skills anytime you have big feelings!
- Crafts will be on display for our Calm Crew.
5 minutes
Bring students back to the circle. Invite volunteers to show their pumpkin craft and lead the group in that strategy. Ask each: “Which strategy did you like most and why?” Emphasize that they can use these Pumpkin Pals tools anytime they feel big feelings. Collect crafts for a classroom Calm Crew display.
Worksheet
Emotion Pumpkins Coloring Sheets
Directions:
Color each pumpkin to match the emotion label below. Then, inside each pumpkin, draw the symbol or lines for your chosen calming strategy:
- Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch (draw breathing lines)
- Squash-the-Worry Squeeze (draw squeezed hands)
- Calm-Count Carving (draw counting notches)
Pumpkin 1: Worried
Pumpkin 2: Angry
Pumpkin 3: Sad
Activity
Pumpkin Pals Story Cards
Use these three cards to introduce each Pumpkin Pal’s feeling and spark student ideas for calming strategies.
1. Worrying Wendy the Pumpkin
Emotion: Worried
Scenario: Wendy feels jittery because tomorrow is her first day at a new school and she doesn’t know anyone yet.
Prompt: What could Worrying Wendy do to help calm her worry?
2. Angry Aaron the Pumpkin
Emotion: Angry
Scenario: Aaron is fuming because someone took his pumpkin toy without asking and won’t give it back.
Prompt: What could Angry Aaron do to calm down his big feelings?
3. Sad Sammy the Pumpkin
Emotion: Sad
Scenario: Sammy feels blue because his best friend is moving away, and he misses them already.
Prompt: What could Sad Sammy do to feel better?
Reading
Calm-Down Strategy Wheel Template
Directions:
- Draw a large circle on your paper.
- Divide the circle into three equal slices using dashed lines.
- Color and label each slice:
- Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch
- Squash-the-Worry Squeeze
- Calm-Count Carving
- In each slice, draw the matching symbol:
- Breathing lines for Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch
- Squeezed hands for Squash-the-Worry Squeeze
- Counting notches for Calm-Count Carving
- Carefully cut out your wheel along the outer circle. Fold or spin it to pick a calming strategy when you need one.
Rubric
Pumpkin Pals Participation Rubric
Use this rubric to assess each student’s engagement in the Pumpkin Pals Calm Crew session. Evaluate coloring/craft completion, discussion participation, strategy demonstration, and overall effort.
| Criteria | 4 – Exemplary | 3 – Proficient | 2 – Developing | 1 – Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craft Completion | • All three pumpkins are fully colored with distinct colors matching each emotion. | |||
| • Correct symbol drawn in each pumpkin. | ||||
| • Strategy names are clearly labeled. | • Most pumpkins are fully colored. | |||
| • Symbols present and mostly accurate. | ||||
| • Strategy labels are legible. | • Coloring is incomplete or inconsistent. | |||
| • Some symbols missing or unclear. | ||||
| • Labels incomplete or hard to read. | • Little to no coloring. | |||
| • Symbols are missing or incorrect. | ||||
| • Labels missing or unreadable. | ||||
| Discussion Participation | • Actively shares ideas in warm-up and story discussion. | |||
| • Contributes multiple thoughtful suggestions for each Pumpkin Pal. | • Shares at least one idea in warm-up and story discussion. | |||
| • Provides a relevant suggestion for most pumpkins. | • Participates minimally (shares once or twice). | |||
| • Suggestions are general or off-topic. | • Remains silent or off-task during discussions. | |||
| Strategy Demonstration | • Confidently leads chosen strategy for the group. | |||
| • Models correct breathing/squeezing/counting techniques. | • Leads strategy with some support. | |||
| • Remembers most steps accurately. | • Requires teacher prompting to lead. | |||
| • Misses one or more steps in demonstration. | • Unable to lead or demonstrate strategy even with prompts. | |||
| Effort & Neatness | • Work is very neat and well organized. | |||
| • Evidence of care and pride in craft. | • Work is generally neat. | |||
| • Shows solid effort in craft and discussion. | • Work is somewhat messy or rushed. | |||
| • Effort is inconsistent. | • Work is messy or incomplete. | |||
| • Shows little effort or engagement. |
Cool Down
Pumpkin Peace Pose
Directions:
- Sit in Pumpkin Peace Pose:
- Cross your legs comfortably.
- Rest your hands together at your chest, fingers gently touching like a little pumpkin.
- Choose a Strategy:
- Pick one Pumpkin Pals calming tool:
• Deep-Breath Pumpkin Patch
• Squash-the-Worry Squeeze
• Calm-Count Carving
- Pick one Pumpkin Pals calming tool:
- Practice Quietly (1 minute):
- Close your eyes and slowly use your chosen strategy.
- Breathe, squeeze, or count in silence.
- Reflect with One Word:
- Think of a single word that describes how you feel after your practice.
Write your word here:
- Share Your Word:
- When the timer ends, open your eyes.
- Share your one word with the group in turn.
Use this calm exit to carry peaceful Pumpkin Pals skills into the rest of your day!