8 Great Anger Management Strategies
In my school counseling program, I am always looking for activities to use with my students to assist them with managing their anger. I took my latest idea from…me. 🙂 One of my first blog posts was 8 Tips New Test Takers Should Know. It’s funny to me today because there are actually ten tips included in the activity, but I never caught it. This activity, however, actually DOES have eight tips.
Using the same format (minus a couple of flaps), I created this anger management foldable to make with my students. Inside is an area for students to identify the things that trigger their anger. There are five possible triggers listed along with a blank line for students to add an additional trigger that may not be on the list. Next, there is an area for students to circle descriptions of how their body feels when they are angry.
Identifying triggers and your bodies reactions are key in managing anger. Once students are able to identify these areas, they are more likely to implement as many of the strategies as necessary. This activity does include eight. Students illustrate the strategy on the outside of the flap and write the strategy on the inside. The eight strategies I used on my foldable are:
- Take three deep breaths.
- Count backward from 10 to 1. (Students can decide to begin counting backward from any number they would like.)
- Exercise/Burn some energy.
- Talk about it with a friend.
- Spend some time alone.
- Use I-Messages to express your feelings.
- Tell yourself calming words like “Calm down” or “It will be okay.”
- Walk away from the situation.
I have created a new product in my TpT store which includes a template for this activity. There is an Anger Management contract included to copy on the backside of the foldable. After identifying triggers and body reactions inside, students list them on the back along with the strategies they intend to use from the flaps in order to calm down. Additionally, there is a two-page activity for students to practice creating I-messages along with eight posters to use which illustrate each of the strategies. This 12 page Anger Management Pack sells for $3.00 Your feedback is always greatly appreciated.
You may also like this end-of year School Memories Paper Folding Activity.
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2 Comments
Scott Carchedi
Great post. I love the idea of having the students illustrate their coping skills. When identifying body reactions I will often use an “anger thermometer” where the students can identify their reactions in relationship to the level of anger they are experiencing.
Vanessa
Thanks, Scott! Yes, I like the anger thermometer as well.