Lesson Plan 11

Touching Spirit Bear
By Ben Mikaelsen

 MANAGING ANGER

PART 1

Concept:  Anger can be expressed in both destructive and constructive ways.

Objective:  To make a bulletin board of magazine and newspaper stories of people who used their anger constructively and people who used their anger destructively.

Materials:  Magazines and newspapers, scissors, construction paper, staples, stapler and/or school glue.

Directions:  Have students find articles dealing with people who have used their anger in destructive ways along with those who dealt with their anger in constructive ways.  Divide the bulletin board in half, labeling one side "Anger: Constructive" and the other half "Anger: Destructive".  Staple the articles under the proper headings and discuss.

a. What methods did the people who used their anger constructively employ to get things done? 

b.  How could the people who used their anger destructively have done something constructive instead?

c.  How do you handle your own anger?

d.  How did Cole Mathews deal with his anger?  Was it constructive or destructive?

PART 2

Cole dealt with anger by sitting in cold water then climbing a hill while holding a rock.  This exertion, done on a daily basis, was a positive way to deal with his anger.  Using a medicine ball, have students hold the ball while going through an obstacle course.  Then discuss in a group how physical exertion can be a constructive way of dealing with your anger.

PART 3

Each student will write a paper on positive ways to deal with your anger.