Help young learners recognize how anger can build, reach an “explosion” point, and then cool down. This Bell Curve anger lesson for Kindergarten and Grade 1 uses discussion, sorting, and a coloring activity to introduce the three phases in a concrete, visual way.

What’s included

• An 18-page printable activity PDF with a Bell Curve visual, phase signs, “Snowball” feelings and reactions cards, a coloring sheet, and picture cards.
• A one-page lesson plan with an objective, student “I can” statement, materials, procedure, and assessment idea.
• Terms of Use and feedback directions are also included in the download.

How the lesson works

Begin with a teacher-led discussion about anger, situations that may trigger it, and physical signs such as sweaty palms or tense muscles. Introduce the Bell Curve’s escalation, pop, and de-escalation phases. Display the three phase labels, read the cards aloud one at a time, and invite students to decide together where each feeling or reaction belongs. The lesson plan suggests asking a student to explain the group’s reasoning after each card. To follow up, students color and cut out the Bell Curve and pictures, then place the pictures in the appropriate phase.

Skills and classroom use

Designed for Kindergarten and Grade 1, this resource supports emotion vocabulary, awareness of physical cues, discussion, decision-making, and understanding how anger may escalate and settle. Use it for a whole-class counseling lesson or adapt the discussion and sorting for a small group. The coloring and cut-and-glue task provides a hands-on review of the phase concepts.

Preparation

Print the pages you plan to use. The lesson plan calls for chart paper and a marker; the coloring activity also uses scissors, glue, and construction paper. The files are printable, and the activity directions describe classroom use rather than a digital interactive format.