Coping Strategies-Soda Pop Head

 

Another great book for teaching coping skills is  Soda Pop Head, by Julia Cook.  The story is about a boy named Lester, who is called "Soda Pop Head" because he blows his top when he gets upset.  Lester's dad teaches him some calming down techniques and Lester is able to manage his feelings. Once we read the story we create a T-Chart and list coping strategies.  We list negative coping strategies as well as the positive ones and then talk about the consequences of each choice.  Here are a few of the strategies my last group came up with:

My favorite coping strategy from the story is the "Push, Pull, Dangle".

You can also purchase the activity book here:  Activity and Idea Book.

Connections:  Third Grade Bookworm Freebie, Counseling Hearts, YouTube Video...soda explosion,teachers pay teachers, teachers pay teachers, teachers pay teachers 

Alexander's Bad Day

I use Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day for individual, small-group and classroom counseling.  After all, everyone has bad days! 


Here are some links to lessons that I have used:
http://www.franklincollege.edu/pwp/cmahaffey/LitUnit.pdf

http://writingfix.com/6_Traits/Primary/Alexander_Bad_day.htm

Questions:

Why did Alexander have such a bad day?

Did anything good happen to him?

List the bad things that happened to Alexander:

What do you think was the worst thing that happened to Alexander on his bad day?

Could Alexander have done anything to make his day a little better?

What did Alexander’s mom say at the end of the story that made him feel better?

Why do you think Alexander wanted to go to Australia?

What are some things that have happened to you on the worst day you’ve ever had?

I have also used this:

I like to have students rewrite this story with a new title: Alexander and the wonderful, fabulous, very good day. (or something similar). Before we write the story, we brainstorm strategies for managing anger. In this new story, Alexander comes accross the same obstacles, this time using the strategies that we have talked about (for example, walking away, cooling off, talking it out).

Follow up: Have students share times that they used the conflict resolution/anger mangagment techniques.
ASCA Standards:  

PS:A1.5Identify and express feelings
PS:1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
PS:1.8 Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
PS:1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and choices
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict

Common Core (I used this lesson with 3rd graders):  

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace