Coping Tools Lesson Plan Coping Tools
Pick Your Power!
Tier 2 Group
3rd Grade • 25 Minutes
Why This Matters
Learning to choose the right coping tools empowers students to manage their feelings, reduce stress, and respond to challenging situations in a healthy way. This skill is vital for their emotional well-being and success in school and life.
Objective
Identify and select appropriate coping strategies before emotional escalation occurs.
Prep Work
Gather Materials (10 mins)
Review the Slide Deck.
Prepare a physical basket with stress ball, break card, quiet corner sign, and beanbag.
Print and cut out Feeling Cards & Coping Tool Cards.
Print Warm Up and Activity guides.
Materials Checklist
Slide Deck
Physical Tool Basket
Feeling & Tool Cards
Instructional Script
Warm Up & Activity Sheets
Lesson Roadmap
1
Warm-Up: Basket Share
5 MIN
Show the physical basket. Use the Warm Up guide to introduce tools. Ask students if they recognize items and explain these help when we have big emotions.
2
Activity 1: Sorting Feelings
8 MIN
Distribute cards. Students sort Tool Cards into "Good for this feeling" vs "Not helpful." Use the Instructional Script to facilitate choice discussion.
3
Activity 2: Role-Play Practice
7 MIN
Present a calm scenario (frustrated with a puzzle). Guide students to pick and practice a tool (e.g., 10-sec stress ball squeeze). Reinforce: "I can use ___ when I feel ___."
4
Cool-Down & Reflection
5 MIN
Share one new tool. Complete sentence starter. Data Collection: Note appropriate tool selection choices (tally out of 5 opportunities per student).
Coping Tools Slides Coping Tools
Pick Your Power!
Finding the right tool for the job.
Teacher Notes: Welcome students and introduce the topic of coping tools. Show the physical coping tool basket. Ask them what they think these items are for. Emphasize that these are tools to help us with our feelings.
Your Coping Tool Basket
What are coping tools?
Things we can use or do to help us calm down.
They help us think clearly when feelings get big.
They are our power to choose!
Teacher Notes: Introduce the idea of a 'coping tool basket' as a helpful strategy. Show examples from the physical basket. Explain that a coping tool is something that helps us feel better when our emotions get too big.
Activity 1: Sort Your Tools!
Do all tools work for all feelings?
Sometimes a hammer is great, but not for a screw!
Let's match our coping tools to our feelings.
Teacher Notes: Transition to Activity 1: Sorting Feelings. Explain that different tools work for different feelings. Show a 'Feeling Card' and ask students to think about what tools might help.
Activity 2: Practice Time!
"Practice makes perfect!"
"I can use ___ when I feel ___."
Action Scene Practice
Teacher Notes: Transition to Activity 2: Role-Play Practice. Emphasize that practicing in a calm moment helps us remember what to do when we really need it.
You've got this!
You can choose your own coping tools.
"I can use ___
Your Coping Power!
Teacher Notes: Conclude the lesson by reviewing the key takeaway. Ask students to share one thing they learned or one tool they want to try. Reinforce the sentence starter.
Coping Tools Script Coping Tools Script
Instructional Script for Group Facilitation
5 Minutes
Part 1: Coping Tool Basket Share
Teacher
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: how we handle our feelings. Look at this basket I have here. (Show the physical coping tool basket). What do you notice inside? Has anyone seen or used any of these things before?"
Teacher
"These are what we call 'coping tools.' Just like a carpenter uses tools to build things, we can use these tools to help us 'build' a calmer feeling when our emotions get big. We all have big feelings sometimes, and that's totally normal. What's important is learning how to deal with them in a way that helps us, not hurts us."
8 Minutes
Part 2: Sorting Feelings & Tools
Teacher
"Alright, let's play a sorting game! I have some 'Feeling Cards' and some 'Coping Tool Cards.' I'm going to show you a feeling, and I want you to tell me if a coping tool is 'Good for this feeling' or 'Not helpful for this feeling.' We'll put them in two piles. There's no right or wrong answer at first, we'll talk about it!"
Teacher
"Let's start with this feeling: (Hold up 'Mad' Feeling Card). When you feel **mad**, what tools from our basket or cards do you think might be *helpful*? What might *not* be helpful?"
Facilitation Prompts
"Why do you think [Coping Tool] would be helpful when you feel mad?"
"What about [Coping Tool]? Why might that not be the best choice for feeling mad?"
7 Minutes
Part 3: Role-Play Practice
Teacher
"That was great sorting! Now, let's practice using these tools. It's like practicing for a play! We're going to pretend we're in a situation where we might have a big feeling, but we're going to practice using a coping tool to help us."
Teacher
"Imagine you are working on a puzzle, and you just can't find the right piece. You're starting to feel a little **frustrated**. What coping tool from our 'helpful' pile could you use right now?"
Teacher
"Great choice! Let's say you chose the stress ball. Show me how you would use it for 10 seconds. Squeeze tight, then release. Feel that tension leave your hands!"
Teacher
"Now, let's complete our sentence: 'I can use **a stress ball** when I feel **frustrated**.' Let's say it together: 'I can use ___ when I feel ___.'"
5 Minutes
Part 4: Cool-Down & Reflection
Teacher
"You both did a fantastic job today! We learned so much about choosing our coping tools. Before we finish, I want each of you to tell me one coping tool you learned about or practiced today, and complete our sentence: 'I can use ___ when I feel ___.'"
Coping Tools Printable Cards Print & Cut Cards
Print this material and cut along the dashed lines to create the Feeling and Coping Tool cards needed for the sorting activity and role-play.
MAD
SAD
FRUSTRATED
ANXIOUS
SILLY
CALM
Coping Tool Cards
STRESS BALL SQUEEZE
TAKE A BREAK CARD
GO TO THE QUIET CORNER
MOVEMENT BREAK
5 DEEP BREATHS
COUNT TO TEN
TALK TO AN ADULT
GET A DRINK OF WATER
DRAW A PICTURE Coping Tools Warm Up Warm Up
What's in the Basket?
Part 1 • 5 Mins
Objective
Introduce the concept of coping tools and activate student's prior knowledge about emotional regulation strategies.
1
The Big Reveal
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to explore some amazing tools that can help us when our feelings get really big. Take a look at this special basket I have here!"
2
Interactive Showcase
Teacher Action:
Hold up the physical basket containing a stress ball, a break card, a quiet corner sign, and a simple movement tool like a small beanbag.
3
Opening Discussion
"What do you see inside? Does anyone recognize any of these items? What do you think they might be used for?"
4
Power Concept Definition
"These are all different kinds of coping tools ! Just like a superhero has special gadgets to help them, we can use these tools to help us feel calmer and happier when we're feeling mad, sad, frustrated, or even super silly. We'll learn more about how to use them today!"
Coping tools = Personal Superpowers
Coping Tools Activity Sorting Feelings Sorting Feelings
Activity Instructions
Part 2 • 8 Mins
Objective
Categorize coping tools based on their perceived helpfulness for different emotions.
Materials Needed
Feeling & Tool Cards
Sorting Mats (included below)
1
Introduce the Sorting Logic
"Now that we know what coping tools are, let's practice matching them to our feelings! I have these Feeling Cards and Coping Tool Cards. We're going to see which tools might be helpful for different feelings."
2
Guided Categorization
Place a Feeling Card (e.g., "Mad") in the center. Give students the Coping Tool Cards . Ask them to place tools into the two categories below.
3
Discussion & Repeat
Use the Coping Tools Script for follow-up questions. Repeat the process with a different feeling card (e.g., "Frustrated" or "Anxious").
Good for this Feeling
Place Helpful Cards Here
Not Helpful
Place Unhelpful Cards Here
Teacher Data Point
Observe and note students' appropriate tool selection during sorting. Tally these as opportunities for the final reflection.
Coping Tools Game Role Play Role Play Game
Practice Your Power
Part 3 • 7 Mins
Objective
Practice selecting and applying coping tools in simulated calm scenarios, reinforcing the connection between feelings and helpful strategies.
1
Scenario: Frustration
The Situation
"Imagine you are trying to build a tall tower with blocks, but it keeps falling over. You're starting to feel really **frustrated**! What coping tool could you use to help you feel calmer?"
Action Step
Students select a tool (e.g., stress ball) and demonstrate its use (e.g., the 10-second squeeze).
Power Sentence
"I can use a stress ball when I feel frustrated."
2
Scenario: Disappointment
The Situation
"You were really looking forward to playing outside, but now it's raining, and you can't go. You feel a little **sad** and disappointed. What coping tool might help you feel a bit better?"
Action Step
Students select a tool (e.g., take a break or talk to an adult) and describe how it would look.
Power Sentence
"I can use a break card when I feel sad."
Data Collection
Observe student's appropriate tool selection and application during role-play. Note for the ___/5 opportunities data point.
Coping Tools Discussion Guide Discussion Guide
Deepening Understanding
Part 4 • Optional Extension
Introduction Prompt
"We've been talking a lot about coping tools and how they can help us with our big feelings. Now, let's talk a little more about **why** these tools work and how we can make them **our** tools."
Effectiveness
"Why do you think a stress ball helps when you're frustrated, but maybe not when you're super sleepy?"
"When you take deep breaths, what happens inside your body? How does that help your feelings?"
Personal Choice
"Do you think we might also have different favorite coping tools? Why or why not?"
"Is there a coping tool that you already use at home or school? What is it?"
Recognition
"How can we tell when our feelings are starting to get 'too big' and it's time for a tool?"
"Why is it important to use a tool **before** our feelings get super, super big?"
Helping Others
"If you saw a friend having a really big feeling, what could you do or say to help them?"
Teacher: Reinforce Power Sentences
Power Up Closing
Each student shares one final "Power Sentence" to solidify learning.
"I can use ___ when I feel ___."
