Anger Management KS2 PSHE Guide & Activities

Free 7-page PSHE / wellbeing pack on anger for ages 8-12 (upper KS2 and early KS3): teacher notes, 8 discussion questions, a 30-minute lesson plan, 4 practical tools and 2 pupil worksheets.

One explosive moment in a school corridor - and a long road back. This pack turns the story of Lena, who throws a classmate’s bag and then spends four hard days repairing it, into a ready-to-teach session on anger: the wave that rises faster than the brakes, the body’s early warning signs, and the three steps - spot, stop and breathe, choose - that let a child lead their anger instead of being led by it. Written for PSHE, RSHE and wellbeing time, guided reading, and one-to-one ELSA or SENCO sessions.

What’s inside (7 printable A4 pages)

• Teacher notes: story summary, learning objectives, curriculum links and the psychology of the anger wave
• 8 discussion questions for circle time, guided reading or a wellbeing lesson
• A 30-minute lesson plan
• 4 practical tools with ‘try saying’ scripts for teachers, TAs and parents
• 3 activities: the Anger Notebook (with cut-out cards), an eight-step drama activity and a retelling task
• 2 pupil worksheets pitched at ages 8-12: “My Body Radar & Choice Menu” and “The Anger Notebook”

How to use it

You do not need the book to run this session: page 2 summarises the story and the questions stand on their own. If you do read the story first, the pack works as a follow-up guided-reading or PSHE lesson. Print pages 6 and 7 for pupils; everything else is for the adult. The tools on page 4 are written so they can be sent home to parents as well.

Curriculum links

PSHE Association Programme of Study, KS2 - Health and Wellbeing, Mental health (H17: feelings can range in intensity; H18: everyday things that affect feelings; H19: vocabulary for feelings; H20: strategies to respond to intense or conflicting feelings; H24: problem-solving strategies for emotions and challenges); Relationships (R17: friendships have ups and downs - strategies to resolve disputes and reconcile differently and safely). DfE statutory Health Education, Mental wellbeing: recognising and talking about emotions; simple self-care techniques. Also supports English reading comprehension (inference and discussion).

About the story

A Volcano Inside Me is Book 5 of the Lena series by Kidsbooks - ten short, illustrated chapter books written for ages 8-12 and read comfortably up to Year 8, each about one feeling: procrastination, anger, worry, perfectionism, boredom and screen time, gratitude, feeling left out, online safety and self-worth. Every book has a Parent & Educator Guide bound into the back, with discussion questions, puzzles, activities and an original song, and is mapped to the PSHE Association Programme of Study. The stories are secular and every page is open to parents. Discussion guides for the other books in the series are in this shop.