Supplies
- Book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day! by Judith Viorst
- Deck of cards
Skill Builder
Lesson
- Show students the book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day! by Judith Viorst, and tell them we are learning about ways to react to all the different surprises that can happen in life.
- Explain sometimes it can be very hard to control ourselves when surprises occur, especially when the surprise might be disappointing.
- Ask students to share one upsetting surprise that happened recently.
- Instruct students to interact with the read-aloud by crossing their arms and repeating the line, “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” every time they hear it. Read the story.
- Ask follow-up questions after reading the story:
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- What surprises happened at breakfast for both Alexander and his brothers? What emotions do you think each felt?
- How did Alexander react to his friends Paul and Philip Parker at school? What emotion do you think Alexander felt and what could he have done to relax?
- What surprise happened after school, when his mom picked him up? What emotion do you think Alexander really felt?
- What emotion do you think Alexander felt at the shoe store when they didn’t have his size in the color he wanted? How did he react in the moment? What could he have done instead to calm down?
- Teach students the Skill Builder Rest & Relax. You’ve had a surprise happen, your emotions are all mixed up, and you’re upset– try some R & R.
Reset -> and determine what is really bothering you
Relax-> your mind and body to try to calm down
- Have students go back and reflect on the original surprise they shared and try to reset and think of the emotion they felt after the surprise and one way they could have relaxed in the moment to react appropriately.
Additional Resources
Read-Aloud on YouTube: Link
Activity-Slap Jack
- Have students sit in a circle.
- Let them know today they will be playing Slap Jack. The goal of this game is to be the student with the most cards in their hand at the end of the game. Explain the following rules:
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- Everyone will be dealt the same amount of cards and must keep them face down.
- One person will go at a time around the circle. On their turn, each student must flip over one card face up and put it in the center.
- If a student sees a Jack or two of the same cards consecutively put down, they must try to be the first one to slap the pile.
- The first student to slap down on the pile, adds any cards in the center to the bottom of their pile and the game continues.
- Deal out the cards evenly and pick one student to start.
- The game continues until time is up or one student has all the cards, remind students to use R & R if their emotions are feeling mixed up.
