Managing Emotions Safely

Unit Context

• Unit 7 of 8 in "Understanding Consent and Emotions"
• Year level: Year 6 (Ages 11-12)
• Subject: Health (Health and Physical Education)
• Curriculum: Western Australian Curriculum AC (Australian Curriculum) aligned

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• We are learning strategies to manage strong emotions.
• We are learning decision-making steps to make positive and safe choices.
• We are learning to create personal action plans to support well-being.

---

Success Criteria

• I can identify strategies to manage strong emotions.
• I can use step-by-step decision-making to make safe and healthy choices.
• I can create and use a personal action plan with clear steps to manage my emotions.
• I can apply these strategies in everyday situations to support my well-being.

---

Curriculum Links

Content Descriptions (Western Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education Years 5-6)

• AC9HP6P06 (Apply strategies to manage emotions and analyse how emotional responses influence interactions)
  • Explore emotions that make us feel unsafe or uncomfortable, and ways to manage them.
  • Understand how emotions affect decision-making in peer, family, or movement situations.
  • Practise self-regulation strategies for strong or unpredictable emotions.
• AC9HP6P10 (Analyse how behaviours influence health, safety, relationships and wellbeing)
  • Investigate strategies to promote wellbeing and safety in daily routines.
• Focus on strategies for emotional self-management and decision-making steps to support safe behaviours and positive relationships.

---

Lesson Duration

• 60 minutes
• Class Size: 30 students

---

Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details and Differentiation
5 mins	Introduction and WALT Review	- Explain today’s WALT and success criteria verbally and visually on board. - Include a brief recap of previous lessons on consent and emotions. - Use visual icons for WALT and success criteria to support dyslexic learners.
10 mins	Explicit Teaching: Emotions & Decision-making	- Teach 3-4 strategies to manage strong emotions (e.g., deep breathing, counting, positive self-talk). - Introduce a simple 4-step decision-making process: 1. Stop and think 2. List options 3. Consider consequences 4. Choose and act - Use bullet points and visuals; provide a written handout/template. - Check understanding through Q&A.
15 mins	Guided Practice: Scenario Role Play	- Divide class into small groups. - Provide short age-appropriate scenarios triggering strong emotions (e.g., feeling angry with a friend, nervous on a test). - Groups discuss and role play using emotion strategies and decision-making steps. - Dyslexia-friendly: Provide printed scenarios in bullet points. - AHD/AFL students can take roles combining listening and acting or use verbal explanation instead of acting.
15 mins	Independent Activity: Personal Action Plan	- Students create a personal action plan template to manage emotions. - Include bullet points for actions they choose (template provided). - Support lower-level learners and AFS student with step-by-step guidance and visuals/examples. - Encourage advanced learners to include examples of coping strategies that work for them.
10 mins	Sharing and Reflection	- Students share their action plans in pairs or small groups. - Reflect on how they can apply strategies in different situations. - Teacher highlights positive examples and offers encouragement. - Dyslexia-friendly: Allow verbal sharing or drawing as an alternative to writing.
5 mins	Plenary and Extension Instructions	- Recap key learning points, success criteria. - Extension: Students who finish early or advanced learners can research extra coping strategies (e.g., mindfulness, physical activity) and prepare a short 2-minute presentation for the next lesson. - Provide clear, written instructions on extension tasks.

---

Resources

• Emotion management strategies handout (with bullet points, visuals)
• Template for personal action plan (dyslexia-friendly with bullet points)
• Scenario cards with decision-making prompts
• Whiteboard/chalkboard for modelling decision steps
• Visual aids (emotion faces and cues)
• Timer or clock to manage activity timing

---

Differentiation and Support Strategies

• For AHD (Attention, Hyperactivity Disorder) learners: Provide clear structure, frequent check-ins, and movement breaks if needed; pair with supportive peers.
• For AFS (Australian Foreign Student): Use simple language, visuals and one-on-one support with instructions; allow verbal responses.
• For low-level learners: Use scaffolded templates, sentence starters, and paired activities.
• For dyslexic learners: Provide bullet-pointed written directions, use larger fonts and colour-coded sections, allow verbal or pictorial expressions.
• For advanced learners: Task extension via research and presentation of additional coping or self-regulation strategies.

---

Assessment (Formative)

• Creation of personal action plan demonstrating:
  • Identification of at least two effective strategies to manage emotions.
  • Use of decision-making steps to guide positive choices.
  • Clear and personal action steps that support well-being.
• Teacher observation of role-play and discussion participation for understanding emotional management and choice-making.

---

Christian Faith Integration (Optional for Christian School Context)

• Include a brief reflection on kindness, forgiveness, and empathy as ways to handle emotions and relationships positively.
• Link decision-making to values like respect and care for others, reinforcing how emotions and choices affect community wellbeing.

---

This lesson plan aligns specifically with AC9HP6P06 and AC9HP6P10 content descriptions from the Western Australian Curriculum and ensures adequate time allocation for explicit teaching, guided practice, and reflection while addressing diverse learner needs and providing dyslexia-friendly resources and extension opportunities.