Managing Disappointment

Lesson Details

• Subject: PSHE
• Year Group: Year 6
• Lesson Duration: 40 minutes
• Class Size: 25 students
• Curriculum Reference: Aligned with the PSHE Association Programme of Study for Key Stage 2, specifically within Core Theme 1 – Health and Wellbeing:
  • H19: Strategies to manage feelings
  • H20: The intensity and range of feelings and how to manage complex emotions

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

1. Understand what disappointment is and why it happens.
2. Recognise common feelings associated with disappointment.
3. Develop strategies to manage disappointment in a healthy way.
4. Apply these strategies in real-life situations, particularly in games and competitive activities.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity – Emotion Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Objective: Get pupils thinking about emotions and how they affect behaviour.
• Activity: "Emoji Reactions" – Display five different emojis on the board (e.g., happy, sad, angry, frustrated, calm).
  • Ask: “Which emoji best represents how you feel when you lose a game?”
  • Pupils vote by raising hands or standing next to the chosen emoji.
  • Brief discussion around why they selected their choices.

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2. Main Teaching – Understanding Disappointment (10 minutes)

• Key Questions:

  • What is disappointment?
  • Why do we feel it?
  • How does it affect our body and mind?

• Explanation (Teacher-led discussion):

  • Disappointment happens when we expect something to happen, but the reality is different.
  • It is a normal emotion that everyone experiences.
  • Common physical reactions: feeling heavy, wanting to be alone, getting frustrated, or feeling sad.

• Mini Role-Play (Whole Class):

  • Teacher describes three scenarios (e.g., losing a football match, coming second in a spelling competition, not getting picked first in a team selection).
  • Pupils act out how they might feel in that moment.
  • Ask: “What could you tell yourself to feel better?”

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3. Group Activity – The 'Disappointment Toolbox' (10 minutes)

• Objective: Learn how to handle disappointment in a positive way.
• Activity:
  • Split the class into small groups (4-5 pupils per group).
  • Each group has a ‘Disappointment Toolbox’ sheet (blank piece of paper).
  • Pupils brainstorm three strategies to deal with disappointment. Examples:
    • Taking deep breaths
    • Thinking of a positive outcome from the situation
    • Talking to a friend or trusted adult
  • Groups present their ideas back to the class.

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4. Individual Reflection – 'Reframing Disappointment' (10 minutes)

• Activity:

  • Pupils complete the sentence: “The last time I was disappointed was when ____________. One way I could handle it better next time is ____________.”
  • Teacher encourages self-reflection by sharing a relatable personal example.

• Discussion:

  • What emotions did they identify in their personal experiences?
  • What strategy do they think will help them the most next time?

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Plenary – Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

• Before leaving, each pupil must write down one takeaway on a small sticky note:
  • "One thing I’ve learned today about disappointment is..."
  • Stick them on the ‘Feelings Wall’ to revisit in future lessons.

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Assessment & Extension Opportunities

• Informal Assessment: Observing participation in discussions, group work, and reflections.
• Extension Task: Pupils reflect in their personal journals or create a comic strip demonstrating how to handle disappointment in different scenarios.

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Teacher Notes

• Use positive reinforcement to encourage open conversations.
• Allow pupils to express emotions without judgement.
• Adapt scenarios based on pupils’ interests (e.g., if they are into sports, use sports-related disappointments).

This engaging and interactive lesson will equip Year 6 pupils with lifelong emotional regulation skills, while making the learning process fun and practical. 🚀