Children may also find comfort in You've Got Dragons by Kathryn Cave, where a simple, clever metaphor could give shape to all sorts of concerns. Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley or The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic might help a child to begin to explore very difficult, unfamiliar feelings associated with loss and death. A lovely read that is beautifully illustrated and is essential reading for all those fiery little dragons.

In this STEM Lesson, students learn about the importance of Self Management. They design and build their own "Hot Air" balloon for Fergal and fill it with their own "Hot Air" to help cool down.I love Fergal, he is such a brilliant representation of those children who are a little bit hot-headed and who have a fiery temper. After Fergal has upset all of his friends he seeks comfort and advice from his mum and he learns that there is a way to perhaps control his anger. Fergal realises that everyone gets angry but all of his friends have ways of managing their anger. Ideas for dealing with anger that feature in the story include; counting to ten, talking to others, focusing on a moment of calm and having a stretch. The most valuable lesson that Fergal learns is that life is not always fair and that you can not always get what you want. Students also discover how to create a plan and make better decisions using different self management techniques using the mindful moments strategy, activity, and writing prompt.

The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. A book can put into words or pictures a feeling that a child is unable to express. In Shaun Tan's The Red Tree, we see feelings of sadness, frustration and loneliness–and hope–manifested as stunning, evocative paintings. It can be hard to articulate a feeling, even for us adults–but a picture might give us a way in.

We could also extend their understanding by creating a "missing chapter'"to explain how a character felt between scenes, or write about what happened after the story. In class, we might talk about what could have happened if the character had made a different choice. We might 'hotseat' a child in character, or write a diary to explore how a character feels. All of this helps develop empathy and the vocabulary of emotions. Fergal is a very pleasant chap, unless you try and tell him what to do. And then he gets incredibly angry. When Fergal gets angry he loses control of his temper and this leads to somewhat fiery situations. His friends are not impressed with his behaviour and his fiery temper has ruined the football match, burnt delicious cakes and ruined a game. Can this hot headed little dragon learn to keep his cool… This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.