Supplies
- Post-It notes
Attachments
Objectives
- By the end of the session, students will be able to:
- Define feelings
- List three feelings
- State one reason why people have certain feelings at different times
- Identify two ways of expressing a feeling
Introduction
Enter the classroom and slam the door behind you. Or, if you are already inside, slam a book on your desk to grab attention. Act as if you are very frustrated with your day. After a few moments, ask students if they can tell
what you are feeling, and explain that you were demonstrating your feelings.
Procedures & Activities
Step 1:
Hand out a post-it note to each student. Instruct them to write down one feeling on the note. Ask students to place their post-its on the board. Have volunteers share a short example of when someone might feel the emotion they wrote.
- If two or more students write the same feeling, place the notes next to each other. Many may write core feelings (happy, sad, mad). Use this as an opportunity to show that there are many ranges of feelings.
Step 2:
Distribute the Emojis Handout (Attachment A). Ask volunteers to pick a feeling not already mentioned and give an example of when a person may experience that feeling.
- Allow time for students to review the handout. If they continue picking the same types of feelings, suggest a different type for discussion.
Step 3:
Define feelings with a mini-lecture:
We’ve started naming feelings, but we haven’t yet defined the word. So I’ll ask you – what is a feeling? (Give students a chance to answer the question) It is something inside of you that tells you what is going on in your head and your heart. Because feelings are natural parts of our mind and body, they are neither “bad” nor “good.” Some feelings might be very nice and comfortable; like happy, excited, and confident. But others, such as angry, lonely and sad, can be uncomfortable. Sometimes we can feel two emotions at once. It is important to recognize and name what you are feeling.
Step 4:
Pair students and distribute the Situations Worksheet (Attachment B). Ask them to write one feeling word per situation. Have volunteers share their answers and explain why they chose those feelings.
- Students may use the Emojis Handout or come up with their own. The goal is to expand their vocabulary and help them correctly identify a wide range of feelings.
Step 5:
Ask three volunteers to come to the front of the class. Assign each a feeling to act out. Give them 1–2 minutes, then repeat with different students and emotions.
Ask the class:
- Did everyone who acted out the same feeling do it in the same way?
- Does everyone need to express their feelings the same way?
Summary
Review the main ideas of the lesson:
Today we discussed feelings. You were each given the chance to share a feeling word, and many of you came up with the same ones. This shows how often we use a limited set of words, even though there are many more. We learned why people may feel differently in the same situation, and that two people can have the same experience but very different emotions about it.
I hope you feel good about today’s lesson!
