Artful Emotions

Molly Mulhern

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Artful Emotions Lesson Plan

Students will learn to express emotions visually through color, shape, and texture by creating artwork that conveys a chosen feeling; students will describe and reflect on their creative choices.

Developing emotional literacy helps students recognize and communicate feelings, build empathy, and foster self-expression; art provides a safe, engaging way to explore and share emotions.

Audience

Elementary School Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Hands-on art creation and guided reflection develop emotional awareness.

Materials

Construction Paper, - Crayons or Markers, - Texture Materials (e.g., Sandpaper, Fabric Scraps), - Emotion Word Cards, and - Artful Emotions Reflection Sheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Gather art supplies: construction paper, crayons, markers, and a variety of texture materials.
Print multiple sets of Emotion Word Cards and the Artful Emotions Reflection Sheet.
Pre-cut texture materials into small, easy-to-handle pieces.
Review the reflection questions on the Artful Emotions Reflection Sheet to guide student support.

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

Introduce the idea that colors, shapes, and textures can express feelings.
Show a simple abstract artwork and invite students to name the emotion they see.
Distribute Emotion Word Cards.
Have each student pick a card, name the emotion, and share a color they associate with it.
Facilitate a brief discussion on how art elements relate to emotions.

Step 2

Main Activity

20 minutes

Students choose an emotion (from cards or their own) and plan their artwork.
On construction paper, use crayons/markers and texture materials to depict the emotion through color, shape, and texture.
Encourage layering (e.g., glue fabric for comfort, sandpaper for roughness).
Circulate to ask guiding questions (e.g., “How does this shape show joy?”).
Differentiation:
- Provide simplified emotion lists or one-on-one support for emerging learners.
- Offer extra texture options or pattern challenges for advanced learners.

Step 3

Cool-Down

5 minutes

Distribute the Artful Emotions Reflection Sheet.
Students answer prompts:
- Which emotion did you choose and why?
- How do your colors, shapes, or textures express that emotion?
- How did creating this art make you feel?
Invite volunteers to share insights with the class.
Collect artworks and reflections for display and further discussion.

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Slide Deck

Artful Emotions: Expressing Emotion Through Art

• 30-minute Tier 1 lesson
• Elementary students
• Explore color, shape, texture to show feelings

Welcome students! Introduce today’s topic: expressing emotions through art. Explain that we’ll explore how color, shape, and texture can show feelings. Outline time and materials.

Lesson Objective

Students will learn to express their chosen emotion visually using color, shape, and texture, then describe how their art communicates that feeling.

Read aloud the objective to students. Emphasize that they will not only create art but also reflect on why they made certain choices.

How Art Elements Show Emotion

• Color associations (e.g., blue → calm, yellow → joy)
• Shape meanings (e.g., smooth curves → peace, sharp angles → excitement)
• Texture cues (e.g., rough → anger, soft → comfort)

Show or pass around a few simple example artworks. Point out how colors (e.g., red = anger), shapes (e.g., jagged = tension), and textures (e.g., soft fabric = comfort) convey different feelings.

Activity Steps

Warm-Up (5 min): Emotion Word Cards discussion
Main Art Creation (20 min): Choose an emotion and depict it
Cool-Down (5 min): Complete Reflection Sheet

Walk through each phase. Keep students on track with timing. Circulate during the main activity to prompt deeper thinking.

Reflection Prompts

• Which emotion did you choose and why?
• How do your colors/shapes/textures express it?
• How did making this art make you feel?

Distribute the reflection sheets. Encourage honest answers and remind students that there are no right or wrong feelings.

Let’s Get Creative!

Gather your paper, crayons/markers, and texture materials. Express your feeling through art—have fun and explore!

Encourage students to start creating. Remind them to be bold and to think about their emotional choices. Display finished work later for class discussion.

Worksheet

Emotion Word Cards

Print this page and cut along the lines to create individual emotion cards. Use these cards during the Warm-Up to spark discussion about feelings and color associations.

HAPPINESS
Feeling joyful, playful, or content. Often shown with a smile or bright colors.

SADNESS
Feeling unhappy, sorrowful, or disappointed. Often shown with drooping shapes or cool colors.

ANGER
Feeling mad, frustrated, or annoyed. Often shown with sharp shapes or warm, intense colors.

FEAR
Feeling scared, worried, or anxious. Often shown with jagged lines or dark, muted colors.

SURPRISE
Feeling astonished, amazed, or shocked. Often shown with bursts or unexpected shapes and colors.

DISGUST
Feeling a strong sense of dislike or revulsion. Often shown with uneven textures or murky colors.

CALM
Feeling relaxed, peaceful, or serene. Often shown with smooth shapes and soft, soothing colors.

EXCITEMENT
Feeling thrilled, eager, or energetic. Often shown with dynamic lines and bright, bold colors.

Worksheet

Artful Emotions Reflection Sheet

Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Which emotion did you choose and why?
How do the colors you selected help express that emotion? Describe your choices.
How do the shapes in your artwork show or support that emotion?
How do the textures you added (e.g., fabric, sandpaper) convey the emotion?
How did creating this artwork make you feel overall?
(Optional) If you could change or add one thing to your piece, what would it be and why?

Please return this sheet with your artwork when you are finished. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!