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Daily Check-In

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Lesson Plan

Daily Check-In Guide

In a 10-minute daily routine, students self-assess their emotions using visual tools, record their mood in a journal and graph, and teachers collect data to inform math instruction adjustments.

Regular emotional check-ins help students build self-awareness and a positive math environment. Tracking mood trends enables teachers to adapt lessons, provide targeted support, and foster social-emotional growth alongside academic skills.

Audience

3rd Grade Students

Time

10 minutes per session

Approach

Guide quick self-assessments, journaling, and graphing to gather daily mood data.

Materials

Mood Meter Slides, Emoji Check Temperature, Math Mood Journal, and Mood Graphing Chart

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Emoji Warm-Up

2 minutes

  • Display Emoji Check Temperature.
  • Ask students to choose an emoji that best represents their current feeling.
  • Invite a few volunteers to give a quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down explanation.

Step 2

Mood Meter Check-In

3 minutes

  • Advance to Mood Meter Slides.
  • Guide students to identify the quadrant that matches their emotion and energy level.
  • Ask 2–3 students to share their mood selection and one reason why.

Step 3

Journal Reflection

2 minutes

  • Distribute Math Mood Journal.
  • Prompt students to write one sentence about how they feel today and their confidence in math.
  • Encourage neatness and honesty.

Step 4

Graphing Mood Trends

2 minutes

  • Provide students with their Mood Graphing Chart.
  • Instruct them to color or plot today’s mood point and label it with the date.
  • Remind them this chart will show their mood over time.

Step 5

Teacher Debrief & Adaptation

1 minute

  • Collect and review journal entries and graphs quickly.
  • Note any patterns or students needing extra support.
  • Adjust lesson pacing, small groups, or check-in prompts for the day’s math activities.
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Slide Deck

Mood Meter Overview

The Mood Meter helps us identify our emotions based on:
• Energy (Low → High)
• Pleasantness (Unpleasant → Pleasant)

We’ll use four quadrants to group our feelings.

Introduce the Mood Meter. Explain that it’s a tool to help us notice how we feel using two scales: energy and pleasantness. Emphasize that every emotion is valid and useful.

Quadrant 1: High Energy & Pleasant

Examples in this zone:
• Excited
• Enthusiastic
• Joyful
• Playful

Point to Quadrant 1 (top-right). Explain that this is when we feel both energized and happy. Ask for a quick show of hands if anyone has felt this way in math class.

Quadrant 2: High Energy & Unpleasant

Examples in this zone:
• Angry
• Frustrated
• Anxious
• Overwhelmed

Point to Quadrant 2 (top-left). Note that these are high-energy but unpleasant feelings. Invite one student to share what makes them feel this way.

Quadrant 3: Low Energy & Unpleasant

Examples in this zone:
• Sad
• Tired
• Discouraged
• Bored

Point to Quadrant 3 (bottom-left). Explain that these are low-energy, unpleasant feelings. Ask: “Have you ever felt this way before starting math?”

Quadrant 4: Low Energy & Pleasant

Examples in this zone:
• Calm
• Content
• Relaxed
• Peaceful

Point to Quadrant 4 (bottom-right). Describe these as calm, pleasant, but low-energy. Suggest students think of times they felt this way.

Where Are You Today?

Take a moment and think about:

  1. How much energy you have right now
  2. How pleasant you feel

Which quadrant best matches your mood?

Give students a moment of silent reflection. Remind them that there’s no right or wrong answer.

Share Your Mood

Turn to a partner and share:

  1. Your quadrant
  2. One reason you feel this way

Invite students to share with a partner. Circulate and listen for any patterns you may address later.

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Warm Up

Emoji Check Temperature Warm-Up

Objective: Quickly gauge student moods as they enter class using emojis, helping you adjust instruction and connect with students.

Materials:

  • Emoji stickers or sticky dots (one set per student)
  • Optional: Digital emoji board or classroom polling app

Steps:

  1. As students enter, display a row of 4–6 emoji faces on the board or projector (happy, calm, frustrated, tired, excited, etc.).
  2. Give each student an emoji sticker or sticky dot when they arrive.
  3. Ask them to place their sticker under the emoji that best represents how they feel today.
  4. (If digital) Invite students to tap their chosen emoji on the shared digital board or poll.
  5. Quickly scan the board to see the class mood snapshot.
  6. Use this information to welcome students by name, address any widespread low-energy or negative feelings, and adapt your day’s math launch accordingly.


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Journal

Math Mood Journal

Date: _____________

  1. Write one sentence about how you feel today in math class.



  1. Write one sentence about how confident you feel about today’s math lesson.



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Activity

Mood Graphing Chart

Instructions: Each day, write the date above the column for today’s check-in. Then place a dot or color in the row that matches your mood quadrant. Over time, connect the dots to see how your feelings change.

Mood Level (Quadrant)Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
4 (Low Energy & Pleasant: Calm/Relaxed)
3 (Low Energy & Unpleasant: Sad/Bored)
2 (High Energy & Unpleasant: Frustrated/Anxious)
1 (High Energy & Pleasant: Excited/Joyful)

Tip: As you fill more days, draw lines connecting your dots to see your mood trends over time. Add extra “Day 8,” “Day 9,” etc., by extending columns to the right.

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