Emotion Detective Checklist

Use your Emotion Detective Checklist to circle the feeling word that matches each scenario. Then point to it on the Emotion Wheel Poster.

1. You lost your favorite pencil.
   
   ( ) Happy ( ) Sad ( ) Angry ( ) Scared ( ) Surprised ( ) Disgusted
   
   
2. You got a surprise gift from a friend.
   
   ( ) Happy ( ) Sad ( ) Angry ( ) Scared ( ) Surprised ( ) Disgusted
   
   
3. You have a test you didn’t study for.
   
   ( ) Happy ( ) Sad ( ) Angry ( ) Scared ( ) Surprised ( ) Disgusted
   
   
4. You see someone being kind at lunch.
   
   ( ) Happy ( ) Sad ( ) Angry ( ) Scared ( ) Surprised ( ) Disgusted
   
   

Feelings Reflection Worksheet

Think of a time when you felt a strong emotion. Draw a picture of what happened or write a few sentences describing the event.

1. What was the emotion you felt? (Use the Emotion Wheel Poster to find the word.)
   
   
   
   
2. What did you do or say when you felt this way? Describe how you reacted.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What helped you feel better? (Use ideas from the Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards or your own strategies.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. If you feel this emotion again, what tool or strategy will you use to stay calm? Explain why you chose it.
   
   
   
   

Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards

Use these cards when you notice big feelings—pick one technique and practice until you feel calmer.

1. 4-4-6 Breathing

• Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 4 seconds
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 seconds
• Repeat 3–5 times

2. Square Breathing (Box Breathing)

• Inhale as you trace side 1 of an imaginary square for 4 counts
• Hold as you trace side 2 for 4 counts
• Exhale as you trace side 3 for 4 counts
• Pause as you trace side 4 for 4 counts
• Continue 2–3 rounds

3. Balloon Breathing

• Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest
• Inhale through your nose, feeling your belly fill like a balloon
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting the “balloon” deflate
• Repeat until your belly feels soft and relaxed

4. Star Breathing

• Spread your fingers wide as if you’re a star
• Trace around your hand with your other hand
– Inhale as you move up one finger
– Exhale as you move down the other side of that finger
• Continue tracing all five points, matching breath to each stroke

5. Counting Breath

• Close your eyes and inhale while counting to 3 in your head
• Exhale while counting to 3
• If you feel ready, increase to counting to 4 or 5
• Keep going until your heart feels calmer

Keep these cards in a pocket or on your desk. When you feel upset, choose one technique, follow the steps, and notice how your body and mind settle.

Emotion Wheel Poster

Our Emotion Wheel Poster helps you spot and name your feelings—just like detectives! Use this wheel whenever you want to understand what’s happening inside. Find the closest word that matches how you feel and share it with others.

Primary Emotions (Center)

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Scared
• Surprised
• Disgusted

Related Feelings (Outer Ring)

Happy: joyful, excited, proud, content
Sad: lonely, disappointed, hurt, embarrassed
Angry: annoyed, frustrated, jealous, furious
Scared: nervous, worried, embarrassed, cautious
Surprised: amazed, shocked, astonished, curious
Disgusted: grossed-out, disgusted, repulsed, uncomfortable

How to Use Your Emotion Wheel Poster

1. Notice: Pause for a moment when you feel something strong.
2. Name: Find the primary emotion in the center ring. Then look at the outer ring for a more precise word.
3. Share: Tell a friend or adult the word you chose.
4. Manage: If it’s a big feeling, use a calming tool like the Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards.

Keep this poster where everyone can see it—your desk, the wall, or next to the Emotion Detective badges. Remember: naming your feeling is the first clue to solving the mystery of your emotions!

Emotion Wheel Match

Objective: Reinforce emotion vocabulary by matching related feeling words to their primary emotion categories on the Emotion Wheel Poster.

Materials (per pair or small group):

• A set of Primary Emotion Cards (Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised, Disgusted)
• A set of Related Feeling Cards (e.g., proud, nervous, furious, curious, embarrassed, content, disappointed, shocked, etc.)
• Emotion Wheel Poster for reference

Setup (5 minutes):

1. Shuffle both decks separately and place them face down in two piles: one for Primary Emotion Cards and one for Related Feeling Cards.
2. Make sure each pair/group has easy access to the Emotion Wheel Poster.

How to Play (10 minutes):

1. Student A flips over one Primary Emotion Card and one Related Feeling Card.
2. The group checks the poster to see if the related feeling word belongs to that primary emotion (e.g., “proud” matches Happy, “furious” matches **Angry”).
3. If it’s a correct match, Student A keeps the pair and takes another turn. If not, they turn both cards face down again and Student B takes a turn.
4. Continue until all matches have been found.

Scoring & Sharing (5 minutes):

• Each student counts how many correct pairs they collected. Celebrate everyone’s effort!
• Invite a few volunteers to pick one of their matched pairs and explain:
  • Which primary emotion they matched it with
  • Why they think that feeling belongs in that category

Extension / Follow-Up Questions:

• “Can you think of a time when you felt one of these related emotions?”
• “What did you do to manage that feeling?”
• “Which new word from today will you add to your personal emotion vocabulary?”

Tips for Success:

• Encourage students to consult the Emotion Wheel Poster before making a call.
• Remind them that outer-ring words are more specific versions of the center emotions.
• Celebrate correct matches and thoughtful explanations to deepen understanding.

You’re now expert Emotion Detectives—noticing, naming, and matching all your feelings!

Emotion Check-Out

Use this quick exit ticket to reflect on how you’re feeling at the end of our Emotion Detectives lesson.

1. How am I feeling right now? (Use the Emotion Wheel Poster to help pick a word.)• ___________________________________________________________
   
   
   
2. Which calming strategy will I use next time I notice a big feeling? (e.g., Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards, counting to five, or another tool.)• ___________________________________________________________
   
   
   
3. One thing I learned today as an Emotion Detective:• ___________________________________________________________
   
   
   
   
   
   

Thank you for sharing! Take a deep breath together before you head out. 🙂

Emotion Detectives Script

Introduction (5 minutes)

Teacher (smiling, energetic):
“Good morning, detectives! Today we’re on a very special mission.”
(Show Emotion Wheel Poster on the wall)
“Here is our Emotion Wheel Poster—our main clue for today. Just like detectives solve mysteries, we’ll solve the mystery of our feelings.”

Teacher (pointing to poster):
“First, I want you to pause and think: What emotion are you feeling right now?”
(Teacher waits 5–10 seconds)

Teacher: “Who has an emotion in mind? Raise your hand and tell me what you feel.”
(Select 2–3 volunteers)

Volunteer Student: “I feel excited.”

Teacher: “Great! Excited is a feeling on our wheel—can you point to ‘excited’ for us?”
(Volunteer points on poster)

Teacher: “Excellent detective work! Let’s get ready to identify more emotions.”

Emotion Detective Sorting (10 minutes)

Teacher (handing out checklists):
“Detectives, here is your Emotion Detective Checklist. When I read each scenario, circle the word that matches the feeling and then point to it on our wheel.”
(Distribute Emotion Detective Checklist)

Teacher (reads slowly):
“Scenario 1: You lost your favorite pencil.”
(Students circle and point)

Teacher: “Detectives, show me where you pointed.”
(Students point)

Teacher: “Which word did you circle?”
(Student responds: “Sad.”)

Teacher: “Why might someone feel sad if they lost their favorite pencil?”
(Ask for 1–2 student ideas: “Maybe it was a gift.” “They liked writing with it.”)

Teacher: “Exactly. Losing something special can make us feel sad.”

Teacher (continues through scenarios):

“Scenario 2: You got a surprise gift from a friend.”
(Students circle, point)
“Scenario 3: You have a test you didn’t study for.”
(Students respond)
“Scenario 4: You see someone being kind at lunch.”
(Students respond)

After each, ask:
• “Which feeling did you choose?”
• “Why might someone feel that way?”

Teacher (glowing):
“You are all amazing detectives—spotting feelings like pros!”

Reflection and Discussion (8 minutes)

Teacher (handing out worksheets):
“Now, let’s reflect on your own feelings. Here is the Feelings Reflection Worksheet.”
(Distribute Feelings Reflection Worksheet)

Teacher: “On the top, draw or write about a time you felt a strong emotion. Then write the name of the feeling. I’ll give you 3 minutes to work quietly.”
(Students write/draw—use timer)

Teacher: “Great work! Now turn to your partner and share:

1. What happened in your story?
2. What emotion did you feel?
3. What did you do or say when you felt that way?”
   (Students pair-share for 2 minutes)

Teacher (after pairs):
“Who would like to share one thing they heard from their partner?”
(Select 1–2 students)

Teacher: “Thank you! What helped them feel better?”
(Students share ideas such as talking to a friend, taking a deep breath, etc.)

Calming Strategy Practice (5 minutes)

Teacher (holding cards):
“Detectives, sometimes feelings get big and we need tools to calm down. Our tool today is the Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards.”
(Show Deep-Breathing Strategy Cards)

Teacher: “Let’s try 4-4-6 breathing together. Watch me first.”

Teacher (models slowly):
“Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds… 1,2,3,4. Hold for 4 seconds… 1,2,3,4. Exhale slowly for 6 seconds… 1,2,3,4,5,6.”

Teacher: “Now let’s do two rounds together. Ready? Inhale… hold… exhale…”

(Lead two full rounds)

Teacher: “How do you feel? Where did you notice your breath?”
(Students respond: “My tummy rose.” “My shoulders relaxed.”)

Teacher: “Perfect. Remember, you can use any breathing technique on these cards when you need to calm yourself.”

Closing (2 minutes)

Teacher (gathering attention):
“Detectives, you’ve done incredible work today.”
“Detecting your emotion is the first clue. Naming it gives you power. And using our breathing tools helps you stay calm when feelings are big.”

Teacher (handing out badges):
“Now, I’m awarding each of you an Emotion Detective Badge. Wear it proudly as proof of your amazing skills.”

Teacher: “Case closed! Remember: use the wheel, your checklist, and your breathing cards anytime you need. See you next time, detectives!”

(End with a big detective cheer: “1-2-3, Emotion Detectives!”)