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Emotion Detectives

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Lesson Plan

Emotion Detectives Lesson Plan

Students will become ‘Emotion Detectives’ by identifying, naming, and expressing basic emotions through interactive games, building self-awareness and emotional vocabulary.

Understanding and expressing feelings supports healthy social interactions and self-regulation in Pre-K, laying the foundation for lifelong emotional skills.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive games and visual activities to explore and express emotions.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

3 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle and give each a detective badge.
  • Explain: “Today, we’re Emotion Detectives, and we’ll discover how we feel!”
  • Show the Emotion Wheel Poster and briefly point to 4 basic emotions: happy, sad, angry, surprised.
  • Introduce the Emotion Flashcards and the mirror.

Step 2

Emotion Identification Game

7 minutes

  • Hold up each Emotion Flashcard one at a time.
  • Ask: “What emotion is this?” and have students name it.
  • Pass the mirror around; students practice making that expression and check it off on their Emotion Detective Checklist.
  • Provide positive feedback and model any unclear expressions.

Step 3

Emotion Charades

3 minutes

  • Invite students to pick a card from the flashcards without showing peers.
  • Each student silently acts out the emotion while classmates guess the feeling.
  • After guessing correctly, the detective marks that emotion on their checklist.
  • Rotate through 4–5 volunteers.

Step 4

Reflection & Closing

2 minutes

  • Return to the circle and ask: “Which emotion was easiest or trickiest to show?”
  • Discuss one strategy for when they feel sad or angry (deep breath, talk to a friend).
  • Praise students: “Great detecting! You now know more about your feelings.”
  • Remind them to use their emotion detective skills all day.
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Slide Deck

Emotion Detectives

Welcome, Detectives!
Let’s discover our feelings today.

Welcome students as Emotion Detectives. Hand out badges. Introduce today’s adventure in feelings.

Meet Our Emotions

happy 😊
sad 😢
angry 😠
surprised 😮

Show the Emotion Wheel Poster or flashcards. Point to each icon and name the emotion. Ask students to repeat.

Emotion Identification

I will show a card.
You tell the feeling!

Hold up each Emotion Flashcard from Emotion Flashcards. Ask: “What feeling is this?” Praise all answers.

Mirror Practice

Use your mirror.
Make the face you see!

Pass out handheld mirrors. Invite students to make the face they see on each card and check it on their Emotion Detective Checklist.

Emotion Charades

Pick a card.
Act out your feeling.
Let’s guess!

Invite 4–5 volunteers to choose a flashcard and act it out silently. Classmates guess and shout the emotion name.

Reflection Time

Which emotion was easy?
Which was tricky?

Lead a short discussion. Ask: “Which emotion was easiest? Which was tricky?” Share one calm-down strategy: deep breath or talk to a friend.

Great Detectives!

You did it!
Keep using your feelings skills.

Congratulate everyone. Encourage them to use their emotion detective skills all day and remember strategies when they feel big feelings.

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Worksheet

Emotion Flashcards

Cut along the dotted lines to create four separate cards. Use these cards during the Emotion Identification and Charades games.

happy 😊

sad 😢

angry 😠

surprised 😮

(After cutting, each card should show one emotion with its name and face.)

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Worksheet

Detective Badge Templates

Cut along the dotted lines. Color and decorate your badge. Attach with string or tape to wear as your very own Detective Badge!

| |
| EMOTION DETECTIVE |
| |
| (Decorate me with colors & stickers!) |
| |

| |
| EMOTION DETECTIVE |
| |
| (Decorate me with colors & stickers!) |
| |

Once decorated, attach a string or staple to wear proudly as an Emotion Detective!

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Worksheet

Emotion Detective Checklist

Instructions: When you practice making or acting out each emotion, check the box to show you’ve found it!

☐ happy 😊


☐ sad 😢


☐ angry 😠


☐ surprised 😮

Reflection

Which emotion was your favorite to practice? _______________


Which emotion was the trickiest to practice? _______________


What can you do when you feel this feeling? _______________




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