Emotion Detective Talk

Warm-Up: How Do You Feel Today?

"Good morning, future Emotion Detectives! I'm so excited to have you here today. To start our day, I want everyone to think of one word that describes how you are feeling right now. Don't worry, there's no right or wrong answer! Just one word. Take a moment to think about it.


(Pause for students to think)


"Okay, who would like to share their feeling word? And if you feel comfortable, can you tell us why you're feeling that way?"


(Call on a few students. Affirm their feelings and thank them for sharing.)


"Wonderful! Thank you for sharing. It's so interesting to hear all the different ways we can feel, even at the beginning of the day!"

Introduction: Welcome, Emotion Detectives!

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 1) Today, we are going to become 'Emotion Detectives'! Has anyone ever heard of a detective before? What does a detective do?"


(Allow a few responses)


"Exactly! A detective looks for clues and solves mysteries. And today, our mystery is understanding emotions!"

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 2) So, what does an Emotion Detective do? We notice how people look and act. We listen to what people say. We try to understand different feelings – our own and others. And when we understand feelings, it helps us know how to help ourselves and how to be a good friend to others. Sounds like important work, right?"

Video Lecture: What Are Emotions?

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 3) To help us on our detective journey, we're going to watch a short video about different feelings. Pay close attention to the faces and sounds you see and hear!"


(Play the video)


"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 4) Wow, that video showed us so many feelings! Let's talk about some of the main ones we learned about. Can anyone tell me one emotion they remember from the video?"


(Guide students to name Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Disgusted. Briefly describe each as on the slide.)


"Great job! These are some of the core feelings we experience."

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 5) How do we show these feelings? We show them with our faces! Think about a time you were happy – what did your face look like? What about when you were sad? Our bodies also show feelings – maybe you jump when you're excited, or slouch when you're tired. And our voices! Sometimes our voices get loud when we're angry, or soft when we're scared. Remember, it's totally okay to feel all these emotions. Every single one of them!"

Reading & Discussion: The Feeling Tree

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 6) Now, let's put our emotion detective skills to the test with a story called The Feeling Tree. As we read, I want you to be on the lookout for clues! Think about how the characters might be feeling and why. Who would like to help me read, or would you like to read silently to yourselves?"


(Facilitate reading of the story.)


"(After reading) What a wonderful story! Now, let's discuss. Turn to a partner or share with the class: Which character in the story did you connect with the most? How do you think they felt? What clues did the author give us about their feelings?"


(Guide discussion using prompts from Discussion: Talk About Feelings.)

Activity: Emotion Charades

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 7) Alright, Emotion Detectives, time for some action! We're going to play Emotion Charades. I'll explain the rules: one person will act out an emotion, but no talking! Just use your face and body. The rest of us will guess what emotion they are showing. When you guess, try to say why you think that's the emotion you see. For example, 'I think you're happy because you're smiling and jumping!' Who wants to go first?"


(Facilitate the game.)

Worksheet: Feeling Faces Match-Up

"Excellent work with those charades! You're all becoming brilliant at spotting emotions. Now, let's do some individual detective work. I'm going to hand out this Worksheet: Feeling Faces Match-Up. Your job is to match the emotion words to the correct facial expressions. Take your time and do your best. If you need help, raise a quiet hand."


(Distribute worksheets. Monitor and assist students. Collect upon completion. Optionally, review answers together using Emotion Check-Up Answer Key.)

Game: Emotion Bingo

"Great job on the worksheet, everyone! To celebrate our hard work and to keep those emotion detection skills sharp, we're going to play a quick game of Emotion Bingo!"


"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 8) Here’s how we play: I will call out an emotion. If you have that emotion on your Bingo card, mark it. The first person to get a line—up and down, side to side, or diagonally—shouts 'BINGO!' Let's play a few rounds!"


(Facilitate the Bingo game.)

Quiz: Emotion Check-Up

"Fantastic energy, detectives! You've worked so hard today. Now, to see how much you've grown as emotion experts, we have a short Quiz: Emotion Check-Up. This will help me understand what you've learned. Please complete this on your own, showing me what amazing emotion detectives you've become!"


(Distribute quizzes and collect upon completion. Remind students it's okay if they don't know every answer.)

Cool Down: One Word Feeling

"(Display Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 9) You've all been incredible emotion detectives today! Before we finish, I want everyone to think about one new thing you learned about emotions today, or one emotion you now feel really confident identifying. Just one word or a very short sentence. Who would like to share?"


(Call on a few students.)


"Thank you all for being such engaged and thoughtful emotion detectives today. Keep practicing your skills out there!"

Feeling Faces Match-Up!

Directions: Look at each face. Read the emotion words in the box. Write the correct emotion word under each face.

Emotion Words:

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

1. Face 1: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a smiling face)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

2. Face 2: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a frowning face with tears)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

3. Face 3: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a face with furrowed brows, red cheeks)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

4. Face 4: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a face with wide eyes and an open mouth)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

5. Face 5: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a face with eyes wide, mouth open in a scream or gasp)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

6. Face 6: (Imagine a drawing or photo of a face with nose wrinkled, mouth slightly open, maybe tongue out a bit)
   
   Emotion:
   
   
   
   

Draw Your Own Feeling Face!

Draw a face showing an emotion you feel often. Label it!












Emotion:

The Feeling Tree

Lily loved her backyard. Especially the big, old oak tree. She called it 'The Feeling Tree' because it seemed to change with her moods.

One sunny morning, Lily woke up feeling happy. The sun streamed through her window, and she knew it was a Saturday. No school! She skipped to the window, threw it open, and shouted, "Good morning, world!" The Feeling Tree outside seemed to shimmer with bright green leaves, just as cheerful as she felt.

Later, her little brother, Tom, accidentally knocked over her tower of blocks. Crash! Lily's smile vanished. Her eyebrows furrowed, and a tight knot formed in her stomach. She felt so angry! "Tom!" she yelled, her voice loud and shaky. She stomped towards the tree, imagining its branches looking stiff and dark, like her own grumpy face.

After a while, Mom helped her rebuild the tower, even taller than before. But then, it was time for Tom to go to his friend's house. Tom always made her laugh. Seeing him wave goodbye from the car, Lily felt a little sad. A quiet, heavy feeling settled in her chest. She watched the tree, its leaves looking a bit droopy in the gentle breeze, as if sharing her quiet sorrow.

Suddenly, a tiny blue bird, no bigger than her thumb, landed right on her outstretched hand! Lily gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. She froze, barely breathing, amazed by the tiny creature. The Feeling Tree seemed to hold its breath too, its branches perfectly still, just as surprised as Lily.

As the sun began to set, dark clouds rolled in. A rumble of thunder made Lily jump. The wind howled, rattling the windows. She pulled her blanket tighter, feeling a little scared of the approaching storm. She peered out at The Feeling Tree, its massive branches swaying wildly, looking strong but a little frightening in the dim light.

But then, her mom brought her a warm cup of cocoa. The storm outside faded into a distant rumble. Lily snuggled under her blanket, sipping the sweet drink. All the different feelings of the day swirled inside her, but now, a peaceful, calm feeling settled over her. She looked at The Feeling Tree one last time. It stood strong against the darkening sky, a comforting silhouette, reminding her that no matter how many feelings came and went, the tree, and she, would always be there, ready for a new day and new emotions.

Questions to Ponder (for discussion later!):

1. How did Lily feel when she woke up? What clues helped you know?
2. What made Lily feel angry? What did her face and voice do?
3. When did Lily feel sad? What happened?
4. What surprised Lily?
5. When did Lily feel scared? What did she do?
6. What did The Feeling Tree seem to do when Lily felt different emotions?

Talk About Feelings: A Discussion Guide

Directions for the Teacher: Use these prompts to guide a whole-class or small-group discussion after reading The Feeling Tree. Encourage students to share their thoughts and connect with the characters' experiences.

Discussion Prompts:

1. Connecting with Lily:

   • Can you remember a time you felt happy like Lily on a Saturday morning? What were you doing?
     
     
     
   • Has anyone ever felt angry like Lily when her blocks fell over? What made you feel that way? What did you do with your anger?
     
     
     
   • What about feeling sad when someone you care about leaves? How does that feeling feel in your body?
     
     
     

2. Emotion Clues:

   • What clues did Lily show on her face or with her body when she was surprised by the bird? How do you look when you're surprised?
     
     
     
   • When Lily was scared during the storm, what did she do? What helps you feel safe when you're scared?
     
     
     

3. The Feeling Tree:

   • How did the Feeling Tree seem to reflect Lily's different emotions throughout the day? Why do you think Lily called it "The Feeling Tree"?
     
     
     
   • Do you have a special place or thing that seems to understand your feelings?
     
     
     

4. Emotions in General:

   • Why is it important for us to know how we are feeling?
     
     
     
   • Why is it important to try and understand how other people are feeling?
     
     
     
   • Remember the video we watched? What was one new emotion you learned to identify today?

Emotion Charades: Act It Out!

Objective: Students will practice recognizing and expressing different emotions through non-verbal communication.

Materials:

• Strips of paper with emotion words written on them (see list below)
• A hat or bag to draw from
• Optional: Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training (Slide 7 for rules)

Emotion Words for Strips of Paper (examples):

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Scared
• Confused
• Excited
• Worried
• Proud
• Sleepy
• Frustrated
• Disgusted

Instructions:

1. Introduce the Activity: Explain to students that they will be playing a game called "Emotion Charades" to help them practice showing and guessing feelings. (Refer to Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 7 for visual rules).

2. Explain the Rules:

   • One student will quietly pick an emotion word from the hat/bag.
   • Without speaking, that student will act out the emotion using only their face and body.
   • The rest of the class will guess what emotion is being acted out.
   • When a student guesses correctly, they should try to explain what clues they saw that helped them identify the emotion (e.g., "I think you're happy because you're smiling and jumping!").
   • The student who guesses correctly can be the next one to act.

3. Demonstrate (Optional but Recommended): The teacher can act out one emotion first to model the activity and show students how to give clues about why they guessed a certain emotion.

4. Play the Game: Continue playing for the allotted time, ensuring as many students as possible get a chance to act and guess. Encourage enthusiastic participation and positive feedback.

5. Facilitate & Guide:

   • If a student is struggling to guess, provide hints (e.g., "Is it a good feeling or a challenging feeling?").
   • Remind students that all emotions are valid and it's good to practice showing and understanding them.
   • Praise students for their acting and their detective skills in identifying emotions.

Emotion Bingo!

Objective: To reinforce the recognition and identification of various emotions in a fun, interactive game format.

Materials:

• Pre-made Emotion Bingo Cards (one per student or small group)
• Small markers or counters (beans, paper squares, buttons) for each student
• A list of emotions for the teacher to call out (see list below)
• A hat or bag for the teacher to draw emotion words from (optional)
• Optional: Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training (Slide 8 for rules)

Emotion List (Teacher's Call List):

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Scared
• Disgusted
• Excited
• Confused
• Proud
• Worried
• Calm
• Frustrated
• Shy
• Brave
• Silly

Instructions:

1. Preparation: Hand out one Emotion Bingo Card and a small handful of markers/counters to each student. Make sure students understand they can place a marker on the emotion word or a corresponding image if the card includes them.

2. Introduce the Game: Explain that you will be playing "Emotion Bingo"! (Refer to Slide Deck: Emotion Detective Training - Slide 8 for visual rules).

3. Explain the Rules:

   • The teacher will call out an emotion (or draw an emotion word from a hat/bag).
   • Students look at their Bingo card. If they have the emotion word (or a picture representing it) on their card, they place a marker on that square.
   • The goal is to be the first student to get five markers in a row – horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
   • When a student gets five in a row, they shout "BINGO!"

4. Play the Game: Begin calling out emotions from the list. After each call, pause to allow students to find and mark the emotion on their cards.

5. Check for Bingo: When a student shouts "BINGO!", verify their card to ensure they have correctly marked the called emotions in a line.

6. Continue Playing: You can play multiple rounds, clear the cards, or switch to different winning patterns (e.g., four corners, full card) to keep the game engaging.

Teacher Tip: As you call out emotions, briefly describe them or ask students to make a face showing that emotion to reinforce understanding.

Emotion Bingo Cards

Directions for the Teacher: Print and prepare these Bingo cards for the Game: Emotion Bingo. Each card should be unique to ensure varied gameplay. You will need one card per student or per small group.

Example Bingo Card Template (5x5 Grid)

Instructions for use: Create 10-15 unique Bingo cards. Fill each square with one emotion word or a simple emoji/illustration representing an emotion. Ensure the "FREE SPACE" is in the center. Shuffle the emotions from the list below to create variety across cards.

Emotions to use for Bingo Cards:

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Scared
• Disgusted
• Excited
• Confused
• Proud
• Worried
• Calm
• Frustrated
• Shy
• Brave
• Silly
• Curious
• Joyful
• Annoyed
• Grumpy
• Relaxed

Sample Card Layout:

Tip: You can create different versions by simply rearranging these words on a 5x5 grid for each card. For younger students, consider adding simple emoji-like illustrations next to the words.

Emotion Check-Up Answer Key

This answer key provides the correct responses for the Worksheet: Feeling Faces Match-Up, Quiz: Emotion Check-Up, and Emotion Assessment Test.

Worksheet: Feeling Faces Match-Up Answer Key

1. Face 1 (Smiling face): Happy
2. Face 2 (Frowning face with tears): Sad
3. Face 3 (Furrowed brows, red cheeks): Angry
4. Face 4 (Wide eyes, open mouth - surprise): Surprised
5. Face 5 (Eyes wide, mouth open in scream/gasp): Scared
6. Face 6 (Nose wrinkled, looking at something unpleasant): Disgusted

• Draw Your Own Feeling Face!: Answers will vary. Assess for appropriate emotion label matching the drawing.

Quiz: Emotion Check-Up Answer Key

1. Which emotion best describes someone smiling, laughing, and jumping up and down?

   • Correct Answer: Happy
   • Thought Process: Smiling and laughing are classic indicators of happiness or joy. Jumping up and down also shows excitement, a form of happiness.

2. If someone's eyebrows are furrowed, their face is red, and they are clenching their fists, what emotion might they be feeling?

   • Correct Answer: Angry
   • Thought Process: These physical cues (furrowed brows, red face, clenched fists) are common expressions of anger.

3. What emotion might you feel if you lost your favorite toy and your eyes are watery?

   • Correct Answer: Sad
   • Thought Process: Losing something cherished often leads to sadness, and watery eyes/tears are a typical expression of this emotion.

4. If you hear a loud, unexpected noise and your eyes go wide, what emotion are you probably feeling?

   • Correct Answer: Surprised
   • Thought Process: Wide eyes and a reaction to an unexpected sound are strong indicators of surprise.

5. Describe a time you felt scared. What happened and what did your body feel like?

   • Expected Answer Elements: Students should describe a personal experience (real or imagined) where they felt scared. They should also describe physical sensations (e.g., heart beating fast, shaky hands, holding breath, tense muscles). Answers will vary, but should demonstrate an understanding of the emotion of fear.

6. Look at the picture below (imagine a picture of a child with their nose wrinkled, perhaps tongue out, looking at something unpleasant). What emotion do you think this child is feeling? Why?

   • Expected Answer Elements: The child is likely feeling Disgusted. The reasoning should refer to the facial expression (wrinkled nose, possibly scrunched face, pulling away) which indicates a reaction to something unpleasant or repulsive.

Test: Emotion Assessment Test Answer Key

1. Which emotion is usually shown with a big smile and bright eyes?

   • Correct Answer: Happy
   • Thought Process: A big smile and bright eyes are universal signs of happiness.

2. If your friend has their arms crossed and a frown on their face, what emotion might they be feeling?

   • Correct Answer: Angry
   • Thought Process: Crossed arms often indicate defensiveness or anger, combined with a frown, it strongly suggests anger or frustration.

3. What do you usually feel when something unexpected happens, like a sudden loud noise?

   • Correct Answer: Surprised
   • Thought Process: Sudden, unexpected events typically trigger surprise.

4. If you are crying and feel like you want to be alone, which emotion are you most likely experiencing?

   • Correct Answer: Sad
   • Thought Process: Crying and wanting to be alone are common behaviors associated with sadness.

5. Imagine you see a classmate looking worried. What might their face or body look like? How could you tell they are worried?

   • Expected Answer Elements: Students might describe furrowed brows, a slight frown, biting nails, fidgeting, looking down, tense shoulders. They could explain they know because the person looks uneasy or troubled. (Answers will vary but should include relevant observations.)

6. Name two different emotions and describe what each one feels like in your body (e.g., 'butterflies in my stomach' for scared, 'warm and tingly' for happy).

   • Expected Answer Elements: Students should accurately name two emotions and provide a relevant, personal physical sensation for each. Examples: Happy (light, bouncy, warm), Sad (heavy, tired, knot in stomach), Angry (hot, tense, shaky), Scared (fast heart, cold, tense), Excited (buzzy, energetic, tingly). (Answers will vary but should demonstrate a connection between emotion and physical feeling.)

7. Why is it important to know how to identify your own feelings?

   • Expected Answer Elements: Answers could include: helps you understand yourself, helps you tell others how you feel, helps you know what you need, helps you solve problems, helps you feel better. The core idea is self-awareness and communication. (Answers will vary but should explain the importance of self-identification of emotions.)

8. How easy or difficult is it for you to tell how your friends are feeling?

   • Correct Answer: This is a Likert scale question, so there isn't a single correct answer. The student will choose one of the options: Very Easy, Easy, Sometimes Easy, Sometimes Difficult, Difficult, or Very Difficult. The purpose is to gauge student self-perception of their empathy/emotion-reading skills. Assess for thoughtful consideration rather than a specific right/wrong answer.

My Emotion Scrapbook: Project Guide

Objective: To create a personal scrapbook that explores and represents various emotions, showing understanding of different feelings and how they appear in real life.

Time: This project can be introduced in class and completed over several days or as a take-home assignment.

Materials:

• Paper (construction paper, plain white paper, or a small notebook)
• Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
• Old magazines, newspapers, or printouts for cutting pictures (optional)
• Glue stick or tape
• Scissors
• Emotion Scrapbook Rubric

Project Steps:

1. Choose Your Emotions (Day 1):

   • Think about 5-7 different emotions we've learned about (e.g., happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, excited, calm, proud).
   • On a piece of paper, write down the names of these emotions.

2. Gather Clues (Over several days):

   • For each emotion you chose, you will create a page in your scrapbook.
   • On each page, you need to show that emotion in at least two different ways:
     • Draw a face showing that emotion.
     • Draw a body showing that emotion (e.g., for happy, someone jumping; for sad, someone slumped).
     • Find a picture in a magazine, newspaper, or printout that shows someone feeling that emotion. Cut it out and glue it on your page.
     • Write a sentence or two about a time you felt that emotion, or what makes someone feel that way.

3. Decorate Your Pages:

   • Make each page colorful and interesting! Use different colors for different emotions if you like.
   • You can add borders, glitter (if allowed!), or any other decorations to make your scrapbook special.

4. Create a Cover Page:

   • Design a cover for your scrapbook. It should have a title (like "My Emotion Scrapbook" or "All My Feelings"), your name, and a drawing that shows many different emotions all together.

5. Organize Your Scrapbook:

   • Put your pages in order, perhaps one emotion per page, and then add your cover at the front.
   • You can staple your pages together, use a hole punch and string, or put them in a folder.

Presentation Day:

• Be ready to share at least one page from your scrapbook with the class. Explain what emotion it is and how you represented it.
• We will use the Emotion Scrapbook Rubric to see how wonderfully you've explored your emotions!

Good luck, Emotion Artists!

Emotion Scrapbook Rubric

Student Name: ____________________________

Project: My Emotion Scrapbook

Directions: This rubric will be used to assess your Emotion Scrapbook project. Each category is scored from 1 (Beginning) to 4 (Expert). Look at what is expected for each score!

Rubric

Teacher Comments:

Total Score: ______ / 20

Grade: __________

Warm Up: How Do You Feel Today?

Objective: To quickly engage students and activate their awareness of their own current emotions.

Time: 5 minutes

Instructions:

1. Greeting & Prompt: As students enter the classroom or at the start of the lesson, greet them warmly.
2. "One Word Feeling": Say: "Good morning, everyone! To kick off our lesson today, I want you to think of just one word that describes how you are feeling right now. There are no right or wrong answers, just your honest feeling."
3. Share (Optional/Voluntary): Encourage students to share their word, if they feel comfortable. You can go around the room quickly, or ask for volunteers.
   • "Who would like to share their feeling word with us?"
   • If time allows, ask a few students: "Can you tell us briefly why you are feeling [emotion word]?"
4. Acknowledge & Transition: Acknowledge the variety of feelings shared. "Thank you for sharing your feelings. It's interesting to see how many different emotions we all bring into the classroom! This helps us understand ourselves and each other better, which is exactly what we'll be talking about today!"

Cool Down: One Word Feeling

Objective: To provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning and summarize a key takeaway or feeling from the lesson.

Time: 2 minutes

Instructions:

1. Reflection Prompt: Gather students together. Say: "Alright, Emotion Detectives, we've had a busy and exciting lesson exploring many different feelings. Before we wrap up, I want everyone to think about one word that describes something new you learned about emotions today, or one emotion you now feel really confident identifying. Just one word or a very short sentence!"
2. Share (Optional/Voluntary): Ask for a few volunteers to share their one word or short reflection.
   • "Who would like to share their 'one word feeling' or what they learned?"
3. Positive Close: Thank students for their participation and hard work. "Excellent! Thank you all for being such thoughtful and engaged emotion detectives today. Remember to keep practicing your emotion spotting skills every day!"