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Emotion Explorer

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Destony Stewart

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Exploring Emotions Plan

In this 30-minute small-group lesson, students will build emotional literacy by expanding feelings vocabulary, mapping personal emotions, and reflecting on their experiences to deepen self-awareness and support positive social interactions.

Developing a rich emotional vocabulary and self-awareness helps students identify and communicate feelings effectively, fostering empathy, emotional regulation, and stronger relationships—key components of CASEL’s social-emotional learning framework.

Audience

5th Grade Small-Group Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Combine discussion, mapping, interactive play, and reflection to enhance emotional literacy.

Materials

Feelings Map Slides, Emotion Wheel Detective Worksheet, Emotion Charades Game, and Journal Prompt Debrief Discussion Guide

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review Feelings Map Slides and familiarize yourself with each emotion example.
  • Print one copy of the Emotion Wheel Detective Worksheet per student.
  • Create or print emotion word cards for the Emotion Charades Game.
  • Read through the Journal Prompt Debrief Discussion Guide to plan supportive follow-up questions.

Step 1

Introduction

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and review group norms for respect and listening.
  • Explain that today’s goal is to grow our words and confidence around feelings.
  • Quick check-in: go around the circle; each student shares one word for how they feel right now.

Step 2

Expand Feelings Vocabulary

10 minutes

  • Display Feelings Map Slides with a set of 5–6 new emotion words and definitions.
  • For each word, discuss examples and ask students to share a time they felt that way.
  • Distribute Emotion Wheel Detective Worksheet and have students map three recent emotions, labeling them and drawing a quick scene.

Step 3

Emotion Charades

7 minutes

  • Explain rules: students act out an emotion word without speaking; teammates guess.
  • Split into two teams and provide a stack of emotion cards.
  • Play two rounds; award a point for each correct guess.
  • Debrief: ask which emotions were easiest or hardest to express.

Step 4

Journal Prompt Debrief

5 minutes

  • Give each student a journal or paper.
  • Prompt: “Describe a time you experienced a challenging emotion and what helped you cope.”
  • Students write silently for 2 minutes, then share highlights in pairs.
  • Use the Journal Prompt Debrief Discussion Guide to ask follow-up questions like “What helped you feel better?”.

Step 5

Cool-Down and Closure

3 minutes

  • Lead a one-minute calming breath exercise: inhale for four, exhale for four.
  • Ask each student to name one key takeaway from today’s lesson.
  • Remind students that recognizing emotions is the first step to managing them and preview next session’s focus.
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