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Emotion Explorers

Kristi Dierking

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Emotion Explorers Lesson Plan

Students will identify and express four basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised) through story, discussion, and creative activities to build self-awareness and empathy.

Helping kindergarteners recognize and share feelings supports positive classroom behavior, social skills, and emotional regulation from an early age.

Audience

Kindergarten

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive story and hands-on emotion activities.

Materials

Emotion Faces Felt Cards, Feelings Chart Poster, Emotion Explorers Storybook, Drawing Paper and Crayons, and Mirror

Prep

Prepare SEL Materials

10 minutes

  • Print, laminate, and cut out the Emotion Faces Felt Cards.
  • Hang the Feelings Chart Poster at child eye-level.
  • Review the Emotion Explorers Storybook and plan stopping points for questions.
  • Place drawing paper, crayons, and mirrors at each table station.

Step 1

Welcome and Emotion Check-In

5 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle on the rug.
  • Use the Feelings Chart Poster to ask: “Who felt happy/sad/angry/surprised today?”
  • Encourage volunteers to point to the emotion and share one word about why they feel that way.

Step 2

Story Time: Emotion Explorers

10 minutes

  • Read the Emotion Explorers Storybook aloud.
  • Pause after each emotion is introduced; ask students to mimic the face using the mirror.
  • Discuss: “How would you feel if…?” to prompt empathy and connection.

Step 3

Emotion Identification Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Emotion Faces Felt Cards facedown.
  • Call out an emotion and have students find and hold up the matching card.
  • Invite a few students to stand, show their card, and describe a time they felt that emotion.

Step 4

Creative Expression Drawing

10 minutes

  • Give each child drawing paper and crayons.
  • Ask them to draw a time they felt one of the four target emotions.
  • Circulate and prompt conversation: “Tell me about your picture—what happened?”

Step 5

Closing Reflection and Group Share

10 minutes

  • Regather in the circle and invite students to share their drawings.
  • Reinforce language: “I feel ___ when ___.”
  • Highlight how understanding feelings helps us be kind and good friends.
  • End with a group deep-breath exercise: inhale happy, exhale any worry.
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Slide Deck

Emotion Explorers

A 45-Minute SEL Lesson
Tier 1 • Kindergarten

Let’s learn to identify and express four basic emotions!

Welcome everyone! Today we'll embark on an emotion adventure. Use an enthusiastic tone to set a positive, safe space. Invite the children to settle in a circle and get ready to explore their feelings.

Lesson Objective

• Identify and express: happy, sad, angry, surprised
• Build self-awareness and empathy
• Practice sharing feelings with words and pictures

Explain why understanding emotions matters. Emphasize that recognizing feelings helps us be better friends and feel calm.

Materials

• Feelings Chart Poster
• Emotion Faces Felt Cards
• Emotion Explorers Storybook
• Drawing Paper & Crayons
• Mirrors

Show real materials or pictures on screen. Point to each as you mention it.

Welcome & Emotion Check-In

  1. Sit in a circle on the rug.
  2. Point to the Feelings Chart Poster.
  3. Ask: “Who felt happy/sad/angry/surprised today?”
  4. Invite a word about why they feel that way.

Guide the check-in gently. Encourage each volunteer with a warm smile. Model answers if needed.

Story Time: Emotion Explorers

• Read aloud, stopping at each new emotion.
• Have students use mirrors to make the face.
• Ask: “How would you feel if this happened to you?”

Read with expression. Pause to let children mimic faces in their mirrors. Ask open-ended questions to spark empathy.

Emotion Identification Game

  1. Hand out Emotion Faces Felt Cards face-down.
  2. Call out an emotion (e.g., “Show me angry!”).
  3. Students find & hold up the matching card.
  4. Invite a few children to share when they felt that way.

Demonstrate one round with a volunteer. Keep the energy high and celebrate correct matches.

Creative Expression Drawing

• Give drawing paper & crayons.
• Prompt: “Draw a time you felt happy, sad, angry, or surprised.”
• Discuss pictures: “Tell me about your drawing.”

Encourage creativity—no right or wrong. Walk around, ask each child to describe their drawing.

Closing Reflection & Share

  1. Group share: “I feel ___ when ___.”
  2. Highlight empathy & friendship benefits.
  3. Deep-breath exercise: inhale happy, exhale worry.

Bring everyone back to the circle. Reinforce the sentence frame and end with a calming activity.

lenny

Worksheet

My Feelings Drawing

Instructions: Think of a time you felt each emotion below. First, draw a picture in the box, then finish the sentence to tell us more about your feeling.

1. Happy

Draw: A time you felt happy










Write: I feel happy when ________________________________________



2. Sad

Draw: A time you felt sad










Write: I feel sad when __________________________________________



3. Angry

Draw: A time you felt angry










Write: I feel angry when _________________________________________



4. Surprised

Draw: A time you felt surprised










Write: I feel surprised when ______________________________________



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