Lesson Plan
Narrating Our Inner Worlds
Students will be able to identify and describe complex emotions by creating and sharing stories from different perspectives.
This lesson helps students understand that people can have different emotional reactions to the same situation, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence.
Audience
6th Grade Group
Time
70 minutes
Approach
Storytelling and group discussion.
Materials
Narrating Our Inner Worlds (lesson-plan), Crafting Emotional Narratives (slide-deck), Story Starter Prompts (script), Collaborative Emotion Story Circle (activity), and Why Did They Feel That Way (discussion)
Prep
Review Materials and Prepare Room
15 minutes
- Review all generated materials: Narrating Our Inner Worlds, Crafting Emotional Narratives, Story Starter Prompts, Collaborative Emotion Story Circle, and Why Did They Feel That Way.
- Arrange desks or chairs into small groups (3-4 students per group) for the activity and discussion.
- Ensure projector or smartboard is ready for the Crafting Emotional Narratives slide deck.
Step 1
Warm-up & Introduction (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Begin with a brief check-in: Ask students to share one emotion they are feeling right now and why. (2 minutes)
- Introduce the lesson using the Crafting Emotional Narratives slide deck (Slide 1-2). Emphasize that today they will be exploring how different people can feel different emotions in the same situation. (3 minutes)
- Briefly explain the concept of 'complex emotions' – emotions that aren't just 'happy' or 'sad,' but combinations or nuanced feelings like 'frustration,' 'relief,' 'excitement mixed with nervousness.' (5 minutes)
Step 2
Story Starter & Group Formation (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Present the 'Story Starter Prompts' (Slide 3 from the Crafting Emotional Narratives slide deck). Explain that each group will choose one prompt to base their story on. (5 minutes)
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group). Provide each group with a copy of the Story Starter Prompts script if desired, or project it. (5 minutes)
- Instruct groups to read through the prompts and select one that interests them. (5 minutes)
Step 3
Collaborative Emotion Story Circle Activity (25 minutes)
25 minutes
- Explain the Collaborative Emotion Story Circle activity guidelines: Each group will collaboratively create a short story based on their chosen prompt. The key is to include at least three characters who experience different, specific emotions in response to the same event within the story. (5 minutes)
- Circulate among groups, providing support and prompting students to think deeply about character motivations and emotional responses. Encourage them to use descriptive language for emotions. (20 minutes)
Step 4
Group Sharing & Discussion (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Ask each group to share their story with the class, focusing on how different characters felt. (10 minutes)
- Facilitate the 'Why Did They Feel That Way' discussion using the Why Did They Feel That Way discussion guide. Focus on analyzing the different emotional perspectives presented in each story. (5 minutes)
Step 5
Wrap-up & Reflection (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Conclude by reiterating that understanding diverse emotional responses helps us to better understand others and ourselves. (2 minutes)
- Ask students to reflect individually:
Slide Deck
Welcome to Emotion Storytelling!
Today, we're going to become emotion detectives and storytellers!
We'll explore how different people can feel different emotions in the same situation.
Welcome students and introduce the topic of emotions. Ask them to think about how different situations can make people feel.
Beyond Happy and Sad
Emotions can be complicated!
Sometimes we feel more than one emotion at once.
Sometimes feelings are hard to name. These are complex emotions.
Explain what complex emotions are, moving beyond basic feelings. Give a few examples like 'frustration' (anger + sadness) or 'nervous excitement'.
Your Story Begins Here...
Choose ONE of these Story Starter Prompts:
- A group of friends finds a mysterious, unmarked box in their neighborhood park.
- A new student joins your class mid-year, and everyone has a different reaction.
- Your school announces a major change to the lunch menu or recess time.
Introduce the story starter prompts. Explain that groups will choose one prompt to build their story around. Emphasize that the goal is to include multiple characters with different emotional responses.
Collaborative Emotion Story Circle
In your groups, you will:
- Choose a story prompt.
- Create a short story based on the prompt.
- Include at least three characters.
- Show how each character experiences different, specific emotions about the same event.
Explain the rules for the collaborative storytelling activity. Reinforce the need for diverse emotional perspectives from different characters.
Sharing Our Stories
When you share your story, be ready to tell us:
- What happened?
- How did each of your characters feel?
- Why do you think they felt that way?
Guide students to think about how they will share their stories, focusing on the emotional aspects.
Why Did They Feel That Way?
Let's discuss!
- How were the emotions in the stories similar or different?
- What factors influenced how each character felt?
- How does understanding these different perspectives help us?
Lead the discussion, prompting students to analyze the emotional diversity in the stories. Use the discussion guide as needed.
Empathy in Action
Understanding different emotions helps us:
- Connect with others.
- Solve problems together.
- Build a more understanding community.
Conclude the lesson by summarizing the importance of emotional understanding and empathy.
Reflect and Grow
Think about our lesson today.
What is one new thing you learned about emotions or understanding others' feelings?
How can you use this in your life?
Provide a quick exit ticket or reflection prompt. Students can write down one new emotion they learned about or one thing they will try to do to understand others' emotions better.
Script
Story Starter Prompts Script
Teacher: "Alright everyone, now that we've talked about how many different kinds of emotions there are, it's time to put on our creative hats! In your small groups, you're going to become co-authors of a short story."
Teacher: "The most important part of your story will be how different characters feel about the same event. We want to see those complex emotions in action!"
Teacher: "Here are your story starter prompts. As a group, please read through them and choose one that sparks your imagination. Don't worry too much about perfect grammar or spelling right now; focus on the ideas and the feelings!"
Story Starter Prompts
-
A group of friends finds a mysterious, unmarked box in their neighborhood park.
- Think about: What might be inside? How would different friends react to finding it? (e.g., curious, scared, excited, suspicious, hesitant)
-
A new student joins your class mid-year, and everyone has a different reaction.
- Think about: How might students already in the class feel? How might the new student feel? (e.g., welcoming, jealous, nervous, indifferent, intrigued, lonely)
-
Your school announces a major change to the lunch menu or recess time.
- Think about: How might different students, or even teachers, react? (e.g., angry, relieved, confused, delighted, anxious, optimistic)
Teacher: "Once you've chosen your prompt, start brainstorming your characters and their feelings. Remember to make the emotions clear and specific! I'll be coming around to listen to your ideas and help if you get stuck."
Activity
Collaborative Emotion Story Circle
Objective: To collaboratively create a short story where different characters experience varied and complex emotions in response to the same event.
Instructions:
-
Choose Your Prompt: As a group, select one of the Story Starter Prompts that your teacher has provided.
-
Brainstorm Characters & Emotions (5-7 minutes):
- Identify at least three different characters for your story.
- For each character, think about how they might feel about the central event from your chosen prompt. Aim for specific, complex emotions (e.g., frustrated, relieved, anxious, thrilled, suspicious, sympathetic, indifferent).
- Discuss why each character would feel that way. What's their background or perspective that leads to this emotion?
-
Outline Your Story (5-7 minutes):
- Together, decide on a simple plot for your story. It doesn't need to be long or complicated.
- Think about how the event unfolds and how you will show each character's feelings through their actions, thoughts, and dialogue.
-
Write Your Story (10-15 minutes):
- Work together to write your story. One person can be the primary writer, or you can take turns writing sentences or paragraphs.
- Make sure to clearly illustrate the different emotional responses of your characters.
- Example: Instead of saying,