Students will be able to identify and express basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared) using facial expressions and simple words.
Understanding and expressing emotions helps children develop self-awareness, communicate their needs, and build positive relationships with others, laying a foundation for future social-emotional learning.
Audience
Kindergarten Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and hands-on activities.
Begin with a quick check-in. Ask students, "How are you feeling today?" and encourage them to show with a simple facial expression or one word. Use the Warm-Up: How Do You Feel? material. - Explain that today they will learn about different feelings and how to show them.
Step 2
Introducing Emotions
10 minutes
Present the Feeling Faces Slide Deck, going through each emotion (happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared). - For each emotion: - Show the emotion slide. - Ask students: "What does this face tell us?" - Discuss scenarios that might make someone feel that way. - Have students practice making the facial expression. - Emphasize that all feelings are okay to have, and it's important to know how to show them with our faces and words.
Step 3
Emotion Matching Game
8 minutes
Introduce the Emotion Matching Game. Explain that students will match emotion words to facial expressions. - Divide students into small groups or pairs. - Distribute the game cards and have them play. - Circulate to assist students and encourage them to vocalize the emotions as they match.
Step 4
My Feeling Faces Worksheet
5 minutes
Distribute the My Feeling Faces Worksheet and crayons/colored pencils. - Instruct students to draw a face for each emotion, or draw something that makes them feel that emotion. - Encourage them to share one of their drawings with a partner if time allows.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Show Me How You Feel Now
2 minutes
Conclude the lesson with the Cool-Down: Show Me How You Feel Now. - Ask students to show a facial expression for how they feel right now after learning about emotions. - Briefly recap the importance of understanding and showing our feelings.
Slide Deck
Feeling Faces Fun!
Let's explore our emotions!
Welcome students and introduce the idea of exploring feelings. Ask: "Who knows what feelings are?" Allow for a few responses.
What Are Feelings?
Feelings are what we feel inside. Our faces often show our feelings!
Explain that feelings are what we feel inside. Ask: "Can you show me a feeling with your face?" Allow students to volunteer expressions.
Happy!
When you feel great and joyful!
Introduce 'Happy'. Ask: "What makes you feel happy?" Encourage students to make a happy face.
Sad...
When you feel not so good or a little down.
Introduce 'Sad'. Ask: "What makes you feel sad?" Emphasize it's okay to feel sad. Encourage students to make a sad face.
Angry!
When you feel frustrated or upset.
Introduce 'Angry'. Ask: "What makes you feel angry?" Talk about how anger is a strong feeling and how we can show it safely. Encourage students to make an angry face.
Surprised?!
When something unexpected happens!
Introduce 'Surprised'. Ask: "What makes you feel surprised?" Encourage students to make a surprised face.
Scared!
When you feel a little bit afraid.
Introduce 'Scared'. Ask: "What makes you feel scared?" Talk about brave faces and safe places. Encourage students to make a scared face.
All Our Feelings Are Okay!
It's important to know how we feel and show it with our faces and words.
Review all the emotions. Ask students to show a different feeling face. Reinforce that all feelings are okay.
Warm Up
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel Today?
Look at the feeling faces we're going to learn about today. Which face shows how you are feeling right now?
Point to the face or draw a quick picture!
Activity
Emotion Matching Game
## Instructions: 1. Cut out all the emotion word cards and feeling face cards. 2. Mix up the cards. 3. Match each emotion word to the correct feeling face. 4. Talk about why you made each match with your partner or group!
## Emotion Word Cards: - Happy - Sad - Angry - Surprised - Scared
## Feeling Face Cards: (Teacher Note: Draw or print simple line drawings of faces showing each emotion.)
- Happy Face: A smiley face with raised eyebrows. - Sad Face: A face with downturned mouth and teardrops. - Angry Face: A face with furrowed brows and a frown. - Surprised Face: A face with wide eyes and an open mouth. - Scared Face: A face with wide eyes and a slightly open, trembling mouth.
Worksheet
My Feeling Faces Worksheet
## Draw a face for each feeling!
1. Happy: What does a happy face look like?
2. Sad: What does a sad face look like?
3. Angry: What does an angry face look like?
4. Surprised: What does a surprised face look like?
5. Scared: What does a scared face look like?
Cool Down
Cool-Down: Show Me How You Feel Now
Think about all the feelings we talked about today. How do you feel right now? Show me with your face!
