Lesson Plan
Emotion Exploration Blueprint
Guide a 9th grader to identify, articulate, and map their emotions using structured reflective tools, culminating in a personalized coping plan.
Building emotional literacy and self-awareness empowers students to recognize triggers, regulate feelings, and develop healthy coping strategies, supporting their overall well-being.
Audience
9th Grade Student
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Guided one-on-one dialogue with targeted reflective exercises.
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Mapping Your Feelings slide deck to familiarize yourself with the mapping framework.
- Preview the Guided Emotion Talk script to ensure smooth flow of open-ended questions.
- Print or ready digital copies of the Emotion Wheel Reflection worksheet and Daily Feeling Log.
- Prepare a private, comfortable space free from interruptions.
Step 1
Establish Rapport
5 minutes
- Greet the student warmly and remind them of confidentiality.
- Briefly outline today’s session goals: to explore and map their emotions.
- Encourage honesty and reassure there are no right or wrong feelings.
Step 2
One-Word Check-In
5 minutes
- Ask the student to share a single word that captures how they feel in this moment.
- Record their response in the first entry of the Daily Feeling Log.
- Reflect back: “I hear you’re feeling ____. Tell me more.”
Step 3
Emotion Wheel Exploration
10 minutes
- Present the Emotion Wheel Reflection worksheet.
- Guide the student to identify their current primary emotion in the center and two related secondary emotions.
- Discuss what situations or thoughts might be connected to these emotions.
Step 4
Mapping Your Feelings
8 minutes
- Display the Mapping Your Feelings slide deck.
- Walk through: Trigger → Physical Sensation → Thoughts → Behaviors → Outcomes.
- Invite the student to complete a personal mapping exercise on one identified emotion.
Step 5
Guided Emotion Talk
10 minutes
- Use the Guided Emotion Talk script to facilitate deeper reflection:
- “What happened when you felt this way?”
- “How did your body react?”
- “What thoughts went through your mind?”
- “What do you wish you could say or do next time?”
- Listen actively and validate their experience.
Step 6
Closure & Next Steps
7 minutes
- Summarize key insights and ask the student to choose one small coping strategy to practice this week.
- Have them log this plan and today’s final emotion in the Daily Feeling Log.
- End with a One-Word Check-Out: “How do you feel now?”
- Reinforce support and schedule any follow-up as needed.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Mapping Your Feelings
Explore how our experiences flow from Triggers to Outcomes using a clear, five-step model.
Welcome to the “Mapping Your Feelings” framework. Today we’ll walk through a simple 5-step process to help students understand how an emotional reaction unfolds. Use this slide deck to guide discussion and record student responses.
Model Overview
Trigger → Physical Sensation → Thought → Behavior → Outcome
Introduce the overall model before diving into each step. Emphasize that each piece connects in a chain: what we experience leads to sensations, then thoughts, behaviors, and results.
Step 1: Identify the Trigger
• What event, situation, or thought sparked this emotion?
• Be as specific as possible.
Step 1: Ask the student to think of a recent emotional moment. Encourage specificity: who, what, when, where. Record their trigger on a chart.
Step 2: Notice Physical Sensations
• What did you feel in your body?
• Heart rate, muscle tension, breathing changes, etc.
Step 2: Guide the student to scan their body. Help them name physical reactions like racing heart, tight chest, sweaty palms, or stomach knots.
Step 3: Observe Your Thoughts
• What thoughts ran through your mind?
• Did you make any judgments or predictions?
Step 3: Invite the student to share the immediate thoughts or mental images. Note any judgments or interpretations they had in the moment.
Step 4: Recognize Your Behaviors
• How did you react?
• What actions, words, or expressions did you use?
Step 4: Discuss how the student responded externally. Capture both actions and words. Note any coping strategies or impulsive reactions.
Step 5: Reflect on the Outcome
• What happened after your response?
• How did you feel and what changed?
Step 5: Help the student reflect on what happened next. Explore whether the outcome felt positive, negative, or mixed, and why.
Your Turn: Personal Mapping Exercise
Choose a recent emotional moment and fill in each step:
- Trigger
- Physical Sensation
- Thought
- Behavior
- Outcome
Now invite the student to apply this model to a personal experience. Provide paper or a digital template. Walk them through each column as they map.
Script
Guided Emotion Talk Script
Teacher: "I appreciate you taking the time to explore how you’re feeling today. Remember—everything we talk about stays between us."
Teacher: "You chose the word [EMOTION] earlier during our mapping exercise. Can you share with me what was happening right before you noticed that feeling?"
Teacher (if needed): "It might help to think about who you were with, what you were doing, and where you were when this feeling showed up."
Teacher: "When that happened, what did you notice in your body? Did you feel anything like a racing heart, tightness in your chest, or butterflies in your stomach?"
Teacher: "Thank you for sharing that. Now, what thoughts were running through your mind in that moment? What was the voice in your head saying to you?"
Teacher: "Sometimes our thoughts can make our emotions feel even stronger. How do you think those thoughts influenced how you felt?"
Teacher: "Let’s talk about how you responded. What did you say or do when you were feeling [EMOTION]?"
Teacher: "I hear you. How did that response make you feel afterward? Did it help you feel better, or did it make things harder?"
Teacher: "If you could revisit that moment, what might you say or do differently next time?"
Teacher: "That’s a helpful insight. What’s one small thing you could try next time to help yourself feel more in control when [EMOTION] comes up?"
Teacher: "Great. Let’s pick one of those strategies to practice this week and see how it works for you. How do you feel about that plan?"
Worksheet
Emotion Wheel Reflection
Instructions: Use the emotion wheel below to explore a recent feeling. Write your responses in the spaces provided.
[Insert Emotion Wheel Graphic Here]
1. Primary Emotion
Write your main emotion in the center of the wheel.
2. Secondary Emotions
Choose two related emotions from the outer ring and write them on the spokes below.
- Secondary Emotion 1: ____________
- Secondary Emotion 2: ____________
3. Trigger
What event, situation, or thought sparked this emotion?
4. Thoughts
What thoughts went through your mind when you noticed this emotion?
5. Physical Sensations
What did you notice in your body? (e.g., racing heart, tight chest, etc.)
6. Behaviors
How did you respond or what actions did you take?
7. Reflection
How has using this wheel helped you understand and manage your emotion?
Journal
Daily Feeling Log
Date: ______________________
1. One-Word Check-In
How do you feel right now?
2. Emotion Mapping Summary
• Trigger:
• Physical Sensations:
• Thoughts:
• Behaviors:
• Outcome:
3. Coping Strategy Plan
What is one small strategy you will try this week when you notice this emotion?
4. One-Word Check-Out
How do you feel now?
Cool Down
One-Word Check-Out
Instructions: We’ve spent this time exploring your feelings. As we wrap up, take a moment to reflect on how you feel now. Share one word that best captures your current emotion.