Feeling Size Activity Guide

This guide is designed to support the student in identifying and labeling the intensity of their feelings while incorporating visual aids and interactive prompts. It is structured to accommodate expressive language challenges and provides a clear framework for each session.

Overview

• Focus Areas: Identifying, labeling, and understanding the size of feelings (small, medium, large).
• Techniques: Visual cues, guided prompts, and interactive questions.
• Materials Needed: Emotion cards or images, a whiteboard with drawn circles in different sizes (optional), and a calm, distraction-free environment.

Instructions

Step 1: Introduction

• Begin by showing a set of cards or images that display different facial expressions.
• Explain that just like objects, feelings can come in different sizes. Some feelings might be small (like a little worry), while others can be large (like big frustration or anger).

Step 2: Exploring Feelings

• Ask the student to choose a card that represents a recent feeling. Encourage them to describe the feeling in their own words.
• Using the whiteboard or pre-drawn circles, ask the student to place the card in the appropriate circle (small, medium, or large) based on how strong they think the feeling is.
  
  
  

Step 3: Guided Questions

• Prompt 1: "Can you tell me a time when your feeling was small? What made it small?"
  
  
  
• Prompt 2: "What kind of situation might make a feeling become really big?"
  
  
  
• Prompt 3: "If your feeling is too big, what can we do to make it feel smaller?"
  
  
  

Step 4: Role-Play and Coping

• Briefly introduce a coping strategy (e.g., deep breathing, counting slowly) and practice it together.
• Then, ask the student to imagine a scenario (or draw one) where they might feel a big emotion. How can they use the small, medium, or large concept to help decide on a coping strategy?
  
  
  

Step 5: Wrap-Up

• Recap the main points: identifying the size of feelings and understanding that coping strategies can help manage them.
• Encourage the student to reflect on a personal experience and share which sized feeling they experienced and which coping method they used or could use next time.
  
  
  

Notes for Teachers

• Adaptability: Adjust the difficulty of discussion based on the student's expressive language skills. Use more visual aids or simpler language as needed.
• Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate the student’s efforts in identifying their feelings and choosing appropriate coping methods.
• Follow-Up: Refer back to this guide in subsequent sessions to build consistency and confidence.

This activity is an essential component of the overall lesson plan, supporting the development of self-awareness and emotional regulation skills.

Good luck, and enjoy helping the student explore and manage their feelings!

Coping Skills Worksheet

This worksheet is designed to help you connect your feelings with coping strategies that work for you. Take your time to think about the questions and use the space provided to write or draw your answers.

1. Matching Feelings to Coping Strategies

Read the list of feelings below. Next to each feeling, write down one or two coping strategies that could help make the feeling smaller or easier to handle. Use the coping strategies from your session (like deep breathing, counting, or taking a short break).

Feeling: Sad
Coping Strategy:

Feeling: Angry
Coping Strategy:

Feeling: Scared
Coping Strategy:

Feeling: Excited
Coping Strategy:

2. Draw Your Coping Strategy

Think about a time when you felt really big emotions. Choose one of the coping strategies you learned. Draw a picture showing how you would use that strategy. Use the space below to draw your picture.

3. Reflection Questions

Answer the following questions about your feelings and coping strategies.

1. Which feeling do you notice the most? Why do you think that is?

1. How does it feel when you use a coping strategy? Describe what you think happens when you take a deep breath or count slowly.

1. Is there a coping strategy that you would like to try more? Write a sentence about how you think it might help you.

Remember, it’s okay to try different coping strategies to see what works best for you.

Good job and keep practicing!