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Feelings Check-Up

Lesson Plan

Feelings Check-Up Lesson Plan

Facilitate a 15-minute one-on-one SEL assessment to help each 3rd grade student reflect on their emotions, identify current coping strategies, and articulate support needs, guiding personalized Tier 3 interventions.

Understanding each student’s emotional state and coping skills at year-end ensures targeted social-emotional support, promotes self-awareness, and informs personalized interventions for growth and well-being.

Audience

3rd Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

One-on-one guided reflection using structured prompts.

Materials

Prep

Organize Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Build Rapport

2 minutes

  • Greet the student and ensure a private, comfortable setting.
  • Briefly explain that you’ll chat about how they’ve been feeling and what helps them cope.
  • Encourage honesty and reassure confidentiality.

Step 2

Conduct Feelings Assessment

8 minutes

  • Guide the student through the Feelings Check-Up Form:
    • Ask them to identify their most frequent emotions this year.
    • Prompt them to describe situations when they felt those emotions.
  • Use the Feelings Visual Chart to help them label emotions if needed.
  • Invite them to select coping strategies from the Coping Strategies Reference they’ve used or might try.

Step 3

Reflection & Next Steps

5 minutes

  • Summarize the student’s strengths and current coping strategies.
  • Discuss any additional support they feel would help and note suggestions.
  • Complete the Teacher Reflection Template to document insights and plan personalized Tier 3 supports.
  • Thank the student and affirm your ongoing support.
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Slide Deck

Feelings Check-Up Session

• Objective: 15-minute one-on-one SEL assessment with 3rd graders
• Reflect on emotions, coping strategies, and support needs
• Inform personalized Tier 3 supports

Welcome the teacher to this quick guide. Explain that the session is a private, 15-minute check-in with each student to understand their emotions and support needs.

Materials

• Feelings Check-Up Form
• Coping Strategies Reference
• Feelings Visual Chart
• Teacher Reflection Template

Remind the teacher to gather all materials ahead of time. Materials should be easy to access and displayed for the student.

1. Build Rapport (2 min)

• Greet the student warmly
• Explain the purpose: honest sharing about feelings
• Reassure confidentiality

Script: “Hi [Name], let’s spend a few minutes talking about how you’ve been feeling and what helps you.” Ensure the space is private and comfortable.

2. Conduct Feelings Assessment (8 min)

• Complete the Feelings Check-Up Form:
– Identify most frequent emotions
– Describe situations for each feeling
• Use the Feelings Visual Chart to label emotions
• Review Coping Strategies Reference and select strategies

Guide the student step-by-step. Use the visual chart to help with emotion words and offer strategy examples from the reference.

3. Reflection & Next Steps (5 min)

• Summarize student strengths and coping strategies
• Ask what additional support they need
• Complete Teacher Reflection Template
• Thank and reassure ongoing support

Summarize their strengths and discuss any additional supports. Then immediately record observations to inform next steps.

Closing & Follow-Up

• Schedule any recommended follow-up supports
• Share insights with your support team
• Use reflections to guide personalized interventions

Encourage consistency: conduct this check-up with each student at year-end and review reflections to plan Tier 3 interventions.

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Worksheet

Feelings Check-Up Form

Part 1: Name Your Emotions

Use the Feelings Visual Chart to help you. List three emotions you felt most this year:

  1. __________


  2. __________


  3. __________


Part 2: Describe When You Felt These Feelings

For each emotion you listed above, write about a time you felt it:

  • Emotion 1: __________





  • Emotion 2: __________





  • Emotion 3: __________





Part 3: Coping Strategies

Look at the Coping Strategies Reference and choose strategies you used or want to try. Write three below:

  • Strategy 1: __________


  • Strategy 2: __________


  • Strategy 3: __________


Part 4: Support Needs

What other support do you feel would help you feel your best at school?











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Activity

Coping Strategies Reference

Use these strategies to help you feel calm, safe, and ready to learn. Pick the ones you’ve tried or want to try!

1. Breathing and Mindfulness

  • Balloon Breath: Pretend your belly is a big balloon. Breathe in slowly through your nose to fill the balloon, then breathe out through your mouth to let the air out.


  • Counting Breaths: Breathe in while counting to 3, hold for a moment, then breathe out counting to 3.


  • Five Senses Grounding: Name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.


2. Calm-Down Activities

  • Drawing or Coloring: Draw how you feel or color a favorite picture.


  • Stress Ball or Playdough: Squeeze it, stretch it, and feel the tension melt away.


  • Listening to Music: Put on a favorite song and sway or hum along.


3. Positive Self-Talk

  • Power Phrases: Say, “I can do hard things,” “I am safe,” or “I am proud of myself.”


  • Happy Memory: Close your eyes and remember a time you felt really good (like at a birthday or holiday).


4. Movement Breaks

  • Stretching: Reach for the sky, touch your toes, make circles with your arms.


  • Walk or March in Place: Take a quick lap in the classroom or march in your seat.


5. Social Support

  • Ask for Help: Tell a friend, teacher, or family member how you feel.


  • High-Five or Fist Bump: Connect with someone you trust for a quick positive boost.


Feel free to mix and match these strategies. There’s no one “right” way—find what works best for you!

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Reading

Feelings Visual Chart

Use this chart to help you find the right word for how you’re feeling. Look at the faces and pick the emotion that matches how you feel today or how you felt this year.

EmotionFace
Happy😊
Sad😢
Angry😠
Scared😨
Excited😃
Bored😐
Surprised😲
Calm😌
Worried😟
Proud😎

Can’t find the exact feeling? Think about what these emotions have in common and pick the closest one.

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Worksheet

Teacher Reflection Template

Use this template to record your observations, insights, and next steps after each student’s one-on-one Feelings Check-Up session.

Student Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

1. Emotions Identified

  • Most frequent emotions the student named:


  • Situations or contexts they described:





2. Coping Strategies

  • Strategies the student has used successfully:


  • Strategies they want to try next:


3. Social-Emotional Strengths

List the student’s SEL strengths (e.g., self-awareness, empathy, self-regulation):





4. Areas for Growth

Identify skills or supports the student could develop further:





5. Student’s Support Needs

Describe any additional supports the student requested or you recommend:











6. Action Steps & Follow-Up

  • Next steps for teacher or support team:





  • Timeline or target date for check-in:


7. Notes & Observations

Any other insights, concerns, or behaviors to monitor:











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Cool Down

End of Check-Up Reflection

Use these prompts to wrap up our chat. Share your thoughts and help me know how best to support you!

  1. How are you feeling right now after our conversation?


  2. What part of today’s chat was most helpful for you?





  3. Which coping strategy would you like to try or remember first?





  4. What is one thing I can do to help you feel your best at school?





  5. Is there anything else you’d like to share before we finish?





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