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Feelings & Friends

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Lesson Plan

Feelings & Friends

Students will be able to identify and name different emotions in themselves and others, and understand that others can have feelings different from their own.

Understanding empathy helps students build stronger friendships, resolve conflicts peacefully, and create a more supportive classroom community.

Audience

1st Grade Small Group

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and scenario-based activities.

Materials

Feelings & Friends Slide Deck, Empathy Scenario Cards, and Feeling Faces Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's Your Feeling?

3 minutes

  • Display Slide 2 of the Feelings & Friends Slide Deck and ask students: 'How are you feeling right now?'
    - Have each student share one feeling word and briefly explain why they feel that way (e.g., 'I feel happy because I love learning with my friends!').

Step 2

Introducing Empathy

4 minutes

  • Display Slide 3 and introduce the concept of empathy using simple language. 'Empathy is understanding how someone else feels, even if you don't feel the same way.'
    - Use Slide 4 to discuss different feeling words and their associated facial expressions and body language. Ask students, 'How can you tell if someone is happy? Sad? Mad?'

Step 3

Empathy Scenario Practice

5 minutes

  • Display Slide 5. Explain that you will read some short stories. After each story, students will discuss how the character might be feeling and what they could do to show empathy.
    - Use the Empathy Scenario Cards. Read one scenario at a time.
    - For each scenario, ask: 'How do you think [character's name] is feeling?' and 'What could you do to show you understand and care?' Encourage diverse responses.

Step 4

Cool-Down: Show Your Feelings

3 minutes

  • Display Slide 6. Distribute the Feeling Faces Worksheet.
    - Ask students to draw a face showing how they would feel in a specific situation (e.g., 'Draw a face showing how you'd feel if your friend shared their toy with you' or 'Draw a face showing how you'd feel if you saw someone sad and wanted to help').
    - Collect worksheets or have students briefly share their drawings if time allows. Reiterate the importance of noticing and caring about others' feelings.
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Slide Deck

Feelings & Friends: Understanding Empathy

Let's learn about feelings and how to be a good friend!

Welcome the students and introduce the topic of feelings. Ask them if they know what empathy means.

How Are You Feeling Today?

Share one feeling word and why you feel that way!

Ask each student to share one feeling word and why they feel that way. This helps activate prior knowledge and builds a safe space.

What is Empathy?

Empathy means understanding how someone else feels, even if you don't feel the same way.

It's like putting yourself in their shoes!

Introduce the concept of empathy simply. 'Empathy is like putting yourself in someone else's shoes to understand how they feel.' Give a very simple example like 'If your friend is sad because they dropped their ice cream, even if you still have yours, you can understand they feel sad.'

Spotting Feelings

How can you tell how someone is feeling?

  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Mad
  • Scared
  • Excited

Discuss various emotions. Ask students to show the facial expression for each feeling and describe what their body might do. For example, 'What does a happy face look like? What about a sad face?'

Empathy Practice!

Let's listen to some stories and think about feelings.

Explain that you'll be reading some short stories. After each story, they will talk about the feelings and what they can do. Remind them to listen carefully.

Show Your Feelings

Draw a face showing how you would feel in this situation:

Your friend shares their favorite toy with you!

Explain the worksheet activity. Give instructions clearly and offer help as needed. Collect the worksheets.

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Activity

Empathy Scenario Cards

Cut out these cards and use them for discussion during the 'Empathy Scenario Practice' activity.

Scenario 1

Lily built a tall tower of blocks, and then her little brother accidentally knocked it over. Lily's eyes started to water, and she looked down at the mess.

  • How do you think Lily is feeling?
  • What could you say or do to show Lily you care?

Scenario 2

Tom was playing soccer, and he scored a goal! He jumped up and down with a big smile on his face, cheering loudly.

  • How do you think Tom is feeling?
  • What could you say or do to show Tom you understand his excitement?

Scenario 3

Maria's mom told her it was time to leave the park, but Maria wanted to stay and play longer. She crossed her arms and made a frown.

  • How do you think Maria is feeling?
  • What could you say or do if you were her friend and saw her feeling this way?

Scenario 4

Aiden brought his favorite stuffed animal to school for show-and-tell. When it was his turn, he stood up tall and spoke clearly about his toy, even though he felt a little nervous.

  • How do you think Aiden is feeling?
  • What could you say or do to encourage Aiden and show him you're proud of him?
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Worksheet

Feeling Faces Worksheet

Draw a face in each box to show how someone might feel in the situation. Then, write one word to describe the feeling.

Situation 1: Your friend is crying because they lost their favorite toy.

Draw the feeling face here:











What feeling is this?



Situation 2: Someone helped you pick up all your pencils after they spilled.

Draw the feeling face here:











What feeling is this?



Situation 3: You see a new student sitting alone at lunch.

Draw a face showing how the new student might feel:











What feeling is this?



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Feelings & Friends • Lenny Learning