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Feelings Journal

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Lesson Plan

Guided Emotional Journaling Plan

Students will identify and reflect on personal emotional triggers through guided journaling prompts and practice self-regulation strategies in a supportive small-group setting.

Building emotional awareness and self-regulation skills promotes resilience, supports mental well-being, and enhances students’ ability to manage stress and engage positively in academic and social contexts.

Audience

8th Grade Small Group

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided prompts, reflective journaling, and peer sharing

Materials

Prep

Review and Organize Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Norms

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and state the session objective: self-awareness and coping strategies
  • Establish group norms using Circle Share Guidelines: confidentiality, respect, and active listening
  • Briefly explain how journaling supports emotional well-being

Step 2

Prompt Overview

5 minutes

  • Display prompts from Prompt Walkthrough Slides
  • Read each prompt aloud and clarify expectations
  • Encourage honest, non-judgmental responses

Step 3

Independent Journaling

10 minutes

  • Students respond privately to each prompt in their journals
  • Teacher circulates to provide support and ensure focus
  • Remind students this is a safe, personal reflection space

Step 4

Pair/Small-Group Share

7 minutes

  • In pairs or triads, students share one insight or trigger they identified
  • Follow listening and speaking guidelines from Circle Share Guidelines
  • Encourage peers to validate and ask supportive questions

Step 5

Reflection & Closure

3 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share overall takeaways or coping strategies learned
  • Reinforce the importance of regular journaling and self-regulation
  • Remind students they can revisit prompts independently and seek support when needed
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Slide Deck

Welcome to the Feelings Journal

A guided journaling session to explore emotions, identify triggers, and learn coping strategies. Let’s begin!

Welcome students! Introduce today’s Feelings Journal session: a safe space to explore emotions, identify triggers, and learn coping strategies.

Session Objectives

  • Identify personal emotions
  • Reflect on emotional triggers
  • Practice self-regulation strategies
  • Share insights with peers

Read aloud each objective and relate it to students’ well-being.

Why Journaling Helps

  • Builds self-awareness
  • Provides a safe space for reflection
  • Reduces stress and anxiety
  • Strengthens coping skills

Explain how journaling benefits mental health and resilience.

Group Norms

  • Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here
  • Respect: Listen without judgment
  • Honesty: Be truthful in your reflections
  • Support: Offer kindness and validation

Review group norms and emphasize confidentiality and respect. Point to Circle Share Guidelines for details.

Today’s Prompts

  1. What emotion are you feeling right now?
  2. What event or thought triggered this emotion?
  3. How does your body react to this feeling?
  4. What strategies can help you cope when this emotion arises?

Write each response in your journal.

Introduce all prompts; you will display each in turn for journaling.

Writing Your Responses

  • Write honestly—there are no right or wrong answers
  • Spend about 2 minutes per prompt
  • Use bullet points or full sentences—whichever feels natural

Give guidance on writing style and pacing. Encourage clarity and honesty.

Independent Journaling

Spend the next 10 minutes responding privately to each prompt in your journal.

Start a 10-minute timer. Circulate to support students as they write privately.

Pair & Share

  • Turn to a partner or small group
  • Share one insight or trigger you identified
  • Use active listening and offer validation

Explain sharing process; remind students to use active listening and supportive feedback. Refer to Circle Share Guidelines.

Reflection & Next Steps

  • What did you learn about yourself?
  • Which coping strategy will you try next?

Feel free to revisit your journal anytime.

Invite volunteers to share takeaways. Encourage ongoing journaling and remind of support resources.

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Journal

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ 🌿 Daily Reflection Prompts 🌿 ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

1. What emotion did you experience most strongly today? Why do you think you felt this way?





2. Describe a moment today when you successfully used a coping strategy. What did you do and how did it help?





3. Identify one personal strength you noticed in yourself today. How can you use this strength tomorrow?





4. Is there something you could handle differently to improve your emotional well-being? What is one small step you can take?





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Discussion

Circle Share Guidelines

1. Confidentiality
• What’s shared here stays here—this space is safe for honest sharing.

2. Active Listening
• Face the speaker, maintain eye contact, and put away distractions.
• Reflect back what you heard: “It sounds like you felt…, is that right?”

3. Empathy & Validation
• Acknowledge feelings with phrases like “I can see why that upset you.”
• Avoid judgment—every emotion is valid.

4. Respectful Communication
• Speak one at a time and wait your turn.
• Use “I” statements (e.g., “I felt…” instead of “You made me…”).

5. Question Starters
• “Can you tell me more about what happened?”
• “What was going through your mind when that occurred?”
• “How did your body feel in that moment?”

Use these guidelines during Pair & Share and Circle discussions to ensure everyone feels heard and supported.

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Feelings Journal • Lenny Learning