Session 1 Script: Understanding Emotions & Positive Self-Talk

Warm-Up (3 minutes)

Teacher: “Good morning, [Student Name]! Today we’re going to explore how we feel and learn to use kind words with ourselves. Let’s start with a quick warm-up. Please take a sticky note and a marker. You can either write a word or draw a picture of one emotion you felt today. You choose what feels best for you.”
(IEP note: Offer extra processing time—count to five before prompting again.)

Teacher: “Thank you for sharing. Can you tell me the name of the feeling you chose? You can point to your picture or read your word.”
(Check for understanding: Student gives name of emotion.)
Teacher: “Great! I’ll place your note on our Feelings Board.”

Introduction to Emotions (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Now let’s look at some common feelings together.”
(Display slide 3 on Session 1 Slide Deck.)
Teacher (pointing to list): “Here are five key emotions: happy, sad, angry, scared, and calm. I’ll read the definitions. Then I’ll ask you to tell me if you’ve ever felt each one.”

1. “Happy means joyful and content.”
   • “Can you give me an example of when you felt happy?”
   (Follow-up if needed: “Maybe at recess or when you played a game?”)
2. “Sad means feeling down or unhappy.”
   • “When have you felt sad?”
3. “Angry means upset or mad.”
   • “What makes you feel angry?”
4. “Scared means afraid or worried.”
   • “Tell me a time you felt scared.”
5. “Calm means relaxed and peaceful.”
   • “When do you feel calm?”
   (IEP note: Offer sentence starters like “I feel ____ when ____.” Provide visual icons for each emotion.)
   Teacher: “Excellent examples! Notice how naming our feelings helps us understand them.”

What Is Positive Self-Talk? (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Next, we’ll learn about positive self-talk.”
(Display slide 4 on Session 1 Slide Deck.)
Teacher: “Positive self-talk means using kind and encouraging words with ourselves. For example, when I’m nervous before speaking, I might say, ‘I can do this!’ or ‘I’ve practiced, and I’m ready.’”
Teacher: “Here are a few examples:
• ‘I can handle this!’
• ‘I am proud of myself.’
• ‘It’s okay to make mistakes; I can learn from them.’
Which one of these would help you if you felt scared? You can point or say it out loud.”
(Check for understanding: Student chooses a statement.)
Teacher: “Perfect choice! Positive self-talk gives us courage.”

Reading Activity (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Let’s read about other feeling words and see self-talk in action.”
(Open Feelings Vocabulary Reading. Display slide 5 if helpful.)
Teacher (reading): “Here’s a sentence: ‘Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but I remind myself, ‘I am growing stronger every day.’”
Teacher: “What does the word ‘overwhelmed’ mean? You can use your own words.”
(Allow student to respond; offer choice of ‘too much to handle’ or ‘very busy.’)
Teacher: “Right! And notice the self-talk example right after. Can you read the self-talk phrase?”

Teacher: “Great reading! Self-talk helps us feel capable.”

Discussion (5 minutes)

Teacher: “We’ve talked about feelings and kind words we say to ourselves. Now, let’s connect them.”
(Display slide 6 on Session 1 Slide Deck.)
Teacher: “When do you feel sad? And what could you say to yourself to feel better?”
(Allow response; prompt with sentence starter if needed: ‘I can…’.)
Teacher: “Nice! How about when you feel angry—what positive self-talk might help you calm down?”
(Follow-up: “What words can you whisper to yourself?”)
Teacher: “One more: if you feel scared, what would you say quietly to yourself?”
(Check for understanding: Student offers self-talk for each emotion.)
Teacher: “You’re doing awesome using kind words with yourself.”

Worksheet Practice (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Time to practice writing your own self-talk statements.”
(Hand out Self-Talk Statements Worksheet and display slide 7.)
Teacher: “Write one positive statement for each emotion on your worksheet. For example, ‘When I’m sad, I can say, ‘It’s okay to feel sad, and I will feel better soon.’”
(IEP note: Student may draw pictures or use word banks. Offer one-on-one support.)

Teacher: “Let’s read one or two together. Can you share your ‘sad’ statement?”
(Student reads; teacher praises.)
Teacher: “Wonderful work!”

Game Time: Emotion Regulation Bingo (5 minutes)

Teacher: “Now for a fun game!”
(Give the student the Emotion Regulation Bingo Game card and display slide 8.)
Teacher: “I will call out an emotion or a scenario—for example, ‘When you feel nervous before a test.’ Mark the matching square. If you get five in a row, say a self-talk phrase aloud and you win!”
Teacher: “Are you ready? Let’s begin.”
(Play 3–4 rounds; offer extra wait time. Encourage self-talk when Bingo is called.)
Teacher: “Excellent job recognizing feelings and using self-talk!”

Cool-Down & Reflection (2 minutes)

Teacher: “We’re almost done! Let’s think back over our session.”
(Display slide 9.)
Teacher: “Share one new thing you learned today.”
(Student responds.)
Teacher: “Now say one positive self-talk phrase you’ll use tomorrow.”
(Student responds.)
Teacher: “I’m so proud of you! Keep practicing your kind words with yourself. Tomorrow, before school, try saying your phrase once and notice how it helps you.”

Teacher: “Great work today, [Student Name]—see you next time!”