Lesson Plan

Daily Mood Tracking Introduction

Students will learn to identify and track their emotions using a mood meter or check-in chart to become more aware of their emotional patterns and triggers.

Understanding and tracking emotions is a fundamental life skill that helps students manage their feelings, communicate effectively, and build stronger relationships.

Audience

5th Grade Students

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, group activity, and personal reflection.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers, Understanding Your Mood Flow, Group Mood Meter Check-In, My Mood Monitor Log, and Mood Monitors Quiz

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Review the Understanding Your Mood Flow and prepare your presentation.
* Print copies of the My Mood Monitor Log for each student.
* Prepare the classroom for the Group Mood Meter Check-In activity (e.g., draw a large mood meter on the board or have a digital one ready).
* Review the Mood Monitors Quiz.

Step 1

Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?

3 minutes

Begin by asking students to think about how they are feeling right now.
* Ask a few students to share one word that describes their current mood. (e.g., "Happy," "Tired," "Excited").

Step 2

Introduction to Mood Monitors

7 minutes

Use the Understanding Your Mood Flow to introduce the concept of emotions and how they can change throughout the day.
* Explain what a mood meter or check-in chart is and its purpose (helping us notice how we feel).
* Discuss why it's important to track emotions (self-awareness, understanding triggers, better communication).

Step 3

Group Mood Meter Check-In Activity

8 minutes

Lead the class in the Group Mood Meter Check-In activity.
* Guide students to identify where their current mood would fall on a mood meter (e.g., green for calm, yellow for happy/focused, blue for sad/tired, red for angry/frustrated).
* Encourage sharing and discussion about why they might be feeling that way, emphasizing that all emotions are okay.

Step 4

Introducing the My Mood Monitor Log

5 minutes

Distribute the My Mood Monitor Log.
* Explain how students will use this log to track their emotions throughout the day or week.
* Model how to fill out the log with an example scenario.
* Emphasize consistency in tracking to identify patterns.

Step 5

Wrap-Up and Quiz

2 minutes

Briefly recap the importance of mood monitoring.
* Administer the Mood Monitors Quiz to check for understanding. Collect the worksheets for review later.

Slide Deck

What's Your Vibe Today?

Emotions are like waves!

They come and go, and they can be big or small. What are some emotions you know?

Welcome students and briefly introduce the idea of emotions. Ask: 'How many different feelings do you think a person can have in one day?'

Meet Your Mood Monitor!

What is a Mood Meter?

A simple way to track how you feel.
Helps you see your emotions.
It's like a weather report for your feelings!

Example: Green = Calm, Yellow = Happy/Focused, Blue = Sad/Tired, Red = Angry/Frustrated

Explain that mood meters or check-in charts are tools to help us notice and name our feelings. Show an example of a simple mood meter (e.g., green, yellow, blue, red zones).

How to Use Your Mood Monitor

It's super easy!

Check-In: Take a moment to notice how you're feeling.
Identify: What emotion is it? Where does it fit on the meter?
Log It: Mark it down on your chart.

No right or wrong answers – just noticing!

Guide students on how to use the mood meter. Emphasize that there are no 'good' or 'bad' emotions, just different ones.

Why Track Your Emotions?

Superpowers of Self-Awareness!

Understand Yourself: Notice patterns in your feelings.
Find Your Triggers: What makes you feel a certain way?
Better Choices: Respond to feelings instead of just reacting.
Talk About It: Easier to share how you feel with others.

Discuss the benefits of tracking emotions. Connect it to understanding oneself better and being able to respond thoughtfully.

Activity

Group Mood Meter Check-In

Objective: To practice identifying and verbally expressing current emotions using a group mood meter.

Materials: A large mood meter drawn on the whiteboard or projected (with zones like Green, Yellow, Blue, Red).

Instructions:

Introduce the Mood Meter (2 minutes): Review the zones of the mood meter. For example:
- Green Zone: Calm, happy, focused, ready to learn.
- Yellow Zone: A little worried, frustrated, excited (a good kind of excited), silly.
- Blue Zone: Sad, tired, bored, sick.
- Red Zone: Angry, overwhelmed, out of control.
Individual Reflection (1 minute): Ask each student to quietly think about how they are feeling right now. Which zone best describes their current mood?
Group Check-In (4 minutes): Go around the room, or ask for volunteers, to share their current mood zone. Students can simply point to the zone on the board or say the color.
- Teacher Prompt: "Who would like to share which zone they are in right now? You can just say the color or point to it on the board."
Optional Sharing & Discussion (3 minutes): For students who are comfortable, invite them to briefly share why they are in that particular zone. Emphasize that sharing is optional and that all feelings are valid.
- Teacher Prompt: "Would anyone like to share why they might be feeling in the [Green/Yellow/Blue/Red] Zone today?"
- Follow-up Prompts: "What makes you feel that way?" or "What could help you feel more [desired emotion]?" (e.g., "What could help you feel more focused if you are in the Blue Zone?")

Teacher Notes:

Ensure a safe and non-judgmental environment for sharing.
Validate all emotions expressed by students.
Keep individual sharing brief to allow for group participation within the allotted time.

Worksheet

My Mood Monitor Log

Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________

Instructions: Use this log to track your feelings throughout the day. Check in with yourself a few times each day (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening) or when you notice a big change in your mood. Write down the time, how you feel (or the color zone you are in), what might have caused it, and what you did or could do.

Mood Meter Reminders:

Green Zone: Calm, happy, focused
Yellow Zone: Worried, frustrated, excited (active)
Blue Zone: Sad, tired, bored
Red Zone: Angry, overwhelmed, out of control

Time	My Mood / Color Zone	What Happened / Why I Feel This Way	What I Did (or Could Do) About It

Mood Monitors: Track Your Flow

Corrie Akason