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My Feeling Friends

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Katie Heck

Tier 1
For Schools

Quiz

My Feeling Friends Pre-Test

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Lesson Plan

My Feeling Friends

Students will be able to identify and name basic emotions in themselves and others, understand simple strategies for expressing their feelings in healthy ways, and track their emotional understanding growth.

Understanding and managing emotions is fundamental for building self-awareness, developing empathy, and fostering positive social interactions. This lesson provides foundational skills for emotional intelligence and allows for the assessment of student growth.

Audience

3rd and 4th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and engaging activities with pre/post-assessment.

Materials

My Feeling Friends Slide Deck, My Feeling Friends Pre-Test, What's My Emotion? Worksheet, Emotion Charades Activity, Feeling Face Match Game, Emotion Check-In Quiz, and My Feeling Friends Post-Test

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the My Feeling Friends Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
    * Print copies of the My Feeling Friends Pre-Test and My Feeling Friends Post-Test, one per student.
    * Print copies of the What's My Emotion? Worksheet, one per student.
    * Prepare the Emotion Charades Activity cards (if printing).
    * Prepare the Feeling Face Match Game components.
    * Review the Emotion Check-In Quiz and its corresponding Emotion Check-In Answer Key.
    * Review the My Feeling Friends Pre/Post Test Answer Key.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Pre-Test Check-In

5 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce the lesson: 'Today we're going to talk about our amazing feelings!'
    * Distribute the My Feeling Friends Pre-Test and have students complete it individually. Explain that this helps you see what they already know about feelings. Collect when completed.

Step 2

Introduction: What Are Feelings?

3 minutes

  • Ask: 'What are some feelings you know?' (Allow students to share.)
    * Use My Feeling Friends Slide Deck Slide 1 to introduce the concept of emotions and why they are important.

Step 3

Exploring Emotions with Feeling Friends

8 minutes

  • Use My Feeling Friends Slide Deck Slides 2-6 to introduce various emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared).
    * For each emotion, discuss:
    * What does it look like?
    * How does it feel in our bodies?
    * When might we feel this way?
    * Distribute the What's My Emotion? Worksheet and have students complete the first section, drawing or writing about an emotion.

Step 4

Activity: Emotion Charades

6 minutes

  • Explain the Emotion Charades Activity. Students will act out emotions and guess.
    * Divide students into small groups or play as a whole class.
    * Encourage observation and discussion about how different emotions are expressed.

Step 5

Game: Feeling Face Match

5 minutes

  • Introduce the Feeling Face Match Game.
    * Guide students through a few rounds, matching emotion words to facial expressions.
    * Discuss any challenges or interesting observations during the game.

Step 6

Wrap-Up and Post-Test

3 minutes

  • Bring the class back together.
    * Ask: 'What was one new thing you learned about feelings today?'
    * Distribute the My Feeling Friends Post-Test as a final assessment. Collect and review later using the My Feeling Friends Pre/Post Test Answer Key.
    * Remind students that all feelings are okay and it's good to talk about them.
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Slide Deck

Welcome, Feeling Friends!

Let's explore our amazing emotions together!

Welcome students and introduce the lesson about feelings. Explain that everyone has feelings and they are all important.

What Are Feelings?

Feelings are messages our bodies and minds send us. They tell us how we are doing and what we need.

Ask students what feelings they already know. Encourage them to share examples. Emphasize that feelings tell us how we are doing inside.

Happy!

Bright smile, bubbly giggles, a light heart! What makes you feel happy?

Discuss what 'happy' looks like and feels like. Ask: 'When do you feel happy?' 'What makes you smile?'

Sad...

Tears might fall, shoulders might droop. It's okay to feel sad sometimes. What helps when you're sad?

Discuss what 'sad' looks like and feels like. Ask: 'When do you feel sad?' 'What do you do when you're sad?' Emphasize that it's okay to be sad.

Angry!

Fists might clench, face might get red. What makes you feel angry? How can we show anger safely?

Discuss what 'angry' looks like and feels like. Ask: 'When do you feel angry?' 'What are safe ways to show anger?' Emphasize healthy expression.

Surprised?!

Eyes wide open, mouth makes an 'O'! What a shock! What has surprised you lately?

Discuss what 'surprised' looks like and feels like. Ask: 'When have you been surprised?'

Scared!

Heart beats fast, tummy might flutter. What makes you feel scared? Who helps you when you're scared?

Discuss what 'scared' looks like and feels like. Ask: 'When do you feel scared?' 'What helps you when you're scared?' Emphasize seeking comfort.

All Feelings Are Okay!

Every feeling is a part of being you. There are no 'good' or 'bad' feelings, just different feelings.

Reinforce that all feelings are valid. Explain that sometimes we feel many things at once. We learn to understand them.

Keep Exploring Your Feelings!

You are becoming experts at understanding emotions. Great job, feeling friends!

Thank students for participating and remind them to keep thinking about their feelings.

lenny

Worksheet

What's My Emotion? Worksheet

Name: ________________________

Part 1: My Favorite Feeling Friend

  1. Think about an emotion you feel often. Draw a face that shows this emotion, or write down the emotion word and describe what it feels like.

    Emotion: ________________________













Part 2: What Emotion Is It?

Read each short story. Circle the emotion you think the person is feeling.

  1. Lily just got a brand new puppy! She is jumping up and down and smiling really big.

    • Happy
    • Sad
    • Angry
    • Scared

  2. Tom dropped his ice cream cone and it melted all over the ground. He has a frown on his face and wants to cry.

    • Happy
    • Sad
    • Angry
    • Surprised

  3. Maria built a tall tower of blocks, and her little brother knocked it over! She crossed her arms and stomped her foot.

    • Scared
    • Happy
    • Angry
    • Surprised

  4. The lights flickered and then went out during the thunderstorm. David pulled his blanket up to his chin and looked around the dark room.

    • Happy
    • Sad
    • Scared
    • Angry
lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Charades Activity

Objective: Students will act out and guess different emotions, developing their ability to recognize emotional expressions.

Materials:

  • Emotion cards (can be simple slips of paper with emotion words like: Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Excited, Confused, Proud)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Emotion Cards: Write different emotion words on small cards or slips of paper. Make sure there are enough for each student to pick at least one, or prepare several sets if playing in small groups.

  2. Explain the Game:

    • Tell students they will take turns picking an emotion card.
    • Their job is to act out the emotion written on the card without speaking. They can use their face, body, and sounds (but no words!).
    • The rest of the class (or their group) will try to guess what emotion they are acting out.

  3. Demonstrate: Act out one or two simple emotions yourself (e.g., happy, sad) to show them how it works.

  4. Play: Have students take turns picking a card and acting out the emotion. Encourage respectful guessing and positive reinforcement.

  5. Discussion: After each round, or at the end of the game, discuss:

    • What clues did you use to guess the emotion?
    • Did everyone show the emotion the same way?
    • How can we tell what someone is feeling just by looking at their face or body?

Differentiation:

  • Support: Provide students with a list of emotion words to choose from while guessing. Have partners act out emotions together.
  • Challenge: Ask students to act out more complex emotions (e.g., confused, proud). Have students create their own emotion cards.
lenny
lenny

Game

Feeling Face Match Game

Objective: Students will match emotion words to corresponding facial expressions, reinforcing their understanding of how emotions look.

Materials:

  • Sets of emotion word cards (e.g., Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared)
  • Sets of facial expression cards (simple drawings or printed pictures showing corresponding emotions)

Instructions (Whole Class or Small Group):

  1. Prepare Cards: Create or print cards with emotion words and separate cards with simple facial expressions. Ensure there's a match for each.

  2. Introduction: Hold up a word card (e.g., "Happy") and ask students to make a happy face. Do this for a few emotions to warm up.

  3. Playing the Game (Memory/Concentration Style):

    • Shuffle all the emotion word cards and facial expression cards together.
    • Lay all the cards face down in a grid on a table or the floor.
    • Students take turns flipping over two cards. If the cards match an emotion word to its correct facial expression, the student keeps the pair and takes another turn.
    • If they don't match, the cards are flipped back over, and it's the next student's turn.
    • The game continues until all pairs have been matched.

  4. Playing the Game (Matching/Sorting Style):

    • Lay all the facial expression cards face up.
    • Give each student a few emotion word cards. Their task is to place the word card on top of the matching facial expression card.
    • Alternatively, place all word cards in one pile and expression cards in another. Students pick one from each pile and decide if they match.

Discussion after the Game:

  • Which emotions were easy to match? Which were tricky?
  • What clues did you use to match the faces and words?
  • Can people show the same emotion in slightly different ways?
lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Charades Activity

Objective: Students will act out and guess different emotions, developing their ability to recognize emotional expressions.

Materials:

  • Emotion cards (can be simple slips of paper with emotion words like: Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Excited, Confused, Proud)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Emotion Cards: Write different emotion words on small cards or slips of paper. Make sure there are enough for each student to pick at least one, or prepare several sets if playing in small groups.

  2. Explain the Game:

    • Tell students they will take turns picking an emotion card.
    • Their job is to act out the emotion written on the card without speaking. They can use their face, body, and sounds (but no words!).
    • The rest of the class (or their group) will try to guess what emotion they are acting out.

  3. Demonstrate: Act out one or two simple emotions yourself (e.g.,

lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Charades Activity

Objective: Students will act out and guess different emotions, developing their ability to recognize emotional expressions.

Materials:

  • Emotion cards (can be simple slips of paper with emotion words like: Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Excited, Confused, Proud)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Emotion Cards: Write different emotion words on small cards or slips of paper. Make sure there are enough for each student to pick at least one, or prepare several sets if playing in small groups.

  2. Explain the Game:

    • Tell students they will take turns picking an emotion card.
    • Their job is to act out the emotion written on the card without speaking. They can use their face, body, and sounds (but no words!).
    • The rest of the class (or their group) will try to guess what emotion they are acting out.

  3. Demonstrate: Act out one or two simple emotions yourself (e.g.,

lenny
lenny

Quiz

My Feeling Friends Post-Test

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Answer Key

My Feeling Friends Pre/Post Test Answer Key

For My Feeling Friends Pre-Test

  1. Which emotion do you feel when something good happens and you smile?

    • Correct Answer: Happy
    • Reasoning: Smiling is a common facial expression for happiness.

  2. What might you do if you are feeling angry?

    • Correct Answer: Stomp your feet
    • Reasoning: Stomping feet can be a physical expression of anger.

  3. Name two different feelings. How does each feeling make your body feel?

    • Student responses will vary. Look for descriptions that connect an emotion to a physical sensation (e.g., Happy: light, bouncy; Sad: heavy, tired; Angry: tense, hot; Scared: shaky, fast heart).

  4. Why do you think it's important to understand your feelings?

    • Student responses will vary. Look for ideas such as: it helps you know what you need, it helps you get along with others, it helps you feel better.

For My Feeling Friends Post-Test

  1. If your friend looks like they are crying, which emotion are they probably feeling?

    • Correct Answer: Sad
    • Reasoning: Crying is a common expression of sadness.

  2. What is a healthy way to show you are angry?

    • Correct Answer: Take a deep breath
    • Reasoning: Taking deep breaths is a healthy coping strategy for anger.

  3. Name three different feelings you learned about today. For each, describe what it might look like on someone's face.

    • Student responses will vary. Examples: Happy (smiling), Sad (frowning, crying), Angry (frowning, tight lips), Surprised (wide eyes, open mouth), Scared (wide eyes, tense brows).

  4. How can understanding your own feelings help you understand your friends' feelings?

    • Student responses will vary. Look for ideas such as: if I know how I feel when I'm sad, I can guess my friend is sad when they look similar; it helps me have empathy; it helps me know how to help my friend.
lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Charades Activity

Objective: Students will act out and guess different emotions, developing their ability to recognize emotional expressions.

Materials:

  • Emotion cards (can be simple slips of paper with emotion words like: Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Excited, Confused, Proud)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Emotion Cards: Write different emotion words on small cards or slips of paper. Make sure there are enough for each student to pick at least one, or prepare several sets if playing in small groups.

  2. Explain the Game:

    • Tell students they will take turns picking an emotion card.
    • Their job is to act out the emotion written on the card without speaking. They can use their face, body, and sounds (but no words!).
    • The rest of the class (or their group) will try to guess what emotion they are acting out.

  3. Demonstrate: Act out one or two simple emotions yourself (e.g.,

lenny
lenny

Activity

Emotion Charades Activity

Objective: Students will act out and guess different emotions, developing their ability to recognize emotional expressions.

Materials:

  • Emotion cards (can be simple slips of paper with emotion words like: Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised, Scared, Excited, Confused, Proud)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Emotion Cards: Write different emotion words on small cards or slips of paper. Make sure there are enough for each student to pick at least one, or prepare several sets if playing in small groups.

  2. Explain the Game:
    *

lenny
lenny