Lesson Plan
My Feelings Friend
Students will be able to identify common emotions and use a visual tool to practice self-regulation strategies.
Learning to recognize and manage emotions is a fundamental life skill. This lesson provides a concrete way for young children to understand their feelings and develop strategies to respond to them in a healthy way, fostering emotional intelligence.
Audience
Kindergarten Students
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Through a guided activity using a 'Feelings Friend' visual aid and role-playing.
Materials
Small mirror, Paper plate or drawing paper, Crayons/markers, Craft sticks (optional), My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet, My Feelings Friend Script, and My Feelings Friend Slide Deck
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Gather mirrors, paper plates, crayons/markers, and craft sticks (if using).
- Print out the My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet.
- Review the My Feelings Friend Script and My Feelings Friend Slide Deck.
Step 1
Introduction to Feelings (2 minutes)
2 minutes
- Engage: Begin by asking the student, "How are you feeling today?" and share your own feeling. Show them a small mirror and ask them to make a happy face, then a sad face, then a surprised face. Discuss how our faces show our feelings.
- Introduce: Explain that today they will create their very own "Feelings Friend" to help them understand and manage their big feelings.
Step 2
Creating the Feelings Friend (8 minutes)
8 minutes
- Distribute: Hand out the paper plate/drawing paper, crayons/markers, and the My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet.
- Guide: Instruct the student to draw a face on their paper plate/paper. "This is your Feelings Friend! It doesn't have a feeling yet, because you get to decide what feelings to put on it."
- Explore Emotions: Using the My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet as a guide, ask the student to draw different emotions on their Feelings Friend. For example, draw a happy mouth, then a sad mouth, then an angry mouth. Discuss each emotion briefly: "What makes us feel happy? What does sad feel like?"
- Attach (Optional): If using, help the student attach a craft stick to their Feelings Friend.
Step 3
Using the Feelings Friend (4 minutes)
4 minutes
- Role-Play: Practice using the Feelings Friend. "Imagine your Feelings Friend is feeling super mad. What could your Feelings Friend do to feel better?" Guide them through simple self-regulation strategies like taking a deep breath, counting to three, or asking for a hug.
- Connect to Self: Ask, "What do you do when you feel mad/sad/happy?" Reinforce positive coping mechanisms.
Step 4
Wrap-Up (1 minute)
1 minute
- Review: Briefly recap the different feelings discussed and how the Feelings Friend can help.
- Encourage: Encourage the student to keep their Feelings Friend and use it when they have big feelings. "Your Feelings Friend is always here to help you understand your feelings!"
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Slide Deck
Hello, How Are You Feeling?
Let's explore our feelings together!
Welcome the student and ask how they are feeling. Share your own feeling. Show a small mirror and ask them to make different faces: happy, sad, surprised. Discuss how our faces show feelings. Introduce the idea of a 'Feelings Friend.'
Meet Your Feelings Friend!
A special friend to help with our big feelings.
Explain that today we're going to make a special friend to help with feelings. This friend will help us understand our big feelings.
Making Your Feelings Friend
Draw a face for your friend.
What feelings will your friend have?
- Happy?
- Sad?
- Mad?
- Surprised?
Distribute materials (paper plate/drawing paper, crayons/markers). Guide them to draw a face on their paper plate/paper. Emphasize it's their friend, and they get to choose the feelings. Use the activity sheet as a guide to draw different emotions.
Using Your Feelings Friend
What does your Feelings Friend do when it's...?
- Happy?
- Sad?
- Mad?
What do you do?
Guide the student through role-playing. "Imagine your Feelings Friend is feeling super mad. What could your Feelings Friend do to feel better?" Offer suggestions like deep breaths, counting. Ask the student what they do when they feel different emotions.
Your Feelings Power!
You have a Feelings Friend!
It helps you understand all your feelings!
You are a feelings expert!
Review the different feelings and how the Feelings Friend can help. Encourage the student to keep and use their Feelings Friend. Reiterate that it's a tool to understand their feelings.
Activity
My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet
Your Feelings Friend helps you learn about your feelings!
Let's Draw Feelings!
Use your crayons to draw these feelings on your Feelings Friend. You can draw them on your paper plate or drawing paper!
1. Happy Face!
Draw a big smile for a happy feeling! What makes you feel happy?
2. Sad Face!
Draw a little frown for a sad feeling. What makes you feel sad?
3. Mad Face!
Draw an angry face for a mad feeling. What makes you feel mad?
4. Surprised Face!
Draw a surprised face (big eyes and an open mouth!) What makes you feel surprised?
Using Your Feelings Friend
When your Feelings Friend has a big feeling, what can it do to feel better? Circle your ideas!
- Take a deep breath
- Count to 3
- Ask for a hug
- Talk about it
- Play with a toy
What do you do when you have big feelings?
Script
My Feelings Friend Script
Introduction to Feelings (2 minutes)
Teacher: "Hello, [Student's Name]! How are you feeling today? I'm feeling happy because I get to spend time with you!" (Share your own feeling genuinely).
Teacher: "Let's look in this mirror! Can you make a happy face?" (Pause for student to make a happy face). "Yes! Your face shows you're happy! Now, can you make a sad face?" (Pause). "Great! What about a surprised face? Wow! Our faces show so many different feelings, don't they?"
Creating the Feelings Friend (8 minutes)
Teacher: "Today, we're going to make a very special friend called a 'Feelings Friend.' This friend will help you understand all your big feelings!"
(Hand out the paper plate/drawing paper, crayons/markers, and the My Feelings Friend Activity Sheet.)
Teacher: "First, draw a face on your paper plate/paper. This is your Feelings Friend! It doesn't have a feeling yet, because you get to decide what feelings to put on it."
Teacher: "Let's start with a happy face. On your Feelings Friend, draw a big smile! What makes you feel happy, [Student's Name]?" (Allow for response and discussion.) "That's a wonderful happy face!"
Teacher: "Now, let's draw a sad face. Draw a little frown on your Feelings Friend. What makes you feel sad sometimes?" (Allow for response and discussion.) "It's okay to feel sad sometimes."
Teacher: "Next, let's draw a mad face. Draw an angry face for your Feelings Friend. What makes you feel mad?" (Allow for response and discussion.) "Sometimes we all feel a little mad."
Teacher: "And how about a surprised face? Draw big eyes and an open mouth for a surprised feeling! What makes you feel surprised?" (Allow for response and discussion.) "That's a fantastic surprised face!"
(If using craft sticks, help the student attach one.)
Using the Feelings Friend (4 minutes)
Teacher: "Now that you have your amazing Feelings Friend, let's practice using it! Imagine your Feelings Friend is feeling super mad right now. What could your Feelings Friend do to feel better?" (Guide the student with suggestions if needed: "Could it take a deep breath? Count to three? Ask for a hug?")
Teacher: "That's a great idea! What about if your Feelings Friend is feeling really sad? What could it do?"
Teacher: "Now, let's think about you. What do you do when you feel happy?" (Allow for response.) "What do you do when you feel mad or sad?" (Reinforce positive coping mechanisms they suggest or offer gentle guidance.)
Wrap-Up (1 minute)
Teacher: "You did such a wonderful job today with your Feelings Friend! We talked about happy, sad, mad, and surprised feelings, and you learned how your Feelings Friend can help you. You are becoming a feelings expert!"
Teacher: "You can keep your Feelings Friend and use it whenever you have big feelings. It's always here to help you understand them!"