My Feelings Have Names

Zachary Covington

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

My Feelings Have Names

Students will identify and name three basic emotions (happy, sad, and mad) in pictures and in themselves with 80% accuracy.

Understanding and expressing emotions is a fundamental life skill that helps children navigate social interactions, build self-awareness, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. This lesson provides the foundational vocabulary for emotional literacy.

Audience

Pre-K Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through visual aids, interactive discussion, and a hands-on activity.

Materials

Smartboard or projector for Feelings Chart Slides, Emotion Flashcards, My Feelings Drawing Worksheet, and Crayons or markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Review the Feelings Chart Slides and ensure projector/Smartboard is ready.
- Print and cut out the Emotion Flashcards.
- Print copies of the My Feelings Drawing Worksheet for each student.
- Gather crayons or markers.
- Familiarize yourself with the lesson instructions and key concepts.

Step 1

Introduce Feelings

5 minutes

Greet students and ask, "How are you feeling today?" (Allow for various responses, modeling simple emotion words if needed).
- Introduce the concept of feelings: "We all have feelings inside us! Sometimes we feel happy, sometimes we feel sad, and sometimes we feel mad. It's okay to have all these feelings."
- Show the first slide of the Feelings Chart Slides (Happy). Ask: "What do you see in this picture? How does this person look?" Introduce the word "happy" and ask students to make a happy face. (2 minutes)

Step 2

Model & Identify

7 minutes

Continue through the Feelings Chart Slides for

Step 3

Practice & Play

5 minutes

Distribute the Emotion Flashcards to small groups or display them for the whole class.
- Lead a game: "Show me your happy face when you see the happy card!" or "Can you make a mad face like the picture?"
- Discuss situations where students might feel each emotion. "When do you feel happy?" (e.g., playing with friends, getting a hug) (3 minutes)

Step 4

Reflect & Close

3 minutes

Hand out the My Feelings Drawing Worksheet and crayons/markers.
- Explain: "Today we learned about happy, sad, and mad feelings. Now, I want you to draw a picture of yourself showing one of these feelings. You can draw a happy you, a sad you, or a mad you!"
- Encourage students to share their drawings if time allows. Reiterate that all feelings are okay and it's good to know what they are. (2 minutes)

0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

What Are Feelings?

We all have feelings inside us!
Feelings tell us how we are doing.
It's okay to have all kinds of feelings!

Greet students and start with a general check-in on feelings. Introduce the idea that we all have feelings. Show this slide and ask open-ended questions to encourage observation.

Happy!

This person is feeling HAPPY!
What does a happy face look like?
When do you feel happy?

Focus on the visual cues of happiness. Ask students to show their happy faces. Connect happy feelings to positive experiences.

Sad...

This person is feeling SAD.
What does a sad face look like?
When do you feel sad?

Discuss how sad looks and feels. Validate that sadness is a normal feeling. Ask about times they might feel sad.

Mad!!

This person is feeling MAD.
What does a mad face look like?
When do you feel mad?

Talk about mad feelings. Emphasize that it's okay to feel mad, but it's important to talk about it or find healthy ways to express it. Ask about when they might feel mad.

Happy, Sad, Mad!

We learned about three feelings today:
HAPPY
SAD
MAD
All our feelings are okay to have!

Review the three emotions and reiterate that all feelings are okay. Transition to the activity.

Activity

Emotion Flashcards: Happy, Sad, Mad

Instructions for Teacher:

Print and cut out these flashcards. Laminate for durability if possible.
Use these cards during the "Practice & Play" section of the lesson.
Hold up each card and ask students to identify the emotion and make the corresponding facial expression.
Ask questions like: "When do you feel [emotion]?" or "What makes you feel this way?"

Happy!

(Image of a clearly happy face - describe or include a placeholder for visual)

Sad...

(Image of a clearly sad face - describe or include a placeholder for visual)

Mad!!

(Image of a clearly mad face - describe or include a placeholder for visual)

Worksheet

My Feelings Drawing

Name: _________________________

Instructions: Draw a picture of yourself showing one of the feelings we talked about today (happy, sad, or mad). You can draw your whole face or your whole body!

Remember, all feelings are okay to have!