Lesson Plan
School Feeling Check-in
Students will be able to identify common feelings experienced at school and practice healthy ways to express them.
Understanding and expressing feelings is crucial for students' social-emotional well-being. This lesson helps them recognize their emotions, communicate effectively, and build a positive classroom community.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, guided activity, and reflective cool-down.
Materials
Smartboard or Projector, Feelings at School Slide Deck, Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in, My School Feelings Activity, and Cool Down: How Are You Leaving?
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Feelings at School Slide Deck and become familiar with its content.
- Read through the Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in to prepare for guiding the discussion and activities.
- Print or prepare to distribute the My School Feelings Activity worksheets (one per student).
- Prepare the Cool Down: How Are You Leaving? either on a small slip of paper or as an oral prompt.
- Ensure the projector/smartboard is ready for the slide deck presentation.
Step 1
Introduction: What Are Feelings?
3 minutes
- Begin by displaying the first slide of the Feelings at School Slide Deck.
- Follow the introductory prompts in the Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in to open a brief discussion about feelings in general and how they impact us, especially at school.
Step 2
Exploring School Feelings
7 minutes
- Transition to the slides discussing various feelings at school. Use the Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in to guide students through examples of situations where they might feel certain emotions.
- Encourage students to share (if comfortable) times they've felt similar emotions at school. Ensure a safe and respectful environment for sharing.
Step 3
My School Feelings Activity
7 minutes
- Distribute the My School Feelings Activity worksheet to each student.
- Explain the activity using the instructions in the Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in. Students will draw or write about feelings they experience at school and strategies for coping with them.
- Circulate around the room to offer support and answer questions as students work.
Step 4
Cool Down & Wrap-up
3 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Ask a few students to share one thing they learned or one feeling they identified.
- Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: How Are You Leaving? activity, as instructed in the Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in. This allows for a quick reflection on their current emotional state.
Slide Deck
How Are We Feeling Today?
Let's talk about our emotions at school!
Welcome students and introduce the idea of feelings. Ask them what 'feelings' are in their own words.
School Feelings Are Normal!
School is a place where we learn, play, and grow.
And sometimes, we feel lots of different emotions while we're here!
Discuss how school can be a place with many different feelings. Ask students to brainstorm some feelings they might have at school.
Happy 😊
Feeling joyful, excited, and glad!
- When your friend says hello
- When you understand a tricky math problem
- When it's recess time!
Introduce the feeling of 'Happy.' Ask: "When do you feel happy at school? What does it feel like?"
Sad 😔
Feeling down, disappointed, or gloomy.
- When you miss someone
- When you don't do well on a test
- When a friend is unkind
Introduce 'Sad.' Ask: "What makes you feel sad at school? What can you do when you feel sad?"
Angry 😡
Feeling frustrated, annoyed, or mad.
- When someone breaks your pencil
- When you feel unheard
- When you lose a game
Introduce 'Angry.' Ask: "What situations at school make you feel angry? How can we handle anger in a healthy way?"
Scared/Anxious 😟
Feeling worried, nervous, or a little bit afraid.
- Before a big presentation
- When you're trying something new
- When there's a loud noise
Introduce 'Scared/Anxious.' Ask: "What makes you feel nervous or scared at school? What helps you feel safe?"
Proud 🤩
Feeling pleased with yourself or someone else for an achievement.
- When you get a good grade
- When you help a classmate
- When you finish a challenging project
Introduce 'Proud.' Ask: "When have you felt proud at school? What did you do?"
All Feelings Are Okay!
It's okay to feel happy, sad, angry, scared, or proud.
What's important is how we show our feelings.
Let's do an activity to explore our school feelings more!
Explain that all feelings are okay, but how we show them matters. Briefly introduce the activity.
My School Feelings Activity
On your worksheet:
- Draw or write about some feelings you have at school.
- Think about what makes you feel that way.
- Write down how you can healthily show or deal with that feeling.
Instruct students to complete the 'My School Feelings Activity'. Remind them to draw or write about their feelings and coping strategies. Circulate to assist.
Share and Reflect
What's one feeling you experience at school, and one way you can show it?
Remember, talking about our feelings or using healthy strategies helps us and others!
Ask students to share one feeling and one strategy. Reiterate the importance of healthy expression.
How Are You Leaving Today?
Take a moment to check in with yourself.
How are you feeling right now, as our lesson ends?
(Optional: Write it down or share it quietly.)
End with the cool-down. Ask students to reflect on their current feeling before leaving class.
Script
Teacher Script: School Feeling Check-in
Introduction: What Are Feelings? (3 minutes)
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 1 - "How Are We Feeling Today?")
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really important: our feelings. Can anyone tell me, in your own words, what a 'feeling' is?"
"That's right! Feelings are emotions, like happy, sad, or angry. They're how we react to things happening around us and inside us. We all have feelings, and they change all the time. School is a place where we experience many different feelings, isn't it?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 2 - "School Feelings Are Normal!")
"School is a busy place, full of learning, playing, and making friends. Because so much happens here, it's totally normal to feel a whole range of emotions during the school day. What are some feelings you've had at school recently?"
Exploring School Feelings (7 minutes)
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 3 - "Happy 😊")
"Let's think about some common feelings. First up, happy! When do you feel happy at school? Maybe when you get to play with friends at recess, or when you finally understand a tricky math problem? What does being happy feel like in your body?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 4 - "Sad 😔")
"Sometimes we feel sad. It's okay to feel sad. Maybe you miss your family, or something didn't go your way. When might you feel sad at school, and what does that feeling tell you?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 5 - "Angry 😡")
"Then there's angry. Anger can feel big and strong! Maybe someone was unfair, or something frustrated you. When do you feel angry at school, and what's a safe way to show that anger without hurting yourself or others?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 6 - "Scared/Anxious 😟")
"How about scared or anxious? This might happen before a big presentation, or when you're trying something new. When do you get that nervous feeling in your stomach at school? What helps you feel a little braver?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 7 - "Proud 🤩")
"And one of my favorites: proud! This is when you feel really good about something you did or accomplished. When have you felt proud at school? Maybe when you helped a classmate, or finished a big project?"
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 8 - "All Feelings Are Okay!")
"See? We experience so many different feelings! The most important thing to remember is that all feelings are okay. It's how we show our feelings that matters. We want to express them in healthy ways that help us and don't hurt others."
My School Feelings Activity (7 minutes)
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 9 - "My School Feelings Activity")
"Now, you're going to get a chance to think about your own feelings at school. I'm going to hand out this My School Feelings Activity worksheet.
On this worksheet, I want you to:
- Draw or write about some feelings you have at school. You can pick from the ones we talked about, or any other feeling you experience.
- Think about what makes you feel that way. What happened?
- Write down how you can healthily show or deal with that feeling. For example, if you feel angry, maybe you take three deep breaths.
I'll be walking around to help if you have any questions or want to share your ideas quietly."
(Distribute worksheets and allow students to work. Circulate and provide support.)
Cool Down & Wrap-up (3 minutes)
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 10 - "Share and Reflect")
"Alright, let's bring our attention back up here. Who would like to share one feeling they experience at school and one healthy way they can show or deal with that feeling?"
"Excellent shares, everyone! Remember, understanding our feelings and knowing how to express them helps us manage our day better and get along with others."
(Display Feelings at School Slide Deck - Slide 11 - "How Are You Leaving Today?")
"To finish our lesson, let's do a quick cool down. Take a moment right now to check in with yourself. How are you feeling right this moment, as our lesson ends? Think about it quietly for a few seconds.
(Optional: "If you have a sticky note or a small piece of paper, you can write down your feeling and put it by the door as you leave, or just keep it in your mind. No need to share if you don't want to.")
"Thank you all for being so thoughtful today!"