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Social Skills Safari

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Morgan Donnelly

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Feelings Safari: Exploring Emotions

Students will be able to identify and name basic emotions (happy, sad, mad, scared) and understand that everyone experiences different feelings.

Understanding and naming feelings is the first step towards managing them. This lesson helps kindergarteners build their emotional vocabulary and recognize emotions in themselves and others, fostering empathy and self-awareness.

Audience

Kindergarten Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and a feeling identification activity.

Materials

Feelings Safari Slide Deck, and Feelings Flashcards (Happy, Sad, Mad, Scared)

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

  • Review the Feelings Safari Slide Deck for content and flow.
  • Print or prepare visual aids like large feeling flashcards (happy, sad, mad, scared) or pictures depicting these emotions.
  • Gather any props for demonstrating feelings (e.g., happy face mask, sad puppet).
  • Ensure a comfortable and quiet space for small group discussion.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Welcome to the Safari!

5 minutes

  • Greet students warmly and introduce the idea of a 'Feelings Safari' where they will explore different emotions.
  • Ask: 'What do you think a feeling is?' (Allow 1-2 responses).

Step 2

Introducing Basic Feelings

10 minutes

  • Use the Feelings Safari Slide Deck to introduce happy, sad, mad, and scared.
  • For each feeling:
    • Show the flashcard/slide.
    • Ask: 'What does [feeling] look like? How does your body feel when you are [feeling]?'
    • Share a simple, relatable example: 'I feel happy when I play with my friends.'
    • Encourage students to make the face of the emotion (briefly).
  • Emphasize that all feelings are okay to have.

Step 3

Feeling Charades/Identification Activity

10 minutes

  • Play a simple 'Feeling Charades' game.
  • Teacher acts out an emotion (happy, sad, mad, scared) and students guess.
  • Or, show a picture of a situation (e.g., a child getting a present, a child losing a toy) and ask, 'How do you think this child feels?'
  • Facilitate discussion: 'Why do you think they feel that way?'

Step 4

Cool-Down: Share One Feeling

5 minutes

  • Go around the circle and ask each student to name one feeling they learned today or one feeling they are currently experiencing.
  • Thank students for exploring feelings together and remind them that it's good to talk about how they feel.
lenny

Slide Deck

Welcome to the Feelings Safari!

Today, we're exploring feelings! What are feelings?

Welcome students to the 'Feelings Safari'! Explain that today we're going on an adventure to learn about different feelings. Ask them what they think feelings are.

What Are Feelings?

Feelings are what we feel inside. They can be happy, sad, or even mad! Everyone has feelings.

Introduce the idea that we all have feelings inside us, and they can change throughout the day. It's like having a range of colors inside!

Feeling Happy!

When you feel good, you might be happy!

What makes you feel happy?

Show the 'Happy' slide. Ask students: 'What does happy look like? How does your body feel when you are happy?' Share an example: 'I feel happy when I play with my friends.' Encourage happy faces!

Feeling Sad...

Sometimes things make us feel sad.

What makes you feel sad?

Show the 'Sad' slide. Ask students: 'What does sad look like? How does your body feel when you are sad?' Share an example: 'I feel sad when I miss someone.' Encourage sad faces briefly, explaining it's okay to feel sad.

Feeling Mad!

When things don't go our way, we might feel mad!

What makes you feel mad?

Show the 'Mad' slide. Ask students: 'What does mad look like? How does your body feel when you are mad?' Share an example: 'I feel mad when my toy breaks.' Explain it's okay to feel mad, but we need to learn safe ways to show it.

Feeling Scared!

New things or loud noises can sometimes make us feel scared.

What makes you feel scared?

Show the 'Scared' slide. Ask students: 'What does scared look like? How does your body feel when you are scared?' Share an example: 'I feel scared when I hear a loud noise.' Reassure them it's normal to feel scared sometimes.

All Feelings Are Okay!

Happy, Sad, Mad, Scared – all feelings are part of us. We can learn to understand them!

Review the feelings quickly. Reiterate that all feelings are okay. Introduce the 'Feelings Charades' activity from the lesson plan.

Great Feelings Explorers!

You did a great job exploring feelings today! It's good to talk about how we feel.

Conclude by reminding students that talking about feelings helps. Ask them to share one feeling they learned or are feeling now. Thank them for participating.

lenny

Warm Up

Feelings Safari Warm-Up

Welcome to the Feelings Safari!

Hello, amazing explorers! Today, we are starting a very special adventure where we will learn all about feelings.

To begin our safari, let's think about this:

  • What do you think a feeling is?




lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Feelings Safari Cool-Down

Share Your Feeling!

Great job exploring feelings today, safari adventurers!

Before we finish, let's share one thing:

  • Name one feeling you learned about today OR one feeling you are feeling right now.




lenny
lenny

Lesson Plan

My Feelings Body: Where Do I Feel It?

Students will be able to identify where in their bodies they feel different emotions (happy, sad, mad, scared).

Connecting feelings to bodily sensations helps children develop greater self-awareness and provides early clues for emotional regulation. It helps them understand that feelings aren't just in their head.

Audience

Kindergarten Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Body mapping activity, discussion, and interactive scenarios.

Materials

My Feelings Body Slide Deck, My Feelings Body Worksheet, and Crayons or Markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

  • Review the My Feelings Body Slide Deck and the My Feelings Body Worksheet.
  • Print copies of the My Feelings Body Worksheet for each student.
  • Gather crayons or markers for the activity.
  • Ensure a comfortable and quiet space for the small group discussion and activity.

Step 1

Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling Today?

5 minutes

  • Greet students and briefly review last week's lesson: "Last time, we talked about different feelings like happy, sad, mad, and scared. Can anyone name one?"
  • Ask: "How are you feeling right now?" (Brief check-in, allow 1-2 responses).

Step 2

Introducing Feelings in Our Bodies

10 minutes

  • Use the My Feelings Body Slide Deck to explain that feelings don't just happen in our heads; we can feel them in our bodies.
  • Introduce examples: "When I'm happy, I feel light and bouncy in my legs!" "When I'm scared, my tummy might feel fluttery."
  • For each feeling (happy, sad, mad, scared), ask students where they might feel it in their body (e.g., mad face, tight hands; sad slump, heavy heart).

Step 3

My Feelings Body Worksheet Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute the My Feelings Body Worksheet and crayons/markers.
  • Instruct students to draw or color where they feel happy, sad, mad, and scared in their body outline.
  • Circulate and provide support, asking open-ended questions like: "Where do you feel happy? What color would that be?"

Step 4

Cool-Down: Share Your Body Feeling

5 minutes

  • Ask a few students to share one feeling and where they drew it on their body. "Who wants to share where they feel happy?"
  • Emphasize that everyone feels feelings in different ways in their body, and it's important to notice these clues.
  • Remind them that noticing these clues can help them understand their feelings better.
lenny

Slide Deck

Where Do I Feel My Feelings?

Today, we're going to explore where we feel feelings in our bodies!

Greet students and briefly review Lesson 1 feelings. Ask: "Last time, we talked about different feelings like happy, sad, mad, and scared. Can anyone name one?" Then transition to today's topic by asking, "How are you feeling right now?"

Feelings in Our Bodies

Our bodies give us clues about how we're feeling.

Let's see where different feelings might show up!

Explain that feelings aren't just in our heads, but we can feel them in our bodies! Give a simple example: "When I'm happy, I feel light and bouncy in my legs!"

Happy Body

When you are happy, your body might feel...

  • A big smile on your face
  • Light and bouncy feet
  • A warm feeling in your tummy

Discuss happy: "When you're happy, where do you feel it? Maybe a big smile on your face? Bouncy legs?" Encourage students to share and demonstrate.

Sad Body

When you are sad, your body might feel...

  • Tears in your eyes
  • A heavy feeling in your chest
  • Shoulders might slump down

Discuss sad: "Where do you feel sad? Maybe a droopy mouth? A heavy feeling in your chest?" Encourage students to show what sad looks like in their bodies.

Mad Body

When you are mad, your body might feel...

  • A scrunched face or frown
  • Tight hands or fists
  • A hot feeling in your head

Discuss mad: "Where does mad show up? Maybe tight fists? A scrunched-up face?" Emphasize that it's okay to feel mad, and we'll learn safe ways to show it.

Scared Body

When you are scared, your body might feel...

  • A fluttery or 'jiggly' tummy
  • Wide eyes
  • Wanting to hide

Discuss scared: "Where do you feel scared? Maybe a fluttery tummy? Wide eyes?" Reassure them it's normal to feel scared sometimes.

Let's Draw Our Feelings!

Now it's your turn!

We will use a special worksheet to draw where we feel happy, sad, mad, and scared in our bodies.

Transition to the worksheet activity. Explain they will draw where they feel these feelings on their own body outline.

Great Body Detectives!

You are great at being feelings detectives!

Noticing how our bodies feel helps us know what feelings are inside us.

Conclude by reiterating that paying attention to our body clues helps us understand our feelings. Ask a few students to share from their worksheet. Thank them for their hard work.

lenny