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Thought Bubbles

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Lesson Plan

What Are They Thinking Plan

Students will be able to identify and articulate the internal thoughts and feelings of characters in various social situations using visual aids.

Understanding what others might be thinking or feeling, even when they don't say it aloud, is a crucial social skill. It helps students navigate friendships, understand stories better, and respond appropriately in different situations.

Audience

4th Grade Student

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Visual aids and guided questioning to explore character perspectives.

Materials

Whiteboard or large paper, Markers, Picture & Thought Bubble Prompts, Match the Thought to the Face, and Understanding Character Thoughts

Prep

Gather Materials & Review Resources

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Are We Thinking?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking the student: "Have you ever wondered what someone else is thinking? Sometimes people don't say exactly what's on their mind, but we can often guess by looking at their face or how they're acting."
    - Explain that today's lesson will help them become
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Slide Deck

Welcome to Thought Bubbles!

Have you ever wondered what others are thinking?

Today, we'll learn to be 'thought detectives'!

Introduce the concept of thought bubbles as a way to see inside a character's head.

What's a Thought Bubble?

It's like a window into someone's mind!

Shows what a character is thinking or feeling.

Helps us understand why they act a certain way.

Explain what a thought bubble is and how it helps us understand characters.

Scenario 1: Lost Toy

Image: A child looking sad, holding an empty toy box.

Question: What do you think this child is thinking or feeling? Why?

Present the first scenario. Ask the student what they see and what the character might be thinking based on their expression and the situation.

Scenario 2: Birthday Cake

Image: A child looking excited at a large birthday cake.

Question: What thoughts might be going through their head? What makes you say that?

Present the second scenario. Encourage the student to think about different possibilities.

Scenario 3: Spilled Milk

Image: A child looking startled or upset at a spilled glass of milk.

Question: What could this child be thinking? What clues do you notice?

Present the third scenario. Prompt the student to consider the character's motivation.

Time to Match!

Now, let's put our detective skills to the test!

We will match thought bubbles to the right faces.

Transition to the activity by explaining that they will now match thought bubbles to faces.

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Activity

Match the Thought to the Face

Instructions: Look at each picture of a person's face (your teacher will provide these). Read the thought bubbles below. Draw a line from the thought bubble that best matches what you think the person in the picture is thinking or feeling.

Pictures of Faces (Teacher will provide or draw simple facial expressions for these scenarios)

  • Picture A: A child with a wide smile, eyes sparkling (representing happiness/excitement)
  • Picture B: A child with furrowed brows, a slight frown, and arms crossed (representing annoyance/frustration)
  • Picture C: A child looking down with a small frown, perhaps a tear in their eye (representing sadness/worry)
  • Picture D: A child with wide eyes and an open mouth, looking surprised or shocked (representing surprise/shock)

Thought Bubbles (Teacher to cut out individually and provide to student)

Thought Bubble 1

"Yay! I got a perfect score on my test!"




Thought Bubble 2

"This is so unfair! Why do I always have to go first?"




Thought Bubble 3

"I really miss my dog. I hope he feels better soon."




Thought Bubble 4

"Wow! I can't believe she did that!"

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Quiz

Understanding Character Thoughts

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Answer Key

Understanding Character Thoughts Answer Key

Question 1: Look at the picture. The girl has her arms crossed and is looking away. What do you think she is feeling? What might she be thinking? (Teacher to provide an image of a girl with crossed arms, looking away.)

Thought Process: The posture (crossed arms, looking away) often indicates defensiveness, anger, or withdrawal. The student should infer emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness. For thoughts, they might suggest phrases like, "I don't want to talk about it," "Leave me alone," or "This is unfair."

Sample Answer: The girl might be feeling angry, frustrated, or upset. She could be thinking, "I don't want to talk right now" or "This isn't fair."

Question 2: A boy tripped and dropped his ice cream. He has a sad look on his face. Which thought best matches his feelings?

Thought Process: A sad facial expression after dropping ice cream strongly suggests disappointment or regret. The best-fitting thought should reflect this immediate negative reaction to the event.

Correct Answer: "Oh no, my ice cream is gone!"

Question 3: Imagine your friend just got a new toy that you really wanted. Your friend is showing it to you with a big smile. What are you thinking if you are happy for your friend? What are you thinking if you are a little jealous?

Thought Process: This question assesses the ability to identify two contrasting perspectives on the same situation. For being happy, the thoughts should be positive and supportive. For jealousy, the thoughts should express desire for the toy or a sense of unfairness.

Sample Answer (Happy for friend): "That's awesome! I'm so glad you got it!" or "Can I play with it too?"

Sample Answer (Jealous): "I wish I had that toy" or "It's not fair, I wanted one."

Question 4: How easy or difficult was it to guess what the characters were thinking today?

Thought Process: This is a self-reflection question. The student's answer will indicate their perceived understanding and confidence in applying perspective-taking skills. There is no single

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