Lesson Plan
Understanding Emotional Vocabulary Lesson Plan
Students will learn to identify, understand, and use a broad range of emotion words to express feelings accurately, fostering self-awareness and empathetic communication.
Building emotional vocabulary empowers students to articulate complex feelings, improves peer relationships, and supports social-emotional growth and mental well-being.
Audience
Grades 3-5
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive games, discussions, and reflections.
Materials
- Emotional Vocabulary Slide Deck, - Feelings Flashcards, - Emotion Charades Cards, - Reflection Worksheet: My Emotion Map, - Whiteboard and markers, and - Sticky notes
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Emotional Vocabulary Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with key terms and images.
- Print and cut out the Feelings Flashcards and Emotion Charades Cards.
- Make copies of the Reflection Worksheet: My Emotion Map.
- Arrange classroom seating for pair and group activities.
- Write 4–6 emotion words on the whiteboard as examples.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up
10 minutes
- Gather students in a circle and ask: “What does it mean to ‘feel an emotion’?”
- Invite volunteers to share common feeling words (happy, sad, angry).
- Write their responses on the whiteboard.
- Explain that today they’ll learn new words to describe feelings more precisely.
Step 2
Vocabulary Presentation
15 minutes
- Display the Emotional Vocabulary Slide Deck.
- Introduce 8–10 new emotion words (e.g., thrilled, frustrated, content).
- For each word, show an image and definition, then model using it in a sentence.
- Ask students to repeat the word and share a time they might feel that way.
Step 3
Feelings Flashcard Matching
10 minutes
- Distribute the Feelings Flashcards to pairs.
- Each pair shuffles and lays cards face down.
- Players take turns flipping two cards: one with a word, one with an image/definition.
- If they match, they keep the pair; if not, flip back.
- Continue until all matches are found, then discuss challenging words.
Step 4
Emotion Charades
10 minutes
- Divide students into small groups of 4–5.
- Give each group a set of Emotion Charades Cards.
- One student acts out the emotion without words; peers guess using the precise vocabulary.
- Rotate until each student has acted out or guessed at least once.
- Debrief: Which new words were easiest or hardest?
Step 5
Reflection Activity
10 minutes
- Hand out the Reflection Worksheet: My Emotion Map.
- Students choose 3 new emotion words, draw or write a scenario when they’ve felt each.
- Encourage them to add synonyms or related feelings.
- Circulate and prompt deeper thinking with questions (e.g., “Why did you feel this way?”).
Step 6
Closing & Share-Out
5 minutes
- Invite a few volunteers to share one new emotion word and their scenario.
- Reinforce how naming feelings helps us understand ourselves and others.
- Encourage students to use at least one new word today during class or at home.
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Slide Deck
Emotional Vocabulary: Words Matter
Unlock the power of precise emotion words to share your feelings clearly.
Welcome, everyone! Today we’re exploring new emotion words to help us share exactly how we feel. Get ready to learn and have fun.
Objectives
• Learn 8 new emotion words
• Understand each word’s meaning
• Practice using them in sentences
Introduce the lesson goals. Explain that knowing these words will help them describe their feelings better.
What Is Emotional Vocabulary?
Emotional vocabulary is the set of words we use to describe how we feel. The more words we know, the better we can express our emotions.
Define emotional vocabulary. Emphasize how naming feelings can help us understand ourselves and communicate with friends.
Thrilled
Definition: Very excited and pleased.
Example: "I was thrilled to get a new roller skate!"
Visual: Child jumping with joy.
Show image of a child jumping with excitement. Model: “I was thrilled when I saw the puppy!” Invite students to repeat and share a time they felt thrilled.
Frustrated
Definition: Feeling upset or annoyed because you can’t change or achieve something.
Example: "She felt frustrated when the puzzle piece didn’t fit."
Visual: Child frowning at a broken toy.
Show image of someone pulling at their hair or tapping their foot impatiently. Model a sentence and ask for student examples.
Content
Definition: Feeling calm happiness or satisfaction.
Example: "He felt content reading under a tree."
Visual: Child smiling while reading.
Display a calm face or relaxed scene. Guide students to use content in a sentence describing a peaceful moment.
Anxious
Definition: Feeling worried or nervous about what might happen.
Example: "I felt anxious before my piano recital."
Visual: Child glancing at a clock.
Show a worried face or child biting nails. Ask students if they’ve ever felt anxious before a test or performance.
Disappointed
Definition: Feeling sad because something didn’t happen as you hoped.
Example: "She was disappointed when the picnic rained out."
Visual: Child staring at gray clouds.
Illustrate with a child looking sad next to a broken balloon. Encourage students to share times they’ve felt disappointed.
Proud
Definition: Feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction in one’s achievements.
Example: "He felt proud after finishing the race."
Visual: Child holding up a ribbon.
Use an image of a child standing tall with a smile. Ask students what makes them proud.
Shy
Definition: Feeling nervous or awkward with new people or situations.
Example: "She felt shy when meeting her new teacher."
Visual: Child peeking around a corner.
Show a child hiding behind a book or peeking shyly. Discuss times students feel shy and how to use the word appropriately.
Curious
Definition: Eager to learn or know more about something.
Example: "He was curious about how ants build tunnels."
Visual: Child examining a leaf.
Display a child looking at a bug or exploring something new. Invite students to share something they’ve been curious about.
Summary & Next Steps
Great work! Today you learned 8 new emotion words:
Thrilled, Frustrated, Content, Anxious,
Disappointed, Proud, Shy, Curious
Try using one in class or at home today.
Review all words quickly. Encourage students to choose one word to use today and share later.
Activity
Activity: Emotion Charades
Objective: Reinforce and recall new emotion vocabulary by acting out and guessing feelings, building non-verbal communication and word retention.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials:
- Emotion Charades Cards
- Timer or stopwatch
- Container or bag for cards
Setup (2 minutes):
- Print and cut out the Emotion Charades Cards.
- Place all cards in a container or bag at each group’s station.
- Arrange desks or chairs to create space for students to stand and move.
Instructions:
-
Group Setup
Divide students into small groups of 4–5. Ensure each group has their container of charades cards. -
Draw & Act
One student per group draws a card without showing it to teammates. They read the emotion word silently. Start the timer for 1 minute. The actor uses only gestures and facial expressions (no words or sounds) to convey the emotion. -
Guessing
Teammates call out guesses using precise emotion vocabulary. When someone names the correct word, the actor nods to confirm. Each correct guess earns the group 1 point. -
Rotate Roles
After a correct guess or when time runs out, the next student clockwise becomes the actor. Continue until each student has acted at least once or time is up.
Variations:
- Synonym Challenge: After guessing the main word, teammates offer a synonym for extra credit.
- Whole-Class Charades: Select one actor for the whole class. First student who guesses correctly earns a point for their table group.
Debrief (2 minutes):
- Gather students and ask:
• Which emotion words were easiest to act?
• Which were hardest to convey non-verbally?
• How did gestures and facial expressions help you remember the word? - Encourage students to share one charade moment and link it back to real-life experiences.
Use this game to cement understanding and make emotion words stick through movement and play!