Lesson Plan
What Is My Body Telling Me?
Students will verbally identify and locate at least three different physical sensations in their body (e.g., fast heartbeat, tense hands, wiggly legs) during a guided body scan activity.
Understanding what our bodies tell us helps us know how we're feeling inside. This skill is important for managing emotions and taking care of ourselves.
Audience
2nd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Guided body scan and drawing activity to connect sensations with emotions.
Materials
Feelings & Bodies Slides, My Body Map Worksheet, Feelings Check-In Script, and Pencils or crayons
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review What Is My Body Telling Me? Lesson Plan and all linked materials to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
- Print enough copies of the My Body Map Worksheet for each student.
- Ensure the Feelings & Bodies Slides are ready to display.
Step 1
Connect & Label (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Begin with the 'Warm Up' slide from the Feelings & Bodies Slides and use the prompts from the Feelings Check-In Script to introduce the idea that our bodies give us clues about our feelings.
- Ask students to share a time their body told them something (e.g., stomach ache when nervous).
- Introduce the key concept: Body Awareness – noticing what's happening in our bodies.
Step 2
Guided Discovery (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Display the 'Guided Body Scan' slide from the Feelings & Bodies Slides.
- Lead students through a simplified body scan activity using the detailed instructions in the Feelings Check-In Script.
- Guide them to focus on different parts of their body and notice any Physical Sensations without judgment (e.g., 'Do your hands feel warm? Tingly? Still?').
- Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, just noticing.
Step 3
Practice & Share (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Distribute the My Body Map Worksheet and pencils/crayons.
- Instruct students to draw or write about at least three physical sensations they noticed on their body map. Encourage them to label where they felt it.
- Circulate and offer support, asking questions like, 'Where did you feel that wobbly feeling?'
- After a few minutes, invite students to share one sensation they identified and where they felt it. Reinforce that these are Emotional Clues.
Step 4
Reflect (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Display the 'Cool Down' slide from the Feelings & Bodies Slides.
- Ask students to complete the reflection questions on their My Body Map Worksheet or verbally share how paying attention to their bodies might help them understand their feelings better.
- Summarize that practicing Self-Observation helps us learn more about ourselves.
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Slide Deck
What Is My Body Telling Me?
Your body has feelings too!
Welcome students. Ask them if they've ever felt their stomach hurt when they were nervous or their heart beat fast when excited. Introduce the idea that our bodies give us clues about our feelings.
Guided Body Scan
Let's be body detectives!
Explain what a body scan is: a way to pay attention to different parts of our body, from our toes to our head. Tell them it's like a detective looking for clues.
Feeling Our Toes to Our Nose
What do you notice in your...
- Toes?
- Hands?
- Shoulders?
Lead the students through a short, guided body scan. Start with toes, then feet, legs, stomach, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, and finally head. For each part, ask them to notice if it feels warm, cool, tight, relaxed, wiggly, still, etc. (refer to script for specific prompts).
My Body Map
Draw or write what your body told you!
Introduce the My Body Map Worksheet. Explain that they will draw or write down 3 things their body told them and where they felt it. Encourage them to be specific.
Listen to Your Body!
What did you learn today about your body's clues?
How can listening to your body help you?
Ask students to share one sensation they identified. Reiterate that noticing these sensations helps us understand our feelings better. Conclude by encouraging them to keep listening to their bodies.
Worksheet
My Body Map: What Is My Body Telling Me?
Draw a picture of your body below. Then, think about the body scan we did. What feelings or sensations did you notice in different parts of your body? Draw or write about at least three different sensations and where you felt them!
### My Body Map
Example: I felt butterflies in my tummy when I was excited.
1. I felt...
2. I felt...
3. I felt...
### Reflect & Share!
1. What was one new thing you noticed about your body today?
2. How can listening to your body help you understand your feelings?
Script
Feelings Check-In Script
## Connect & Label (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today we're going to become body detectives. Has anyone ever felt their tummy rumble when they were hungry? Or maybe your heart beat really fast when you were super excited about something?"
(Pause for student responses and share a quick personal example if appropriate.)
Teacher: "That's your body telling you something! Our bodies are amazing at giving us clues about how we're feeling inside, even before our brains fully understand. We call this Body Awareness – just noticing what's happening inside our bodies. Today, we're going to practice listening to our bodies for clues."
Guided Discovery (10 minutes)
Teacher: "Now, let's try a special activity called a 'body scan.' This is where we quietly pay attention to different parts of our body, from our toes all the way up to our head. It's not about changing anything, just noticing. Find a comfortable way to sit, maybe with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting gently in your lap. You can close your eyes if that feels good, or just look softly at the floor."
(Speak slowly and calmly, pausing between each section.)
Teacher: "Let's start by noticing our feet. How do your toes feel right now? Are they wiggly, still, warm, or cool? Just notice.
"Now, bring your attention up to your legs. Do they feel strong, tired, or maybe a little bouncy?
"Move your attention to your tummy area. What do you notice here? Maybe it feels relaxed, or a little tight, or perhaps you feel some butterflies in there?
"Next, let's think about our hands. Are they open and relaxed, or maybe clenched tight? What about your arms? Do they feel heavy or light?
"Now, let's go up to our shoulders. Are they pushed up towards your ears, or are they relaxed and hanging low? Can you let them drop a little?
"What about your neck and face? Does your jaw feel tight, or can you let it relax a bit? What do you notice around your eyes?
"Take one more big, gentle breath in, and let it out slowly. When you're ready, you can gently open your eyes or lift your gaze."
Practice & Share (10 minutes)
Teacher: "Great job being body detectives! Now we're going to use our My Body Map Worksheet. On this paper, you'll see an outline of a body. Your job is to draw or write down at least three of the sensations you noticed during our body scan. You can show where you felt it and describe how it felt. For example, if you felt a 'wiggly' feeling in your legs, you could draw some wavy lines on the legs and write 'wiggly legs.' These are your Emotional Clues!"
(Circulate around the room, offering individual support and asking open-ended questions like: 'Tell me about what you noticed here.' 'What kind of feeling was that?' 'Where else did you feel something?')
Reflect (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Wonderful work, everyone! Let's take a moment to think about what we did. Look at your body map. Can someone share one sensation they noticed and where they felt it?"
(Call on a few students.)
Teacher: "Fantastic! So, how do you think listening to your body can help you understand your feelings better? Why is it important to pay attention to these Self-Observation clues from our bodies?"
(Allow a few students to share their reflections.)
Teacher: "You got it! By noticing what our bodies tell us, we can learn more about how we feel, and that helps us know what we might need. Keep listening to your amazing bodies!"