Students will be able to identify and name their current emotional state by comparing it to different weather phenomena and recognize that emotions, like weather, are constantly changing.
Understanding and naming emotions is the first step towards self-management and self-calming. By relating emotions to weather, students gain a familiar metaphor to articulate their inner experiences, fostering emotional literacy and empathy.
Audience
4th Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Through a metaphor of a weather report, students will explore emotions, discuss, and reflect.
Review the Mindful Meteorology Presentation to familiarize yourself with the slides and teacher notes. - Print enough copies of the My Emotional Thermometer Chart for each student. - Print enough copies of the Daily Forecast Reflection Prompts for each student. - Ensure projector/Smartboard is ready for the presentation. - Gather markers or colored pencils for the activity. - Review all generated materials as needed.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Inner Check-In (5 minutes)
5 minutes
Begin by asking students to close their eyes (if comfortable) or gaze softly at the floor. - Guide them through a quick body scan, asking them to notice how their body feels, without judgment. - Ask: "What kind of 'weather' do you feel inside right now? Is it sunny, cloudy, a little stormy? No need to share out loud yet, just notice."
Display the first slide of the Mindful Meteorology Presentation. - Introduce the concept of "inner weather" as a metaphor for our emotions and internal state. - Explain that just like outside weather changes, our inner weather changes too. - Facilitate a brief discussion using prompts: "Why do you think our feelings are like weather? What happens when the weather changes outside? How does that feel when our feelings change inside?"
Step 3
Exploring Emotional Forecasts (15 minutes)
15 minutes
Go through the subsequent slides of the Mindful Meteorology Presentation, discussing different weather types and the emotions they might represent. - For example: Sunny = joyful, calm; Cloudy = thoughtful, confused; Rainy = sad, gloomy; Stormy = angry, overwhelmed. - Distribute the My Emotional Thermometer Chart. - Instruct students to draw or write examples of how different emotional weather might look or feel for them personally on their charts.
Step 4
Mindful Moments: Calming the Storm (10 minutes)
10 minutes
Transition to discussing self-calming strategies. - Ask: "If your inner weather is stormy, what can you do to help calm it down?" - Introduce simple mindfulness techniques (e.g., deep breaths, counting, noticing 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste). - Practice one or two of these techniques as a class.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Daily Forecast Reflection (5 minutes)
5 minutes
Distribute the Daily Forecast Reflection Prompts. - Ask students to complete the prompts, reflecting on their inner weather and one strategy they can use to manage it. - Conclude by reminding students that it's okay for their inner weather to change, and they have tools to navigate it.
Slide Deck
Your Inner Weather Report
How do you feel today, inside?
Just like the weather outside, our feelings can change. Today, we'll become "Mindful Meteorologists" of our own emotions!
Welcome students and prepare them for a mindful moment. Set a calm and quiet tone for the start of the lesson. Explain that they will be exploring their feelings and how they change, just like weather.
What is 'Inner Weather'?
It's how you feel inside!
Sometimes you might feel:
Sunny and bright ☀️
Cloudy and thoughtful ☁️
A little rainy and sad 🌧️
Stormy and strong ⛈️
Introduce the central metaphor. Emphasize that all types of weather (and emotions) are normal and okay. The goal is to notice and understand them.
Sunny Days: Joy & Calm
When your inner weather is sunny, you might feel:
Happy 😊
Peaceful 🧘
Energized ✨
Kind towards others 🤗
What makes your inner weather sunny?
Discuss
Cloudy Skies: Thoughtful & Confused
When your inner weather is cloudy, you might feel:
Confused 🤔
Puzzled 🤨
Quiet 🤫
A little unsure 🤷
What might make your inner weather cloudy?
Discuss
Rainy Days: Sadness & Gloom
When your inner weather is rainy, you might feel:
Sad 😥
Disappointed 😔
Tired 😴
Like you need a hug 🤗
What might make your inner weather rainy?
Discuss
Stormy Weather: Anger & Overwhelm
When your inner weather is stormy, you might feel:
Angry 😠
Frustrated 😤
Overwhelmed 🤯
Like you want to shout 🗣️
What might make your inner weather stormy?
Discuss
Weather Changes, Feelings Change
Just like the weather forecast changes daily, your inner weather changes too!
It's okay for your feelings to change. The more we notice our feelings, the better we can understand ourselves.
Emphasize that weather changes, and so do our feelings. Introduce the idea that we can learn to understand and respond to our inner weather. Transition to the activity.
Your Emotional Thermometer Chart
Time to become a Mindful Meteorologist!
On your chart, you'll show what different kinds of emotional weather look and feel like for YOU.
Use drawings, words, and colors!
Introduce the 'Emotional Thermometer Chart' activity. Explain that they will be creating their own visual representation of their emotional weather.
Calming Your Inner Storm
What do you do when the weather outside is too hot, too cold, or too stormy?
What can you do when your inner weather feels uncomfortable?
This slide sets up the next section on self-calming. Ask students to think about what they do when they feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed. Facilitate a brief discussion before introducing specific techniques.
Mindful Breathing: Your Anchor
One powerful tool is mindful breathing.
Taking deep breaths can help calm a stormy mind and bring sunshine back.
Let's try it!
Introduce mindful breathing as a simple and effective self-calming tool. Lead a short practice session (e.g., star breathing, belly breathing).
Grounding: Finding Your Calm
Another tool is to use your senses:
5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can feel
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
This helps bring you back to the present moment!
Introduce the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. Guide students through a brief practice. Emphasize that these are tools they can use anytime, anywhere.
Your Daily Forecast Reflection
You are now a Mindful Meteorologist!
Use your journal to reflect on your inner weather and the tools you can use.
Remember, you have the power to understand and gently guide your feelings!
Explain the journal activity and encourage thoughtful reflection. Reiterate the main takeaway: understanding and managing emotions is a powerful skill.
Be Your Own Weather Person!
Keep checking in with your inner weather. You're learning to understand yourself better every day!
What's your forecast for the rest of the day?
End with a positive and empowering message. Encourage students to continue practicing mindfulness and checking their inner weather.
Activity
My Emotional Thermometer: What's Your Inner Weather?
Just like the weather outside changes, your feelings can change too! Use this chart to explore your inner weather.
Instructions:
Look at the thermometer. The bottom is cool and calm, and the top is hot and stormy.
Think about different feelings. What emotions fit into each level?
Draw or write what each level of inner weather might look or feel like for you.
Use colors to show the different temperatures of your feelings!
Just like we check the weather outside, it's helpful to check our inner weather to see how we are feeling!
My Inner Weather Report for Today:
What is your inner weather like right now? (Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, stormy, or a mix? You can draw a picture or describe it with words.)
What feelings are you experiencing with this inner weather? (List a few emotions you are feeling.)
What might have caused this inner weather today? (What happened or what are you thinking about that made you feel this way?)
If your inner weather feels uncomfortable (like a storm or heavy rain), what is one mindful tool you can use to help calm it or change it? (Think about deep breaths, noticing your senses, or something else that helps you.)
What is your inner weather forecast for the rest of the day? (Do you think it will stay the same, or will it change? What would you like your inner weather to be?)
