Lesson Plan
What’s on Your Mind? Lesson Plan
Students will identify and articulate their current emotions, expanding emotional vocabulary and self-awareness through interactive activities and reflection.
Building emotional awareness helps students express feelings, supports a positive classroom climate, and fosters self-regulation skills.
Audience
5th Grade Class
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive activities and guided reflection.
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Review Emotions Explorer Slides
- Print and cut out Mood Check-In Cards
- Make copies of Feelings Mapping Exercise for each student
- Prepare enough Exit-Emotion Reflection forms
Step 1
Warm-Up: Mood Check-In
5 minutes
- Distribute Mood Check-In Cards face down on desks
- Ask each student to pick one card that best represents how they feel right now
- In pairs, have students share why they chose their card
Step 2
Introduction: Emotions Explorer Presentation
5 minutes
- Display Emotions Explorer Slides on the screen
- Briefly introduce each key emotion, showing facial cues and body signals
- Ask the class to share examples of when they’ve felt each emotion
Step 3
Main Activity: Feelings Mapping Exercise
15 minutes
- Hand out the Feelings Mapping Exercise worksheet to each student
- Instruct students to draw or label where they feel selected emotions in their bodies
- Encourage use of vocabulary from the slides and personal examples
- Circulate to support and ask probing questions
Step 4
Cool-Down: Exit-Emotion Reflection
5 minutes
- Give each student an Exit-Emotion Reflection form
- Prompt students to note one emotion they feel now, why, and one strategy to manage it
- Collect reflections or invite a few volunteers to share one insight
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Slide Deck
Emotions Explorer
Welcome to our Emotions Explorer! Today, we will learn about different emotions and how to recognize them in ourselves and our classmates.
Welcome the class and introduce the purpose of today’s lesson: exploring emotions. Explain that we will learn to recognize emotions in ourselves and others.
What Are Emotions?
Emotions are feelings we experience in response to events or thoughts. They influence how we think, behave, and interact with others.
Define emotions in simple terms and connect to students’ experiences. Ask for a few volunteers to name an emotion they felt recently.
Happy
• Definition: Feeling joy or pleasure
• Facial cues: Smiling, eyes that crinkle
• Body cues: Relaxed posture, open arms
Show a photo of someone smiling. Ask students to make a happy face and share a time they felt happy.
Sad
• Definition: Feeling sorrow or unhappiness
• Facial cues: Downturned mouth, drooping eyes
• Body cues: Slumped shoulders, slow movements
Display an image of someone looking downcast. Discuss how you can offer support when someone feels sad.
Angry
• Definition: Feeling upset or irritated
• Facial cues: Furrowed brow, clenched jaw
• Body cues: Tense muscles, tight fists
Ask students what situations might make someone angry. Talk through healthy ways to calm down when angry.
Scared
• Definition: Feeling fear or worry
• Facial cues: Wide eyes, raised eyebrows
• Body cues: Stiff posture, trembling
Provide a scenario (e.g., dark room) and ask students how their body reacts when scared. Demonstrate a scared expression.
Surprised
• Definition: Feeling startled or amazed
• Facial cues: Raised eyebrows, open mouth
• Body cues: Quick movements, a brief jump
Invite a volunteer to share a surprising moment. Compare pleasant versus unpleasant surprises.
Disgust
• Definition: Feeling strong dislike or revulsion
• Facial cues: Nose wrinkled, upper lip raised
• Body cues: Leaning or stepping away
Discuss examples of things that might cause disgust (bad smell, spoiled food). Emphasize personal differences.
Emotion Charades
Pick an emotion card, act it out without speaking, and let classmates guess which emotion it is.
Explain the rules: students pick a card, silently act out the emotion, and classmates guess. Model one example.
Reflection & Next Steps
Which emotion did you connect with most today? Next, we’ll map where we feel these emotions in our bodies.
Prompt students to reflect on which emotion stood out to them today. Introduce the next activity: Feelings Mapping Exercise.
Activity
Feelings Mapping Exercise Worksheet
Objective: Map where you feel different emotions in your body and reflect on physical cues.
Materials Needed:
- Printed worksheet with a blank body outline
- Colored pencils or markers
Instructions:
-
Identify Emotions: Below is a list of six emotions we explored. Think about when you have felt each one.
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Scared
- Surprised
- Disgust
-
Map Physical Sensations:
- On the body outline, draw an arrow from the emotion name to the part of the body where you feel it most.
- Write a short label describing the sensation (e.g., “butterflies in stomach,” “tight chest,” “warm cheeks”).
- Use a different color for each emotion to keep your map clear.
Example:
- When you feel angry, you might notice heat in your face and clenched fists. Draw arrows to your cheeks and hands and label them “warm face” and “tight hands.”
Reflection Questions
- Which emotion had the strongest physical sensation? Why do you think that is?
- Did any emotions share the same sensation or body part? What does that tell you about how you experience feelings?
- How can recognizing these physical cues help you manage your emotions in the future?
Turn in your completed worksheet when you’re finished.
Warm Up
Mood Check-In Cards
Printable Warm-Up Cards to Gauge Student Emotions
Print these cards double-sided, cut along the dotted lines, and distribute one to each student for today’s check-in.
Front Side: Emotion Icons & Labels
| 😊 Happy | 😢 Sad | 😡 Angry | 😨 Scared |
|---|---|---|---|
| 😲 Surprised | 🤢 Disgust | 😃 Excited | 😌 Calm |
Each cell above is one card. When printed, students will see an emoji and a word describing the mood.
Back Side: Student Reflection Space
Below each front-side icon, the back side has space for a quick note:
➤ Why I feel this way today:
(Students write 1–2 short sentences or draw a small picture to explain their mood.)
Usage Steps:
- Print page front-side and back-side (double-sided layout).
- Cut along the lines to create 8 individual cards.
- At the start of class, have students each select one card that matches their current mood.
- Students flip to the back, jot a quick note, then pair up or share with the class.
These cards help both teacher and classmates tune into everyone’s emotional state right at the start of class.
Cool Down
Exit-Emotion Reflection
Use this quick reflection to close out our session and recognize your feelings.
1. How am I feeling right now?
2. Why do I think I feel this way?
3. One strategy I can use to manage this emotion:
4. Additional thoughts or questions:
When you’re finished, hand this in or share one insight with the class.