Students will be able to identify and articulate their current emotional states using a weather metaphor.
Understanding personal emotions is foundational to self-awareness and helps students develop emotional literacy. This lesson provides a fun and accessible way for students to explore their feelings.
Audience
4th Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and a creative activity to explore emotional states.
Begin the class with the Daily Emotional Thermometer Check-in activity. - Ask students to silently reflect on how they are feeling today and choose a temperature/emotion. - Briefly discuss a few examples (e.g., "Who feels sunny today? Why?") to get students thinking about their emotions.
Step 2
Introduction to Emotional Weather (Slides 1-3)
10 minutes
Present the Emotional Forecast Presentation, starting with Slide 1. - Introduce the idea of emotions being like weather, constantly changing. - Discuss different weather types and brainstorm how they might relate to feelings (e.g., sunny = happy, rainy = sad, stormy = angry). Use Slides 2 and 3 to guide this discussion.
Distribute the My Emotional Weather Map Worksheet to each student. - Explain the worksheet, encouraging students to draw or write about different emotional "weather patterns" they experience. - Use Slides 4 and 5 of the Emotional Forecast Presentation to provide examples and guide their creativity. - Circulate around the room to offer support and answer questions.
Step 4
Sharing and Reflection
10 minutes
Invite students to share their "emotional weather maps" with a partner or the whole class (voluntary). - Facilitate a brief discussion using prompts like: "Did anyone have a similar 'weather forecast' to you?", "How can recognizing our inner weather help us?". - Emphasize that all emotions are okay and that understanding them is the first step to managing them.
Step 5
Cool Down: Wrap Up and Future Forecast
5 minutes
Conclude by asking students to think about one new way they can check their "inner weather" throughout the day. - Reiterate the importance of emotional literacy and self-awareness. - Thank students for their participation.
Slide Deck
Welcome! What's Your Inner Weather Report?
Today, we're going to explore our feelings like we check the weather!
Welcome students and introduce the concept of emotions being like weather. Ask them to think about how weather changes and how feelings also change.
Our Inner Weather
Our feelings are like the weather outside. They can change quickly!
Sunny?
Rainy?
Stormy?
Cloudy?
Explain that just like outside weather, our 'inner weather' (our feelings) can change throughout the day. Ask for examples of different types of weather.
Weathering Our Emotions
What does a 'sunny' feeling mean to you?
What about a 'stormy' feeling?
Sunny = Happy, Joyful, Calm
Rainy = Sad, Upset, Disappointed
Stormy = Angry, Frustrated, Furious
Cloudy = Confused, Worried, Shy
Connect specific weather types to emotions. Encourage student input on what different weather might 'feel' like emotionally.
Your Emotional Weather Map
It's time to create your own map of feelings! How does your 'inner weather' look today? What are some feelings you experience?
Introduce the 'My Emotional Weather Map' worksheet. Explain that students will create their own map of feelings.
Provide examples of how students can illustrate their feelings on the map. Emphasize that there's no right or wrong answer.
Keep Checking Your Forecast!
Knowing your inner weather helps you understand yourself better. It's okay for your weather to change! How will you check your emotional forecast today?
Conclude the presentation by reinforcing the main message: understanding our inner weather helps us navigate our feelings. Encourage students to keep checking their 'forecast'.
Warm Up
Daily Emotional Thermometer Check-in
Instructions: Today, we're going to think about our feelings using a 'thermometer' of emotions, or even like an 'inner weather report'. There are no right or wrong answers, just what you are truly feeling right now.
Take a moment to check in with yourself. How are you feeling as you walk into class today? Circle the option below that best describes your current 'inner weather'.
My Inner Weather Report Today Is:
Sunny and Bright (Feeling happy, excited, calm, joyful)
Partly Cloudy (Feeling a little tired, okay, neutral, a bit quiet)
Rainy or Gloomy (Feeling sad, disappointed, a bit down)
Windy or Breezy (Feeling restless, energetic, a little silly)
Stormy or Rumbly (Feeling angry, frustrated, upset, anxious)
Quick Share (Optional): If you feel comfortable, turn to a partner and briefly share what your 'inner weather' is and maybe one small reason why. You don't have to share if you don't want to!
Worksheet
My Emotional Weather Map
Just like the weather outside changes, our feelings can change too! We all have an "inner weather" that tells us how we are feeling. On this map, you get to draw or write about your emotional weather.
Instructions:
Draw your emotional weather: In the big space below, draw a map of your feelings. Think about different places on your map where different feelings might live. For example:
Sunny Shores: Where you feel happy, calm, or peaceful.
Rainy Rivers: Where you feel sad, a little disappointed, or gloomy.
Stormy Mountains: Where you feel angry, frustrated, or upset.
Cloudy Coasts: Where you feel confused, worried, or shy.
You can also add other "weather" like windy, foggy, snowy, etc., and connect them to feelings.
Label your feelings: Write down the emotion that each weather pattern or location on your map represents.
Add details: Use colors, symbols, or small drawings to make your map unique and show how these feelings look and feel to you.
Reflect and Share (Optional):
What is one thing you learned about your own emotional weather today?
