lenny

What's Your Inner Weather Report?

user image

Lesson Plan

Inner Weather Wisdom Lesson

Students will be able to identify and articulate their emotions using weather metaphors, enhancing emotional literacy and self-awareness.

Developing emotional literacy helps students understand themselves better, manage their feelings, and communicate their needs effectively to others, leading to healthier relationships and improved well-being.

Audience

Elementary School Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through engaging discussions, interactive slides, and creative activities, students will explore emotions as 'inner weather'.

Materials

Decoding Your Emotional Climate (slide-deck), Cloudy or Sunny Mood Check-in (warm-up), Weathering the Storm Scenarios (activity), and My Daily Emotional Forecast (journal)

Prep

Preparation Steps

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Cloudy or Sunny Mood Check-in

5 minutes

Begin the lesson with the Cloudy or Sunny Mood Check-in to gauge students' initial emotional states. Ask students to silently reflect on their 'inner weather.'

Step 2

Introduction: Decoding Your Emotional Climate

10 minutes

Present the Decoding Your Emotional Climate slide deck. Introduce the concept of emotions as 'inner weather' and discuss various weather metaphors for feelings (e.g., sunny for happy, stormy for angry, cloudy for sad). Facilitate a brief class discussion about how different 'weather' feels in their bodies and minds.

Step 3

Activity: Weathering the Storm Scenarios

20 minutes

Divide students into small groups. Distribute the Weathering the Storm Scenarios activity. Each group will read a scenario and discuss what 'inner weather' the character might be experiencing and how they could 'manage the weather.' Bring the class back together to share some of their scenarios and solutions.

Step 4

Wrap-Up: My Daily Emotional Forecast

10 minutes

Conclude the lesson by having students complete the My Daily Emotional Forecast journal entry. Encourage them to reflect on their own 'inner weather' at the moment and predict their 'forecast' for the rest of the day, including strategies to navigate any upcoming emotional 'weather changes.' Discuss as a class if time permits.

lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

What's Your Inner Weather Report?

How are you feeling inside today?
Just like outside, our feelings can change!

Welcome students and introduce the idea of emotions being like weather. Ask them to think about how different weather makes them feel.

Emotions are Like Weather!

Sometimes we feel:

  • ☀️ Sunny (happy, joyful, excited)
  • ☁️ Cloudy (a little sad, calm, thoughtful)
  • ⛈️ Stormy (angry, frustrated, upset)
  • ☔ Rainy (gloomy, tearful, disappointed)
  • 🌬️ Windy (anxious, restless, energetic)

Explain that we can use weather words to describe our feelings. Give examples of how 'sunny' might feel happy, 'cloudy' might feel sad, etc.

Check Your Inner Forecast

What's the weather like inside you right now?

  • Is it sunny and bright?
  • A bit cloudy?
  • Maybe a little stormy?

Think about how your body feels with each type of weather.

Ask students to consider what kind of weather they might be feeling right now. Encourage them to connect physical sensations with emotional states.

Weather Changes, Feelings Change

Good news! Your inner weather can change!

  • A cloudy day can become sunny.
  • A storm can pass.

It's okay for your feelings to change throughout the day!

Discuss that just like real weather, our emotional weather changes. It's okay to feel different things, and feelings don't last forever.

How to "Weather" Your Feelings

When your inner weather gets tough, what can you do?

  • Sunny? Share your joy!
  • Cloudy? Talk to a friend, draw, or listen to music.
  • Stormy? Take deep breaths, count to ten, or ask for help.
  • Rainy? Give yourself a hug, ask for comfort, or write in a journal.

What helps you feel better?

Introduce simple strategies for managing different 'weather' conditions. Connect these to the idea of self-care and coping mechanisms.

You're a Weather Expert!

You are learning to be an expert at understanding your own feelings!

Knowing your inner weather helps you:

  • Understand yourself better
  • Know what you need
  • Tell others how you feel

Recap the main idea and transition to the activity or journal. Emphasize that understanding their feelings helps them and others.

lenny

Warm Up

Cloudy or Sunny Mood Check-in

Instructions: Think about how you are feeling inside right now. If your mood were a type of weather, what would it be? Draw a picture or write a few words about your inner weather today.













Share with a partner (optional): Describe your inner weather report to a classmate. Why did you choose that type of weather?

lenny
lenny

Activity

Weathering the Storm Scenarios

Instructions: Read each scenario with your group. Discuss these questions for each scenario:

  • What kind of "inner weather" do you think the person in the story is feeling?
  • What could the person do to "weather the storm" or change their inner weather to something calmer or sunnier?

Scenario 1: The Missing Toy

Leo was building a tall tower with his favorite blocks. He went to get a drink of water, and when he came back, his little sister Maya was playing with his special red block! He felt his face get hot and a growl start in his tummy.

Inner Weather:


How to Weather the Storm:





Scenario 2: The Hard Puzzle

Sophia was trying to put together a puzzle with 100 pieces. She had been working on it for a long time, and some pieces just weren't fitting. She started to feel very frustrated and wanted to just push all the pieces off the table.

Inner Weather:


How to Weather the Storm:





Scenario 3: New Kid Nerves

Today was David's first day at a new school. He walked into the classroom and saw many new faces. He felt a flutter in his stomach and his hands got a little sweaty. He really wanted to make friends but felt shy.

Inner Weather:


How to Weather the Storm:





Scenario 4: Best Friend Argument

Lily and her best friend, Chloe, usually played together at recess. Today, Chloe told Lily she wanted to play with another friend instead. Lily felt a big lump in her throat and her eyes started to sting.

Inner Weather:


How to Weather the Storm:





lenny
lenny

Journal

My Daily Emotional Forecast

Instructions: Think about your inner weather today and what you predict for tomorrow. Fill in your emotional forecast below.

Today's Inner Weather Report

What kind of weather describes your feelings right now? (e.g., sunny, cloudy, stormy, rainy, windy)

My Inner Weather Today:


Why do you feel this way? What happened or what are you thinking about?







Tomorrow's Emotional Forecast

What kind of inner weather do you predict for yourself tomorrow? Do you want it to be sunny? Calm? Why?

My Inner Weather Forecast for Tomorrow:


What are some things you can do to help create that inner weather, or to manage any unexpected emotional storms?













lenny
lenny
What's Your Inner Weather Report? • Lenny Learning