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What’s Your Mood Vision?

Lesson Plan

Mood Mapping Lesson Plan

Students will identify and articulate various emotions by visually mapping and creatively expressing their mood, expanding emotional vocabulary and self-awareness.

Helps third graders recognize, name, and discuss feelings, strengthening self-awareness and supporting SEL skills essential for healthy social interactions.

Audience

3rd Grade Class

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Creative visualization and discussion

Materials

Prep

Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Emoji Icebreaker

5 minutes

  • Distribute Emoji Icebreaker Cards randomly to students
  • Ask each student to show their emoji and share a time they felt that way
  • Invite classmates to guess the emotion and offer examples of when they’ve felt it

Step 2

Introduction to Emotions

7 minutes

  • Display the feeling wheel from Feelings Visualization Slides
  • Define several common emotions and invite students to describe situations when they’ve felt each
  • Record student ideas on chart paper for reference

Step 3

Mood Mapping Activity

15 minutes

  • Hand out copies of the feeling wheel from the slides
  • Students color or label each section with faces, words, or colors that match emotions they recognize
  • Circulate, asking questions like “Why does that color represent happiness?”

Step 4

Mood Vision Board Creation

12 minutes

  • Provide each student a Mood Vision Board Template and art supplies
  • Students create a collage of images, words, or drawings representing their current mood vision
  • Encourage creativity and stress there is no right or wrong way

Step 5

One-Word Reflection

6 minutes

  • Distribute One-Word Reflection Sheets
  • Students write a single word that captures how they feel now and draw a small icon
  • Invite volunteers to share their word and explain why (optional)
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Slide Deck

Feelings Visualization

Let’s explore our feelings through colors and images! Today we’ll learn about different emotions and map them on a feeling wheel.

Welcome students! Today we're going to explore all the different feelings we have and learn how to map them using colors and words. Encourage curiosity and remind them that all feelings are okay.

Feeling Wheel

[Insert Feeling Wheel Image Here]

This wheel shows many emotions. Each colored slice represents a different feeling.

Display a large image of the feeling wheel (projected or printed). Point to each slice and explain that it shows a wide range of emotions, from positive to negative.

Common Emotions

  • Happy: Feeling joy or gladness
  • Sad: Feeling down or upset
  • Angry: Feeling mad or frustrated
  • Scared: Feeling afraid or nervous
  • Calm: Feeling peaceful and relaxed
  • Excited: Feeling enthusiastic and eager

Read each emotion definition aloud. Ask students for a quick thumbs-up if they’ve felt that way recently. Clarify any questions.

Emotion Examples

  • Happy: Getting a hug from a friend
  • Sad: Losing a favorite toy
  • Angry: Waiting too long for a turn
  • Scared: Hearing a loud noise
  • Calm: Reading quietly by yourself
  • Excited: Planning for a special event

Invite volunteers to share a time they felt one of these emotions. Write brief notes of their examples on chart paper.

Mood Mapping Activity

  1. Take your feeling wheel copy.
  2. Pick a color or draw a face for each emotion.
  3. Color or label each slice to match how you feel.
  4. Be ready to share why you chose each color or face.

Walk students through each step and model coloring one slice yourself. Emphasize there’s no right or wrong choice.

Next Steps

We’ll now use our mood maps to make Mood Vision Boards. Gather your art supplies and templates to start.

Explain that next they will use these maps to create personal mood vision boards. Ask them to gather art supplies.

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Warm Up

Emoji Icebreaker

A quick activity to introduce emotional vocabulary and get students comfortable sharing feelings.

Materials:

  • Printed Emoji Icebreaker Cards (cards showing faces for happy, sad, angry, scared, calm, excited)

Preparation (5 minutes):

Instructions (5 minutes):

  1. Distribute one emoji card to each student.
  2. Ask students to look at their emoji, name the emotion, and think of a time they felt that way.
  3. In turns, have each student show their emoji, state the emotion it represents, and share their example.
  4. Optionally, classmates can guess the emotion before the student explains.




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Activity

Mood Vision Boards Template

Objective: Create a personal collage that captures your current mood using colors, words, and images.

Materials:

  • Printed Mood Vision Board Template
  • Magazines or printed pictures
  • Scissors and glue
  • Colored markers or crayons

1. My Mood Title

Write a short title that describes how you feel right now.




2. Mood Color & Word

a. Choose a color that best represents your mood and color the big circle below.

( )




b. Write three words that match this mood:




3. Images & Doodles

Cut out or draw pictures, symbols, or doodles that show your mood vision. Glue or sketch them in the space below.






4. Mood Sentence

Finish this sentence:
“I feel ___________ because ___________.”





Extension (Optional): Share your Mood Vision Board with a partner. Explain why you chose each color, word, and image.

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Cool Down

One-Word Reflection

Take a moment to reflect on how you feel at the end of today's lesson.

  1. Choose one word that best describes your mood right now.

Word: ___________________




2. Draw a small icon or symbol that shows this feeling.







(Optional) Share your word and drawing with a partner or the class.

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