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Your Emotional Bank Account

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Lesson Plan

Your Emotional Bank Account

Students will identify three 'deposit' behaviors that build positive relationships.

This lesson helps students understand how their actions affect others, fostering empathy and stronger friendships.

Audience

2nd Grade

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, brainstorming, role-play, and a game.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Slide Deck: Your Emotional Bank Account, Worksheet: Deposits and Withdrawals T-Chart, Discussion: Relationship Role-Play Scenarios, Paper for 'Thank You Notes', Pencils/Crayons, and Game: Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduce 'Emotional Bank Account' Metaphor

10 minutes

  1. Introduce the concept: Begin by asking students if they know what a bank is. Explain that banks hold money, and we make deposits and withdrawals.
    2. Connect to emotions: Introduce the idea of an "Emotional Bank Account" that we have with people. Explain that instead of money, we deposit good feelings and withdraw not-so-good feelings.
    3. Visual Aid: Use Slide 1 and Slide 2 from the Slide Deck: Your Emotional Bank Account to illustrate the metaphor.

Step 2

Brainstorm: Deposits and Withdrawals

15 minutes

  1. Group Brainstorm: Ask students, "What kinds of things do we 'deposit' into someone's emotional bank account to make them feel good?" (e.g., helping, kind words, sharing). Record ideas on chart paper or whiteboard.
    2. Group Brainstorm: Then ask, "What kinds of things are 'withdrawals' that might make someone feel sad or upset?" (e.g., yelling, not sharing, saying mean things). Record these ideas.
    3. Worksheet Activity: Distribute the Worksheet: Deposits and Withdrawals T-Chart. Have students independently (or in pairs) write down their own examples of deposits and withdrawals. Discuss some examples as a class. Use Slide 3 and Slide 4 to guide this activity.

Step 3

'Making Deposits' Role-Play

15 minutes

  1. Introduce Role-Play: Explain that practicing how to make deposits can help us in real life.
    2. Scenario Practice: Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with a scenario from the Discussion: Relationship Role-Play Scenarios.
    3. Act it Out: Each group will role-play their scenario, focusing on how to make a positive deposit. Circulate to provide support and feedback.
    4. Share Out: Have a few groups share their role-plays with the class. Discuss the deposit behaviors observed. Use Slide 5 and Slide 6 for context.

Step 4

Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash Game

10 minutes

  1. Explain the Game: Introduce the Game: Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash as a fun way to practice identifying deposits.
    2. Play the Game: Facilitate the game according to its instructions. Emphasize teamwork and identifying positive behaviors.
    3. Debrief: Briefly discuss what students learned during the game and how it relates to making deposits in real life. Use Slide 7 to introduce the game.

Step 5

'Thank You Note' Activity

10 minutes

  1. Reflect on Relationships: Ask students to think about someone in their life (a friend, family member, teacher) who has made a lot of "deposits" in their emotional bank account.
    2. Write a Note: Provide students with paper to write a short thank you note to that person, specifically mentioning a

Step 6

Share and Close

5 minutes

  1. Optional Sharing: Allow a few students to share who they wrote their note to and why (without revealing personal details if they prefer not to).
    2. Recap: Reiterate the importance of making deposits in our emotional bank accounts with others. Remind them that small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
    3. Cool Down: Use the Cool Down: Emotional Deposit Exit Ticket to assess understanding. Use Slide 8 for a concluding thought.
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Slide Deck

Your Emotional Bank Account

How do our actions affect our friendships and feelings?

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about what a bank is.

What's a Bank Account?

💰 Deposits: Putting money IN
💸 Withdrawals: Taking money OUT

Explain a regular bank account. Deposits put money in, withdrawals take money out. Keep it simple and relatable for 2nd graders.

Your Emotional Bank Account

With friends, family, and teachers, we make:
😊 Deposits: Good feelings, kindness
😔 Withdrawals: Sad feelings, unkindness

Introduce the metaphor of an emotional bank account. Explain that instead of money, we deposit good feelings and withdraw not-so-good feelings. Emphasize that we have an emotional bank account with everyone we know.

Deposits & Withdrawals Brainstorm

What makes someone feel good? What makes someone feel not-so-good?

Facilitate a class brainstorm. Ask students for examples of actions that make others feel good (deposits) and actions that make others feel bad (withdrawals). Link this to the Worksheet: Deposits and Withdrawals T-Chart.

Making Deposits!

How can we make others feel good?
💪 Being a good friend
🤝 Helping others
🗣️ Using kind words

Transition to the idea of actively making deposits. Explain that we can choose to do things that build up our emotional bank accounts with others. Introduce the role-play activity found in Discussion: Relationship Role-Play Scenarios.

Let's Practice!

Role-play scenarios to practice making deposits.

Prepare students for the role-play activity. Remind them to think about how their actions and words impact others.

Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash!

A fun game to practice identifying deposits!

Introduce the game. Explain that the game will help them quickly identify deposit behaviors. Refer to the Game: Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash instructions.

Be a Deposit Maker!

Every day, choose to make deposits in others' emotional bank accounts!

Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the main message: our actions have consequences for our relationships. Encourage them to be mindful of making deposits every day. Mention the Cool Down: Emotional Deposit Exit Ticket.

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Worksheet

Deposits and Withdrawals T-Chart

Think about your relationships with friends, family, and teachers. What actions make people feel good (deposits), and what actions might make them feel not-so-good (withdrawals)?

My Emotional Bank Account

Deposits (Makes People Feel Good!)Withdrawals (Makes People Feel Not-So-Good!)




























































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Discussion

Relationship Role-Play Scenarios

Work in your groups to act out these scenarios. Think about how you can make a "deposit" in the other person's emotional bank account!

Scenario 1: Sharing Toys

Characters: Two friends, Alex and Ben, are playing with building blocks. Alex has a special red block that Ben really wants to use.

Task: Show how Alex can make a deposit when Ben asks for the red block.












Scenario 2: A Friend is Sad

Characters: Two friends, Chloe and Mia. Chloe looks sad because she dropped her ice cream.

Task: Show how Mia can make a deposit to help Chloe feel better.












Scenario 3: Working Together

Characters: Two classmates, David and Emily, are working on a puzzle together. David is trying to put a piece in the wrong spot.

Task: Show how Emily can make a deposit by helping David in a kind way.












Scenario 4: Apologizing

Characters: Two friends, Sarah and Liam. Sarah accidentally bumped into Liam and made him drop his book.

Task: Show how Sarah can make a deposit by apologizing sincerely.












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Game

Emotional Bank Account Deposit Dash!

Goal: Be the first team to collect 5 "Deposit" cards by correctly identifying positive actions!

Materials:

  • Scenario cards (see below)
  • Two small baskets or containers (labeled "Deposit" and "Withdrawal")
  • Scoreboard or tally on the whiteboard

How to Play:

  1. Divide into Teams: Split the class into two or three teams.
  2. Scenario Reader: The teacher will read one scenario card at a time.
  3. Team Discussion: Each team will quickly discuss whether the action in the scenario is a "deposit" or a "withdrawal" into someone's emotional bank account.
  4. Signal and Answer: The first team to raise their hand and correctly identify if it's a "deposit" or "withdrawal" gets a point. If they correctly identify it as a "deposit," they get to explain why it's a deposit.
  5. Collect Deposits: If a team correctly identifies a "deposit" scenario and explains why, they get to symbolically put a "deposit" card (or a small token) into their team's "Deposit" basket.
  6. First to Five: The first team to collect 5 "Deposit" cards wins the "Deposit Dash"!

Scenario Cards (Cut these out!)

  • Card 1: Your friend drops all their books. You help them pick them up. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 2: Your classmate is telling a story. You interrupt them to tell your own story. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 3: You see someone sitting alone at lunch. You ask them if they want to join your group. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 4: Your sibling takes your toy without asking. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 5: Your teacher gives you a compliment on your hard work. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 6: Someone is trying to share their snack with you, but you say, "Ew, no thanks!" Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 7: You draw a picture for your grandma just to make her smile. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 8: Your friend is struggling with a math problem. You offer to show them how you figured it out. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 9: You call someone a mean name because you are angry. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



  • Card 10: You tell your parents you love them. Is this a deposit or a withdrawal?



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Cool Down

Emotional Deposit Exit Ticket

Name: ________________________

  1. What is one way you can make a "deposit" in someone's emotional bank account today?





  2. Why is it important to make deposits in our relationships?










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