Why Teach Labeling Feelings?
This Elementary Labeling Feelings Lesson is a great first step for all young learners developing their social skills. Teaching students to label their feelings helps them express their emotions appropriately and enhances their social interactions. It also fosters empathy and self-awareness, which are critical for emotional regulation and mental health.
Elementary Labeling Feelings Lesson Plan
Objective:
Students will learn to identify and label their feelings through interactive activities and discussions.
Materials Needed:
- Feelings flashcards
- Whiteboard and markers
- Scenario cards
Introduction (10 minutes)
Start with a Discussion: Begin the lesson by discussing what feelings are and why they are important. Ask the students to name different feelings they have experienced. This discussion helps activate prior knowledge and sets the context for the lesson.
Activities and Games
1. Feelings Charades (15 minutes)
Activity: Feelings Charades
- Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Each group takes turns acting out different feelings from the feelings flashcards without using words.
- Task: The other groups guess the feeling being acted out.
- Discussion: After each round, discuss the feeling and ask students to share times when they felt that way. This activity promotes empathy and understanding of emotions.
2. Scenario Cards (20 minutes)
Activity: Feelings in Context
- Instructions: Provide students with scenario cards depicting various situations (e.g., winning a game, losing a toy, etc.).
- Task: Ask students to read the scenario and identify how they would feel in that situation.
- Discussion: Discuss the identified feelings as a class. Reinforce the importance of recognizing feelings in different contexts.
3. Feelings Bingo (20 minutes)
Activity: Feelings Bingo
- Instructions: Create bingo cards with different feelings instead of numbers. Call out scenarios or descriptions of feelings, and students mark the corresponding feeling on their bingo cards.
- Task: The first student to get a bingo wins a small prize.
- Discussion: After the game, review the feelings that were called out and discuss how students identified them. Note-Everyday Speech provides Feelings Bingo cards premade and they correspond to a video modeling lesson where students can see the various feelings and add them to their Bingo card.
4. Feelings Art (20 minutes)
Activity: Draw Your Feelings
- Instructions: Provide students with paper and crayons. Ask them to draw a picture representing how they feel today.
- Task: Each student shares their drawing with the class and explains their feelings.
- Discussion: Discuss the different ways feelings can be expressed through art and the importance of sharing emotions.
5. Everyday Speech Craft (10 minutes)
Activity: Summer Sun Moji
- Instructions: Print out the craft and cut out various eyes, mouths, and sun template.
- Task: Students can make different expressions with the different parts of the face. Each facial expression can be used as practice to name and label the feeling word.
- Discussion: Ask students about times they’ve felt this way or seen someone else. Be sure to point out how we could all have different feelings about the same scenario, or some times we might feel the same as others.
Best Practices for Teaching Labeling Feelings
- Repetition: Reinforce the names and expressions of different feelings regularly.
- Visual Aids: Use charts and flashcards to provide visual representations of feelings.
- Role-Playing: Incorporate role-playing activities to give students hands-on practice in identifying and expressing feelings.
- Positive Reinforcement: Praise students for their efforts in identifying and labeling their feelings.
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Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video lesson. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 14 days here!
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