My Feelings and Me: Naming and Drawing Basic Emotions

Materials Needed

• Paper (plain or construction paper) or small notebook/binder (for the Feelings Journal)
• Drawing tools (crayons, markers, colored pencils)
• Small mirror (optional, but helpful for learners to see their own expressions)
• Index cards or small pieces of paper for Scenario Cards (pre-written or created during the lesson)
• A list of simple, emotion-triggering scenarios (see 'We Do' section)

Learning Objectives (Tell them what you'll teach)

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Name It: Identify and correctly name the four basic emotions: Happy, Sad, Mad, and Scared.
2. Feel It: Describe one way each emotion feels in your body (e.g., "butterflies in my tummy" for scared).
3. Match It: Match a feeling to a simple, everyday situation.

Part 1: Introduction (10 minutes)

Hook: What's the Superpower?

Educator Script: "Did you know you have a superpower hidden inside you? It's called Emotional Intelligence! It means you are a feelings expert. When we know our feelings, we can take better care of ourselves and be good friends to others. Let’s start with a big question: If you found a lost kitten, what feeling would bubble up inside you right away?" (Allow learners to respond.)

Success Criteria

We will know we are successful today if we can draw four different feeling faces and tell a story about why that face feels that way.

Part 2: Body – Exploring the Four Feelings (25 minutes)

Activity 1: I Do – Modeling the Feelings

Objective: Introduce four core emotions (Happy, Sad, Mad, Scared) using facial expressions and body language.

1. Happy: "Happy feels light! My mouth curves up, my eyes crinkle, maybe I want to jump! Let's all try a happy face. Where do you feel happy in your body? (Maybe your chest feels warm and light.)"
2. Sad: "Sad feels heavy. My shoulders might slump, my bottom lip might stick out, and sometimes tears come. Let's try a sad face. Where do you feel sad? (Maybe a heavy feeling in your tummy.)"
3. Mad: "Mad feels hot and tight! My eyebrows squeeze together, maybe my fists tighten, and I want to stomp. Let's try a mad face. Where do you feel mad? (In your hands or your jaw.)"
4. Scared/Afraid: "Scared feels fast and wiggly! My eyes might open wide, I might want to hide, and I get 'butterflies' in my tummy. Let's try a scared face. Where do you feel scared? (Maybe your knees feel shaky.)"

Formative Assessment Check: Ask learners to show you the emotion without naming it. Ensure they are correctly identifying the physical cues.

Activity 2: We Do – The Emotion Detective Game

Objective: Practice matching basic emotions to common scenarios.

Instructions: The educator reads a short scenario card. Learners listen and then use their faces or bodies to act out the feeling they think matches the situation. They must then name the emotion.

Example Scenario Cards:

• Scenario 1: Your favorite ice cream cone falls off the scoop and lands on the ground. (Sad/Mad)
• Scenario 2: You finish a puzzle that took you a long time to complete. (Happy)
• Scenario 3: You hear a loud thunder crash and the lights flicker off. (Scared)
• Scenario 4: Someone takes your toy without asking you first. (Mad)

Transition: "Wow, you are excellent detectives! Now let’s turn these feelings into art so we can remember them."

Activity 3: You Do – Creating the Feeling Faces Chart/Journal

Objective: Independent practice creating visual representations of the four core emotions.

1. Set Up: Ask the learner to take their paper or journal and divide it into four sections (or use four separate pages/cards).
2. Drawing & Labeling: In each section, the learner will draw a large circle (the face) and fill it in to show one of the four core emotions (Happy, Sad, Mad, Scared).
3. Body Check: Underneath the drawing, the learner must write (or dictate to the educator) one sentence describing how that feeling feels in their body (e.g., "Mad feels like my hands are tight.").

Success Criteria Check: The learner successfully drew four distinct faces and provided a simple physical description for each.

Part 3: Conclusion (10 minutes)

Closure: The Emotion Spotlight

Recap: Have the learner look at their completed Feeling Faces Chart.

• Ask: "What was the easiest feeling for you to draw? Why?"
• Ask: "Which feeling might be the hardest to handle when it happens?" (This opens the door for future lessons on coping.)
• Review the objectives: Can you name the four feelings we learned today?

Summative Assessment: Reflection and Application

Ask the learner to think about their day so far.

Question: "If you had to pick one of the four feelings you drew, which one describes how you feel right now? Tell me why." (This requires the learner to apply the knowledge to their current emotional state, demonstrating mastery of Objective 3.)

Takeaway Message

All feelings are important! Even when a feeling feels big or yucky (like mad or sad), it’s just information. Knowing the name of your feeling is the first step to feeling better.

Differentiation and Adaptability

Scaffolding (For Struggling Learners or Younger Contexts)

• Visual Aids: Use actual photos or laminated posters showing exaggerated, clear facial expressions of the four emotions.
• Modeling: The educator draws the basic shape of the feeling face first (e.g., drawing the angry eyebrows or the sad curve of the mouth), and the learner copies and colors it.
• Choice Reduction: Instead of drawing, provide pre-cut eyes, mouths, and eyebrows for the learner to glue onto the faces, allowing them to construct the emotion physically.

Extension (For Advanced Learners or Older Contexts)

• Adding Complexity: Introduce secondary emotions like "Excited," "Frustrated," "Grateful," or "Surprised."
• Emotional Intensity: Use a thermometer scale (1 to 5) next to the drawings and ask: "What does 'Mad Level 1' look like versus 'Mad Level 5'?" (Discussing intensity.)
• Problem-Solving: For each emotion on their chart, ask them to brainstorm one healthy coping strategy (e.g., "If I feel mad, I can take three deep breaths.").