Lesson 201: Recognizing feelings

❤️ SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (40 Lessons) • 🟢 A. Understanding Myself

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Objective

I can notice clues in my face, body, and voice to help me recognize basic feelings, like happy, sad, angry, scared, and calm. I can use simple "I feel…" sentences to share my feelings in a safe way.

Materials

Mini-lesson — Feelings in my face and body

A feeling is what is happening on the inside of us. Feelings can be big or small. All feelings are okay, but some choices are not okay.

Clues on my face

  • Happy: smiling mouth, bright eyes.
  • Sad: teary eyes, mouth turned down.
  • Angry: tight mouth, eyebrows pulled down.
  • Scared: wide eyes, mouth open or tight.
  • Calm: relaxed face, soft eyes.

Clues in my body

  • When I feel angry, my body might feel tight or hot.
  • When I feel scared, my heart might beat fast or my tummy might wobble.
  • When I feel happy, my body might feel light and bouncy.
  • When I feel calm, my muscles are soft and my breathing is slow.

Clues in my voice

  • Angry voices can be loud and sharp.
  • Sad voices can be quiet and slow.
  • Excited voices can sound fast and giggly.
  • Calm voices sound steady and gentle.

Using "I feel…" sentences

  • We can say, "I feel happy."
  • Or, "I feel sad."
  • Or, "I feel angry."
  • Or, "I feel scared."

Remember: All feelings are allowed. If a feeling is very big or very strong, we should tell a trusted adult helper.

Picture strip: Faces and body clues

Guided Practice — My feeling clues

You and an adult will practise noticing clues for different feelings.

  1. Sit in front of a small mirror together. The adult says, "Make a happy face." You make a happy face and look in the mirror.
  2. Talk about the clues: Where are your eyes? What is your mouth doing? Say, "I feel happy."
  3. Repeat with sad, angry, and scared faces. Notice how your face changes for each feeling.
  4. On your page, draw four small faces. Under each face, the adult helps you write or trace "happy", "sad", "angry", "scared".
  5. Now talk about body clues. The adult says a sentence like, "My tummy feels wobbly and my heart is fast." You guess, "Maybe you feel scared."
  6. Take turns. You say an inside clue (for example, "My body is tight and my fists are closed.") and the adult guesses the feeling. Then swap.
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: Say a full "I feel…" sentence as you trace, such as "I feel calm when I breathe slowly."

Practice — Feeling faces and "I feel…" sentences

Use this practice to help your child connect pictures, body clues, and words for feelings.

  1. On a page, draw three boxes in a row. In each box, draw a very simple feeling face (for example: happy, sad, angry).
  2. Under each picture, the adult helps the child write or trace a short sentence, such as "I feel happy when I play." or "I feel sad when I lose a toy."
  3. For each picture, talk together about body clues:
    • Happy: "My mouth is smiling. My shoulders feel light."
    • Sad: "My eyes feel wet. My body is slow."
    • Angry: "My hands might feel tight. My face feels hot."
  4. If you like, add one more box for a feeling your child chooses (for example, excited, worried, or calm).
  5. Read all the "I feel…" sentences aloud together. Practise saying them with a clear, respectful voice.

Quick Check — Recognizing feelings

Answer each question about feelings, body clues, and "I feel…" sentences.

1) What is a feeling?

A feeling is what is happening on the inside of your heart and mind.

2) Which picture clue might show someone feels happy?

Smiles and bright eyes are clues for happy.

3) Which body clue might show someone feels scared?

A fast heart and wobbly tummy can be clues that someone feels scared.

4) Which sentence is a good "I feel…" sentence?

"I feel…" sentences talk about your own feeling.

5) Which feeling might match this clue: "My body is relaxed and my breathing is slow."

A relaxed body and slow breathing are clues for calm.

6) Which voice sounds most like excited?

Excited voices can sound fast and giggly.

7) Which sentence is most helpful when your feeling is very big?

When feelings are big, it is good to tell a trusted adult.

8) Which sentence is true about feelings?

All feelings are okay, but we still need to make safe, kind choices.

9) Your friend says, "My eyes feel wet and my face is turned down." Which feeling might they have?

Wet eyes and a turned-down face are clues for sad.

10) What is one big goal of this lesson?

The goal is to notice our feelings and share them in a safe, kind way.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

Next time I will practise…

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