How Are You Feeling?

A Preschool Story Time Lesson on Emotions

Storytime Lesson Plan

"How Are You Feeling?"

Helping Children Understand Their Emotions

Psalm 28:7

(This series of lesson plans was developed and used in NSW, Australia. Some books and/or songs may not be available in your area. Please adapt these suggestions to suit your resources.)

I. Introduction: Before the story hour begins, have some visual aids prepared. Using wood or PVA glue, draw facial expressions onto regular copier paper. Make 5 different expressions: sad, happy, angry, surprised (or scared,) and bored. Make very simple drawings with the glue. A circle for the face, lines for eyes, nose, and mouth, and eyebrows to indicate mood will suffice. Allow the glue to dry, creating a raised surface. Before your audience arrives, place each of the five facial expressions on a whiteboard or easel. Cover each with a plain white sheet of paper, so the expressions are concealed. When it's time to begin, take colored chalk or oil pastels and begin rubbing it over the first of the raised facial expressions. Use different colors for different moods. Consider blue for sad, yellow or orange for happy, red for angry, gray or brown for bored, and perhaps bright florescent pink for startled or surprised. See if the children can guess each emotion before you begin the rubbing by looking at the color you have chosen. Talk with the children about each emotion as it is being revealed.

II. Story: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst. Share a personal story of a bad day you've gone through.