Suggested Grades

K-2

Objective

Students will examine the feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, fear and examine instances when these feelings are present as well as positive ways to react to these feelings.

Materials

• a template for the pages of the book similar to the following phrases at the bottom:
  Sometimes I feel (insert feeling) when ___________________.
  When this happens I should just ___________________.
  
• writing utensils
• crayons, markers, pencil crayons, or paint

Method

This activity is best presented as one lesson per feeling dispersed over a few weeks.

• Choose one feeling and have a class discussion on what makes each student feel that way. Eg: I feel angry when my baby brother cries.
• Then discuss negative and positive ways to react to these feelings. Eg: When my brother cries, I should just go to my room. I shouldn’t kick him.
• Ask students to write these out on the template and then draw a picture of them dealing with the problem and the feeling.
• Do this activity for the major feelings: happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Continue through other feelings if you’d like.
• Have students make a cover page for their “Sometimes I Feel” book, staple all the pages together.
• Ask students to share their books with their classmates or read them out for them.
  Note: This is a great activity to do a few weeks before a studnent-led conference. Ask students to share their books with their parents when they arrive.