Grade by Grade
Strands C and D: Self-Regulation and Well-Being; Belonging and Contributing · Me, My Feelings and My Community

Naming My Feelings

C15.5 C16.5 C14.1 D19.3About 20 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can name feelings like happy, sad, angry and scared.
  • I can tell how a person feels by looking at their face and body.
  • I can tell what makes me happy and what makes me unhappy.
  • I can notice when a friend is sad and help them.
  • I can show a feeling with a drawing, music or movement.

Words to know

feeling
What is going on inside you, like happy, sad, angry or scared. Also called an emotion.
happy
A good, glad feeling.
sad
A low, unhappy feeling. Sometimes we cry.
angry
A hot, upset feeling, when something seems wrong or unfair. Also called mad.
scared
A feeling when you think something might hurt you. Also called afraid.
worried
A feeling when you keep thinking something bad might happen.
calm
A quiet, peaceful, relaxed feeling.

How do you feel today?

Grown-up, read this part out loud.

Put your hand on your tummy. Take a big breath. How do you feel right now?

Happy? Tired? Excited? Silly? There is no wrong answer. Today we are going to learn the names of feelings.

happysadangryscared
Four big feelings: happy, sad, angry and scared. Can you make each face?

Our faces and bodies show feelings

Our face and body show how we feel, even when we don't say a word.

  • Happy: a smile, bright eyes, maybe a jump or a skip! 😀
  • Sad: a frown, tears, droopy shoulders. 😢
  • Angry: a frown, tight fists, a hot face, stomping feet. 😠
  • Scared: big eyes, a fast heartbeat, wanting to hide. 😨

There are more feelings too: excited 🤩, surprised 😮, worried 😟, silly 🤪, tired 😴, and calm 😌.

All feelings are okay

Every feeling is okay to have. Everybody feels sad, angry and scared sometimes, even grown-ups.

What we do with our feelings matters. It's okay to feel angry. It is not okay to hit. In the next lesson, we'll learn ways to calm down.

What makes me happy? What makes me unhappy?

Different things make different people feel happy or unhappy.

Maybe playing in the snow makes you happy. ❄️ Maybe when your tower falls down makes you angry or sad.

When you know what makes you feel a certain way, you can tell others: "I feel ___ because ___."

Noticing how others feel

When we look at a friend's face and body, we can guess how they feel. Then we can help!

If a friend looks sad, you can:

  • Ask, "Are you okay?"
  • Give a hug (if they want one) or sit with them.
  • Share a toy or invite them to play.
  • Get a grown-up if they need more help.

Caring about how someone else feels is called empathy.

Worked example

Let's guess the feeling

Leo built a tall block tower. 🧱 His little sister knocked it down! Leo's face is red, his hands are in fists, and he stomps his foot. How does Leo feel?

  1. Look at his face: It is red and frowning.
  2. Look at his body: Tight fists, stomping feet.
  3. Think about what happened: His tower was knocked down. That doesn't feel fair.
  4. Name the feeling: Leo feels angry. He might also feel a little sad.
  5. Say it with words: Leo can say, "I feel angry because my tower fell down."

Leo feels angry (and maybe sad). We can tell from his face, his body and what happened.

face: red, frowninghands: tight fistsfeet: stompingLeo feelsANGRY
Leo’s body gives us clues: a red, frowning face, tight fists and stomping feet. Put the clues together and the feeling is angry.
Just for fun

What gets bigger the more you share it?

A smile! 😀 When you smile at someone, they often smile right back.

Hands-on activity

Feelings mirror and feelings art

You need: a mirror, paper, and crayons or paint. Some music is a bonus!

  1. Mirror game: Grown-up says a feeling. You make that face in the mirror. Try happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised and silly.
  2. Switch: You make a face, and your grown-up guesses the feeling.
  3. Feelings art: Draw or paint a picture of a time you felt very happy. What colours did you pick?
  4. Feelings music: Play some music. Is it happy music or sad music? Move your body the way the music makes you feel.

Talk about it: "What colour is happy for you? What colour is calm?"

Your turn

1

😀 How does this face feel?

2

😢 How does this face feel?

3

Make an angry face. Now make a scared face.

4

Tell me one thing that makes you happy.

5

Tell me one thing that makes you sad or angry.

6

Your friend is crying because she dropped her ice cream. 🍦 What could you do?

7

Draw a quick picture of a happy face and a sad face.

More practice: warm-up

1

😠 How does this face feel?

2

😨 How does this face feel?

3

😮 How does this face feel?

4

Show me with your whole body how you look when you are happy!

5

Is it okay to feel angry sometimes?

More practice: on your own

1

Finish this: "I feel happy when ___."

2

A boy has big eyes and is hiding behind his mom when he sees a big dog. 🐕 How does he feel?

3

Your grandma is coming to visit tomorrow and you can't wait! What is that feeling?

4

Listen to (or sing) a slow, quiet song. Then a fast, bouncy song. Which one feels calm? Which one feels excited?

5

Your friend is sitting alone at recess with a sad face. What can you say?

Challenge

1

Can a person feel two feelings at once? Think of the first day of school.

2

Tell me about a time you felt angry. Use the words "I felt ___ because ___."

3

Your friend says "I'm fine" but has tears and a frown. How do you think they really feel? What can you do?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

A boy is smiling and jumping up and down. How does he feel?

2.

Is it okay to feel angry?

3.

Your friend is crying. What is a kind thing to do?

4.

Tight fists, a red face and stomping feet show...

5.

Which sentence tells a feeling and why?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Naming feelings is the first step in self-regulation. Children also learn to read faces and body language (C14.1), notice and care about others' feelings (empathy, C15.5), talk about what makes them happy or unhappy (C16.5), and share their thoughts and experiences (D19.3), including through art, music and movement.

How to help at home:

  • Name feelings during everyday life, yours and theirs: "You look frustrated. That puzzle is tricky." "I feel tired today."
  • When reading picture books, pause and ask: "How do you think she feels? How can you tell?"
  • Accept all feelings, but set limits on actions: "You're allowed to be angry. I won't let you hit."
  • Use the sentence frame "I feel ___ because ___."

Common difficulties:

  • Uses "mad" or "sad" for everything. Slowly add new words: frustrated, disappointed, nervous, proud.
  • Says "I'm fine" when upset. Gently name what you see: "Your face looks sad. I'm here if you want to talk."
  • Can't name a feeling during a meltdown. Wait until they're calm. Big feelings make talking hard for everyone.

If your child's sadness, worry or anger seems very strong or lasts a long time, talk with their educator or your family doctor.