Exploring Character Feelings

Year Level: Year 1

Subject: English

Duration: 40 minutes

Curriculum Focus:
This lesson aligns with the Australian Curriculum, specifically:

• ACELY1650: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning about key events, ideas, and information in texts shared by and with students.

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Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Identify and describe the feelings of a character in a story.
2. Use comprehension strategies (predicting, visualising, and connecting) to better understand the character's emotions.
3. Relate the character’s feelings to their own experiences.

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Resources Needed:

• Book: "Possum Magic" by Mem Fox (or another age-appropriate story with strong character emotions).
• A3-sized "Feelings Flower" poster (a simple flower shape with different feelings written on the petals).
• Small whiteboards and markers for each student.
• Sticky notes for group work.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Tuning In

1. Gather students together on the floor in a circle. Use a calm and warm tone to set the mood.
2. Begin by introducing the concept of feelings:
   • "Today, we're going to be detectives to figure out how characters in stories feel! Just like us, they can feel happy, sad, or even grumpy. And sometimes, they don’t tell us how they feel with words—we have to look for clues."
3. Show the "Feelings Flower" poster. Point to specific feelings like "excited" or "worried" and ask clarifying questions:
   • "Can anyone share a time when you felt excited? How did your body feel?"
   • "What does worried look like on someone’s face?"

2. Reading Focus Text (10 minutes)

Guided Exploration

1. Show the front cover of "Possum Magic". Ask prediction questions:
   • "What do you think this story might be about? How do you think Hush is feeling at the start of the story?"
2. Read aloud the first few pages of the story. Pause at key moments where Hush’s emotions might be changing. Use prompts like:
   • "Hush doesn’t say she’s worried here, but can you spot any clues that show she might be?"
   • "What do you think Grandma Poss is feeling? Why?"
3. Model your thinking aloud: "I’m noticing that Hush is extra quiet in this part, and her eyebrows are down. That tells me she could be feeling nervous. What do you think?"

3. Group Work (10 minutes)

Hands-On Activity

1. Split students into four groups. Each group receives a sticky note, a character name (Hush or Grandma Poss), and a specific page from the story.
2. Students will work together to:
   • Describe how the character is feeling on their assigned page. (Use the Feelings Flower for ideas.)
   • Find “clues” from the text or illustrations to support their response (e.g., their face looks grumpy, they’re stomping their feet).
   • Write or draw their answer on the sticky note.
3. Rotate briefly so each group examines another page (if time permits).

4. Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Creating Connections

1. Provide each student with a small whiteboard. Ask them to pick an emotion from the Feelings Flower and draw a picture of something that makes them feel that way. For example:
   • If they choose "happy," they might draw themselves eating ice-cream.
   • If they choose "angry," they might draw themselves not getting their favourite toy.
2. Encourage students to share briefly with a partner:
   • "When I look at your picture, I can guess how you're feeling. Is that right?"

5. Conclusion (5 minutes)

Reflection and Wrap-Up

1. Bring the group back together. Ask a few students to share their whiteboard drawings and explain their feelings.
2. Reflect on the comprehension strategies used during the lesson:
   • "We used clues from the story, like pictures and words, to figure out how Hush was feeling. You did an awesome job being detectives!"
3. Link back to real life:
   • "Tomorrow, I’d like all of us to watch for clues about how our friends are feeling at school. It might help us be even better at understanding each other."

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Differentiation:

• For students needing support: Pair them with a stronger peer during group work or provide visual clues (flashcards of facial expressions) to scaffold understanding of emotions.
• For advanced learners: Challenge them to make deeper connections, asking questions like "Why do you think Hush feels like this? Have you ever felt the same way?"

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Extension/Homework: (Optional)

Ask students to bring in or draw a picture of their favourite story character and describe how that character is feeling in one part of the story. They can present this during the next English lesson.

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Assessment Criteria:

Students will be assessed on:

1. Their ability to identify and describe a character's emotions.
2. Their use of textual clues to support inferences about feelings.
3. Their participation in group discussions and hands-on activities.

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Teacher Reflection:

After the lesson, consider:

• Did the students engage with the concept of feelings?
• Were students able to draw accurate inferences from the text and illustrations?
• What adjustments could be made for future lessons (e.g., longer text, more examples)?

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This lesson uses a creative, empathic approach to teaching comprehension strategies while fostering emotional intelligence – a key focus for young learners in Australia. Enjoy!