Emotional Awareness and Expression

Overview

This 30-minute lesson for Years 5-6 students in New Zealand is lesson 10 of 16 in the unit "Growing in Faith Together". The lesson explores the importance of recognising and expressing emotions and how to manage feelings in healthy ways. It aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, embedding learning objectives, competencies, and values advocated by the curriculum, especially focusing on the key competencies managing self and relating to others and the health and wellbeing aspects of Religious Education.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Recognise a range of emotions in themselves and others.
Use appropriate vocabulary to express feelings clearly and respectfully.
Understand the importance of expressing emotions constructively.
Identify strategies for managing feelings in healthy ways.
Reflect on how emotional awareness contributes to personal wellbeing and community harmony.

Curriculum Alignment:

Religious Education & Health and Physical Education Learning Areas: Understanding self-awareness and emotional wellbeing as part of spiritual, mental, and social wellbeing.
Key Competencies:
- Managing Self – students develop self-motivation and resilience by recognising and regulating emotions.
- Relating to Others – students communicate feelings respectfully and show empathy.
- Thinking – students reflect on their feelings and consider strategies to manage them.
Values: Respect, Empathy, Integrity, and Care (valued in both Religious Education and general curriculum principles).
Standards & Achievement Objectives: Relevant parts of Health and Physical Education achievement objectives for emotional wellbeing and interpersonal skills in years 5-6.

Preparation and Materials

Emotion flashcards or visuals depicting various feelings (happy, sad, frustrated, excited, anxious, calm, etc.)
Paper and coloured pencils or markers for drawing emotions
Scenario cards with everyday situations provoking different emotions
Quiet reflective space or mindfulness music (optional)

Lesson Plan (30 minutes)

1. Introduction and Warm-up (5 minutes)

Welcome and context setting
Explain that emotions are an important part of who we are and help us understand ourselves and others. Today, we will talk about feelings and learn how to express and manage them positively.
Quick group brainstorm
Ask: What emotions do you know? Write responses on the whiteboard; prompt with words such as: happy, sad, angry, nervous, excited.
Link to faith and values
Briefly discuss how many faith traditions teach us to care for ourselves and others—including recognising how we feel.

2. Activity 1: Recognising and Naming Emotions (8 minutes)

Using emotion flashcards
Show each card one-by-one and ask students to name the emotion and share a time they have felt it.
Key vocabulary focus
Teach or reinforce vocabulary like calm, frustrated, joyful, anxious, etc., modelling clear use of language to describe emotions precisely.
Pair-share
In pairs, students take turns naming an emotion and describing what it feels like physically and emotionally.

3. Activity 2: Expressing Emotions Constructively (10 minutes)

Scenario role-play
Distribute scenario cards (e.g., feeling upset because a friend didn’t invite you to play, feeling nervous before a presentation).
In small groups, students discuss:
- How might someone feel in this situation?
- How could they express that feeling in a healthy way?
Facilitate brief role-plays or sharing ideas, highlighting respectful communication and empathy.
Emphasise strategies such as talking to a trusted adult, using calming techniques, or expressing feelings through art or writing.

4. Reflection and Managing Feelings (5 minutes)

Class discussion
Reflect on why it’s important to recognise and express emotions.
Questions:
- How can understanding our emotions help us?
- What are some ways we can manage feelings when we’re upset or anxious?
Introduce a simple calming strategy (e.g., deep breathing, counting to 5) and practice together.
Link emotional awareness with well-being and personal growth encouraged in faith.

5. Conclusion and Assessment (2 minutes)

Quick quiz or thumbs up/down check
Ask students whether they feel more confident to:
- Name their feelings
- Express emotions in healthy ways
- Use some strategies to manage difficult feelings
Exit ticket
Each student shares one new word they learnt for an emotion or one strategy they will try next time they feel strong emotions.

Assessment and Feedback

Informal observation during pair and group discussions to check vocabulary usage and ability to recognise emotions.
Listening for respectful language and empathy during role-plays.
Reflection responses to assess understanding of managing feelings.
Exit ticket as a formative assessment to gauge emotional vocabulary and strategy recall.

Teaching Considerations

Be sensitive to cultural differences in emotion expression and encourage respect for diverse ways of showing feelings.
Use inclusive language acknowledging different family and faith backgrounds.
Make the classroom a safe space for sharing feelings and encourage students not to judge others’ emotions.
Scaffold vocabulary acquisition by revisiting known words and introducing new ones contextually.
Model your own emotional awareness and healthy expression throughout the lesson.

Curriculum References

New Zealand Curriculum (2023 Refresh), Health and Physical Education achievement objectives on emotional wellbeing for years 5-6.
Key Competencies: Managing self, Relating to others, Thinking.
Values: Respect, Empathy, Integrity, Care.
Aligns with Religious Education goal of growing in faith, understanding self and others, fostering empathy and community participation.

This lesson aims to support holistic development in line with New Zealand’s curriculum vision—empowering children to become confident, connected lifelong learners who contribute positively to their communities through faith and emotional intelligence.

If you require further lesson plans for other lessons in this unit or additional resources, please ask!