Emotions in Action

Overview

This 45-minute lesson (Lesson 4 of 15) is designed for Year 0 students in New Zealand and focuses on developing social and emotional competence through story reading and discussion. The lesson is part of the unit "Understanding Our Feelings" and aligns specifically with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh emphasis on health, self-regulation, vocabulary for emotions, and interpersonal communication.

Learning Intentions

Students will:

Recognise and describe different emotions exhibited by characters in a story.
Identify which "zone" (calm, alert, or heightened emotion) characters might be in and articulate reasons why.
Use precise and age-appropriate vocabulary to describe feelings and emotions.
Demonstrate active listening and participate respectfully in group discussions.
Begin to connect personal experiences with emotions portrayed in texts.

Curriculum references:

Health and Physical Education / Hauora (Level 1)
- "Understand that emotions can drive behaviour and identify ways to manage emotions constructively"
- Social and emotional competence is developed through recognising emotions and self-regulation strategies.
English / Oral language (Level 1)
- Use precise vocabulary to describe emotions and reactions.
- Participate in shared discussions, recount events, and respond to texts with personal connections, .
Key Competencies:
- Managing self – recognising and regulating emotions.
- Relating to others – listening, empathising, and contributing to discussions.

Materials Needed

Selected picture book or storybook featuring characters experiencing a variety of emotions (e.g., "The Colour Monster" or a similar emotion-focused story suitable for Year 0).
Visual aid/chart of Zones of Regulation or colour-coded zones (calm/green, alert/yellow, heightened/red, etc.) simplified for young children.
Emotion cards or faces as visual prompts.
Story props or puppets (optional) to enhance engagement.
Chart paper or whiteboard for recording ideas.

Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up and Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin with a calm breathing or mindfulness moment to focus the class.
Briefly review previously learned emotions vocabulary (happy, sad, angry, scared, calm). Use emotion cards and ask students to show a card that represents how they feel today.
Introduce the zones concept simply, e.g., "We all feel different feelings that can make us feel calm, or excited, or upset. Today we're going to listen to a story and guess what feelings the characters have and which zone they might be in."

2. Story Reading (15 minutes)

Read the selected story aloud with expression, showing pictures clearly.
Pause at key moments when characters show emotions. Use a think-aloud approach: “Look, this character looks angry. What do you think is happening? What zone might they be in?”
Show the Zones chart at each pause and encourage students to point or name the zone.
Use simple questions: “How do you think the character feels? Why?”

3. Group Discussion (10 minutes)

Facilitate a whole-class discussion to deepen understanding:
- Ask, “Can you remember a time you felt like the character?”
- “What helped you feel better or calm down?”
Support students to use emotional vocabulary by modelling phrases ("I think the character feels sad because…", "Maybe they are in the red zone because…").
Encourage turn-taking and listening skills by reminding students to wait and listen to their friends.

4. Role Play Activity (10 minutes)

Assign students into small groups or pairs.
Give them an emotion or zone scenario from the story and props or emotion cards.
Students act out a short scene showing chosen emotions and express what zone they are in.
Brief reflection: “How did it feel to be that emotion? What might help the character in this zone feel calm?”

5. Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)

Gather the class for a closing circle time.
Recap key learning: "Today we learned about feelings and zones. We can be kind to ourselves and others by understanding our feelings."
Ask a few students to share a feeling or zone they relate to.
Reinforce the use of vocabulary with praise for participation.

Assessment and Feedback

Formative assessment: Teacher observations during discussion and role play to check for understanding of emotions and zones, and ability to use emotional vocabulary.
Use questioning prompts to assess students’ ability to connect feelings to zones and explain briefly why.
Encourage verbal expression appropriate to their developmental level, reinforcing positive use of language to express emotions.
Provide immediate, positive feedback, and scaffold language when needed.

Teaching Considerations

Use clear, simple language and visual supports consistently to ensure accessibility.
Recognise cultural and neurodiverse differences in emotional expression and respect all responses.
Use positive language supporting self-regulation and empathy, encouraging students to name rather than act out strong emotions.
Be patient when students require support to express feelings and model self-talk strategies (e.g., “I feel angry, so I will take a deep breath”).

Resource Suggestions

Use puppets or props to support narrative and role play, aiding comprehension and engagement.
Zones of Regulation simplified visuals tailored for young children can be made with coloured paper or classroom posters.
A story such as "The Colour Monster" (adapted for NZ context) aligns well with emotions and zones teaching.

By integrating storytelling with the Zones of Regulation framework and rich emotional vocabulary, this lesson supports Year 0 learners’ developing self-awareness and social competence aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh in health and English learning areas.

If further unit plans or lesson ideas for "Understanding Our Feelings" are desired, I can assist with their development as well.

Teaching Instructions