Feelings and Respect

Overview

Today’s lesson combines Religious Education and Year 3 sexual education by exploring feelings and emotions and practising respect for self and others. Students discuss how people can feel in different situations, recognise that everyone’s feelings matter, and use respectful language to share ideas.

Learning intentions

• WALT notice and name feelings and emotions in ourselves and others.
• WALT understand that expressing feelings in safe, respectful ways helps relationships.
• WALT use a “respect for self and others” rule when sharing in a group.
• WALT connect feelings and respect to faith/community values we already know from Religious Education.

Success criteria

• I can name at least 3 feelings (for example: happy, worried, angry, excited, calm).
• I can describe what my body or thoughts might feel like when I have different emotions.
• I can use respectful sharing rules (listen, be kind, no teasing, keep private what is shared).
• I can explain one way to respond when someone has strong feelings.

Curriculum links

• Health and PE — Te Mātaiaho RSE: age-appropriate introduction and respect for self and others through learning about feelings and safe sharing.
• Health and PE — Te Mātaiaho RSE: diversity and inclusion by recognising that people may express feelings in different ways and come from different families/cultures.
• Health and PE — Self-care focus: reflective thinking and discussion of feelings through role play and guided conversation.
• Key competencies: Managing self (identify feelings and choose respectful responses), Relating to others (listening and kindness), Participating and contributing (sharing ideas in a safe group).

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and safe learning space. Teacher greets students and states the purpose: “We’re learning about feelings and respect—how we can share safely.” Students repeat the group agreement: listen, speak kindly, everyone gets a turn, and we keep personal stories private.

2. 5–12 min · Feelings warm-up (whole class). Teacher shows 4–6 feeling cards/pictures and asks: “What might someone do if they feel…?” Students respond by pointing to the feeling card and using a sentence starter: “If I feel ___, I might ___.”

3. 12–25 min · Group discussions (think–pair–share). Teacher provides 3 short, age-appropriate scenarios (for example: someone drops a drink and people laugh; you lose a game; a friend won’t play with you). Students work in pairs, then join a small group to answer:

• “What feelings might people have?”
• “What respectful words or actions could help?”

4. 25–37 min · Drawing feelings (individual). Teacher explains the task: “Draw a face/body picture showing one feeling you might have at school or home.” Students draw and label:

• the feeling (word or symbol)
• one body sign or thought (for example: “my tummy feels tight”, “my thoughts feel noisy”)
• one respectful thing they could do (for example: ask for help, use a calm voice, take deep breaths, say “I need space”).

5. 37–48 min · Respectful share circles (small group). Teacher models respectful sharing: “I notice… I wonder… I can think of a kind response…” Students take turns sharing using a sentence starter while the group practises listening and no teasing. Teacher prompts students to include: “How could we show respect for self and others?”

6. 48–55 min · Religious Education connection (values and responses). Teacher invites students to connect feelings and respect to faith/community teachings already discussed in class (keep it inclusive and non-denominational). Students respond to a question: “What values about kindness, respect, and caring for others match what we learned today?” and choose one value to add to their “respect plan”.

7. 55–60 min · Exit ticket (quick check). Teacher hands out a short slip: “Today I learned… / One respectful response is…” Students complete one sentence for each prompt and submit before leaving.

Resources

• Feeling cards or picture cards (happy, sad, worried, angry, excited, calm)
• Scenario cards (3 short, age-appropriate situations)
• Drawing paper and coloured pencils/markers
• Sentence starter strips for respectful sharing
• Exit ticket slips
• Timer/visual timer
• Optional: emotion charades/face masks for transitions (if needed)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during pair and group discussion: students naming feelings and using respectful language.
• Listening check during share circles: students demonstrate turn-taking, kindness, and “no teasing.”
• Exit ticket review: students identify one respectful response and show understanding of respect for self/others.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters, a word bank of feelings, and example drawings to model ideas.
• Support for EAL/SEN: allow pointing to picture cards, using first-language support if available, and accept non-written responses.
• Challenge: ask students to add “what could help me calm down?” and “how could my response help the other person feel respected?”
• Sensitive support: remind students they can choose to draw a general situation rather than a personal story, and they may pass during sharing.