Understanding Disappointment

Overview

This is lesson 1 of 3 in the unit Coping with Disappointment. Students explore disappointment as a normal emotion through a short story, guided discussion, personal drawing and brainstorming. They begin to notice how feelings can be shaped by experiences and surroundings, while recognising that people may respond differently to the same event.

Learning intentions

• WALT understand what disappointment is.
• WALT recognise that disappointment is a normal feeling.
• WALT identify situations that might lead to disappointment.
• WALT describe or draw how disappointment may feel.

Success criteria

• I can explain disappointment in my own words.
• I can name a situation that might cause disappointment.
• I can show or describe how disappointment might feel.
• I can listen respectfully when others share different experiences.

Curriculum links

• Health Education — Self and others: developing strategies for recovering from setbacks, including recognising emotions and identifying trusted support.
• Health Education — Resilience: understanding that resilience involves adapting to setbacks and continuing positively.
• Health Education — Self-care: managing feelings and understanding others to help build relationships.
• Health Education — Self-care: using reflective thinking to discuss feelings and emotions through role play and discussion.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Emotional check-in. Teacher welcomes students and displays the feelings scale in the opening check-in slide, explaining that students may show a quiet thumbs-up, sideways or down, or simply observe. Students privately notice how they feel today; no one has to share personal information.

2. 4–10 min · Story hook. Teacher reads this short story, supported by the story picture and listening prompt: “Mia practised for the class skipping challenge. She was ready to have a turn, but the bell rang before she could participate. Mia felt disappointed. She took a breath, told her teacher how she felt and decided to practise again tomorrow.” Ask: “What happened? How might Mia feel? Has something similar happened to someone, without needing to tell us details?” Students turn and talk, then contribute ideas or pass.

3. 10–15 min · Build the meaning. Teacher uses the disappointment definition and examples to explain: “Disappointment is the feeling we may have when something we hoped for does not happen, or happens differently from what we expected.” Clarify that disappointment can feel mild or strong, may look different for different people, and is not “bad” or wrong. Students suggest suitable examples, such as a cancelled outing, not being chosen first, losing a game or not receiving an expected item. Record ideas without naming students or asking for sensitive details.

4. 15–22 min · Draw and describe. Teacher distributes the disappointment feelings drawing sheet and models a non-personal example on the drawing instructions. Students draw a face, body outline or symbol showing what disappointment might look or feel like, then complete one sentence: “Disappointment might feel like…” They may draw instead of write, dictate to an adult or use the word bank: sad, cross, worried, flat, frustrated, surprised.

5. 22–27 min · Class brainstorm. Teacher displays the brainstorm prompt and gathers examples under the heading “Things that might lead to disappointment”. Students first share with a partner, then offer general situations for the class list. Invite students to notice that the same situation may cause different feelings for different people. Ask: “What could help someone feel ready to keep going?” Accept initial ideas, but explain that the next lessons will investigate coping strategies in more detail.

6. 27–30 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher returns to the final reflection slide and asks students to complete orally or on the bottom of the worksheet: “Disappointment is…” and “One situation that might cause disappointment is…” Students share with a partner or hand in their sheet. Close with: “Feelings give us information. We can notice disappointment, talk about it safely and learn ways to move forward.”

Resources

• the Understanding Disappointment slide deck
• the disappointment feelings drawing sheet
• Whiteboard and pens
• Pencils, crayons or felt pens
• Class feelings scale or quiet check-in gesture
• Teacher story script

Assessment

• Listen during partner and class discussions for students who can identify disappointment and distinguish an event from a feeling.
• Check drawings and sentence completions for recognition of possible emotional or physical responses.
• Use the plenary responses to identify students needing further support with emotion vocabulary or understanding that disappointment is normal.

Differentiation

• Offer emotion picture prompts, a word bank, sentence starters and adult scribing for students who need language or writing support.
• Allow students to share a fictional example, draw silently or pass; never require disclosure of a personal disappointment.
• For EAL learners, rehearse the key sentence orally with a partner and accept home-language discussion, gesture or labelled drawings.
• Extend confident students by asking them to explain why two people might respond differently to the same disappointing event.