Emotional Awareness

Overview

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Class size: 8 students
• Unit: Building Resilience Toolkit (Lesson 2 of 3)
• Age group: Year 4 (ages 8–9)
• Subject: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education)
• Focus: Emotional Awareness and Management

National Curriculum References

This lesson supports the statutory requirements and learning opportunities as stated in the National Curriculum for England, specifically within PSHE education statutory guidance (2020):

• Core Theme: Health and Wellbeing
• Key Stage 2:
  • Recognise and respond appropriately to a wide range of feelings in others (DfE PSHE Guidance, p.18)
  • Understand how to manage changing emotions in different situations
  • Use a range of vocabulary to describe feelings
  • Develop strategies to regulate emotions, including in everyday situations
• Building Resilience: Encouraging self-awareness and emotional management through taught activities that build skills for well-being and personal development

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

1. Identify a range of emotions in themselves and others using appropriate vocabulary.
2. Recognise body signals and behaviours linked to different emotions.
3. Demonstrate at least two techniques to manage strong or uncomfortable emotions (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk).
4. Reflect on how emotional awareness helps in building resilience and maintaining positive relationships.

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Resources Needed

• Emotion cards with faces and emotion words (happy, sad, frustrated, excited, anxious, calm, etc.)
• “Emotion Thermometer” worksheet (showing intensity from calm to overwhelmed)
• Deep breathing instruction visual and audio clip
• Scenario cards for role-play
• Whiteboard and markers
• Calm corner setup (soft cushions, stress balls, etc.)
• Positive affirmation prompt cards (e.g., “I can handle this,” “I am in control.”)

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Recap (10 minutes)

• Activity: Circle time discussion
• Purpose: Reinforce last lesson’s learning on resilience and introduce emotional awareness
• Actions:
  • Recap key points from Lesson 1: “What is resilience?”
  • Pose the question: “How do our feelings help us when we face challenges?”
  • Introduce today’s focus: recognising and managing emotions

2. Emotion Identification (15 minutes)

• Activity: Emotion cards matching game + class discussion
• Purpose: Expand emotional vocabulary and recognition skills
• Actions:
  • Display emotion cards one by one and ask students to name the emotion and describe a time they’ve felt it.
  • Discuss how we can tell what someone is feeling from their face, posture, and tone.
  • Use the “Emotion Thermometer” worksheet – students place their personal feeling at the moment on the scale and explain why.

3. Body Signals and Emotional Triggers (10 minutes)

• Activity: Interactive demonstration
• Purpose: Connect physical sensations to emotions and identify triggers
• Actions:
  • Teacher models examples: “When I’m anxious, my tummy feels funny.”
  • Students share their own body signals for emotions (e.g., heart racing, sweaty palms, tense shoulders).
  • Discuss common triggers for challenging emotions (e.g., change, disappointment).

4. Practising Emotional Management Techniques (15 minutes)

• Activity 1: Guided deep breathing exercise (5 mins)
• Activity 2: Positive self-talk role-play with scenario cards (10 mins)
• Purpose: Equip students with tools to manage emotions effectively
• Actions:
  • Lead the class through the deep breathing exercise—encourage noticing the calming effect.
  • Distribute scenario cards showing challenging situations (e.g., losing a game, being teased).
  • In pairs, students role-play responding using positive self-talk; examples provided on prompt cards.
  • Volunteers share their strategies and feelings afterwards.

5. Reflection and Closing Discussion (10 minutes)

• Activity: Group reflection circle and individual thought shares
• Purpose: Consolidate learning and empower students to apply techniques
• Actions:
  • Ask: “Which emotion was easiest or hardest to recognise today?”
  • “How do deep breathing and positive self-talk help us?”
  • Each student shares one thing they will try next time they feel a strong emotion.
  • Summarise key points and preview next lesson: “Using our toolkit to stay strong.”

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation and questioning during activities.
• Use of emotion vocabulary during discussions and role-plays to gauge understanding.
• Completed “Emotion Thermometer” worksheet evaluated for self-awareness depth.
• Teacher notes on students’ ability to identify and express emotions accurately and demonstrate control techniques.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• For students with additional needs, provide emotion cards with simplified images or tactile versions.
• Allow extra time or adult support for the reflection task.
• Use visual and kinaesthetic learning aids to engage all learners.
• Encourage peer support during paired activities.
• Create a safe, non-judgmental classroom climate where all emotions are respected.

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Extension and Home Learning Ideas

• Ask students to keep a daily “emotion diary” over the next week to track feelings and how they manage them.
• Encourage practice of deep breathing or positive affirmations at home with family.
• Create an emotions journal or drawing book to express feelings creatively.

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This highly interactive, reflective lesson will empower Year 4 students to build emotional literacy—an essential foundation for resilience and mental well-being in line with the National Curriculum’s PSHE requirements.