Feelings and Emotions

Overview

This is lesson 3 of 8 in the PSHE unit Understanding Relationships and Families, designed for a small group of 2 students (can be scaled to 8 if needed) aged 9-11 years (Key Stage 2). The focus is on identifying and expressing feelings linked to relationships through engaging role-play activities. This lesson encourages self-awareness, empathy, and communication skills, aligned with the PSHE Association Programme of Study and the statutory Health Education guidance (DfE, England, 2020).

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Learning Objectives

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

• Identify and name a range of emotions experienced in different relationship contexts (friendships, family, school).
• Recognise emotions both in themselves and others using verbal and non-verbal cues.
• Communicate feelings effectively in role-play scenarios.
• Reflect on how emotions affect behaviour in relationships.

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Curriculum Links

• PSHE Association Programme of Study (Key Stage 2):
  • Relationships: Understand different types of relationships and recognise respectful behaviours.
  • Health and Wellbeing: Recognise feelings and develop strategies to manage them.
• DfE Statutory Health Education (England 2020):
  • Mental wellbeing: How to express emotions, resolve conflicts and communicate effectively.
• British Values & SMSC: Promoting mutual respect, empathy, and individual dignity.

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Resources Needed

• Emotion cards with facial expressions and feelings vocabulary (happy, sad, frustrated, excited, anxious, calm, etc.)
• Scenario role-play cards (short, relatable situations).
• Large mirror or tablet with camera for students to observe their own facial expressions and body language.
• Emotion wheel poster.
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Reflective feelings journal or worksheet.

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly review learning from previous lessons in the unit.
• Icebreaker: “Emotion Snap” — show an emotion card quickly, students call out the feeling, then share a quick personal example when they have felt this way.

2. Introduction: What Are Feelings? (7 minutes)

• Display the emotion wheel. Discuss how feelings can be complex and often mixed.
• Explore how feelings influence behaviour in relationships (calm helps us listen, frustration might upset others).
• Use the mirror/tablet tool for students to practise making facial expressions linked to emotions.

3. Role-Play Activity (20 minutes)

• Setup: Each student draws a role-play scenario card related to friendships or family relationships. Examples include:
  • Feeling left out when friends are playing without you.
  • Being worried about a family member who is unwell.
  • Trying to apologise after an argument.
• Students prepare and act out the scenario twice: once focusing on recognising and displaying emotions, the second time practising expressing feelings and using supportive language.
• Teacher acts as facilitator to pause and prompt reflection: “How is that person feeling? What would you say to help?” Encourage active listening cues.

4. Discussion and Reflection (8 minutes)

• Discuss which emotions were easiest or hardest to recognise.
• Link feelings to actions – discuss helpful and unhelpful ways to respond in relationships.
• Complete a short feelings journal or worksheet: “Today, I noticed that…”, “One thing I want to do next time to express my feelings better is…”.

5. Plenary and Next Steps (5 minutes)

• Recap key vocabulary and insights from role-play activity.
• Highlight how understanding feelings can strengthen relationships.
• Give ‘emotion detective’ homework: notice emotions in others around them during the week, ready to share at the next lesson.

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Differentiation & SEND Considerations

• Use simplified emotion cards and supported texts for learners with language or processing difficulties.
• Provide sentence starters or social scripts for those who need help expressing feelings.
• Use visual or tactile resources for students who benefit from sensory learning.
• For more advanced learners, introduce concepts of conflicting emotions and managing more nuanced feelings.

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Assessment

• Informal assessment through observation during role-play and discussions: ability to identify emotions, appropriate expression, empathy.
• Review completed reflection worksheets for understanding and personal insight.
• Teacher notes to inform future lessons on emotional literacy and communication skills.

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Teacher Tips

• Create a safe and supportive atmosphere—emotions can be sensitive topics.
• Use the mirror/tablet to help students become more aware of their own emotional expressions physically.
• Encourage students to use “I feel…” statements to foster ownership of emotions.
• Model empathy and validation to normalise all feelings.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a class “Feelings Wall” or digital mood board where students regularly post how they’re feeling and why.
• Introduce storytelling or art projects to express complex emotions creatively.
• Invite a guest speaker specialising in child psychology or counselling to discuss emotional wellbeing.

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This lesson plan fosters emotional literacy and communication within relationships, essential skills for British pupils’ personal and social development. By interactive role-play and reflective activities, it provides practical tools for children to understand themselves and respect others in their daily lives.