Moving Class Emotions

Overview

This 50-minute lesson for Year 2 students focuses on recognising, naming, and expressing emotions linked to moving into a new class, supporting their personal, social and emotional development. It closely aligns with the National Curriculum for England's PSHE objectives, as well as speaking and listening requirements in English.

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National Curriculum Links

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE):

• Key Stage 1, Relationships and Feelings:
  • To recognise and name feelings in themselves and others
  • To consider how their actions affect others
  • To develop strategies to manage feelings in a positive way

English – Speaking and Listening:

• Listening and Responding:
  • Participate in discussions, staying on topic and initiating comments
  • Express feelings and ideas clearly

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Learning Objectives

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

• Identify and name different feelings related to moving to a new class (e.g., excitement, nervousness, sadness, curiosity).
• Express their own emotions about moving into a new class through sharing and creative activity.
• Recognise that others may feel differently and show empathy.
• Use appropriate vocabulary to talk about emotions.

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Resources Needed

• Emotion cards with faces and feeling words (happy, nervous, excited, worried, etc.)
• Blank paper and coloured pencils/crayons
• A puppet or soft toy (for role-play)
• A feelings thermometer poster (showing intensity levels of emotions)
• Feelings storybook (prepared by teacher or create a short, simple story about moving class)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Emotion Match Warm-up

• Show pupils the emotion cards one by one.
• Ask: “Can you make the face that matches this feeling?”
• Pupils mimic the face and say the feeling aloud.
• Teacher briefly discusses each emotion and when we might feel it, especially linked to moving class.

Rationale: Activates prior knowledge and introduces key vocabulary.

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2. Main Activity Part 1 (15 minutes)

Story and Emotion Exploration

• Teacher reads a short story about a child moving into a new class, including a variety of emotions.
• After reading, pupils discuss:
  • What feelings did the child have?
  • Have you ever felt like that?
• Introduce the ‘Feelings Thermometer’ to show how emotions can be mild or strong.

Differentiation:

• Support with pointing to emotion cards or teacher modelling simple sentences.
• More able pupils encouraged to explain emotions in their own words.

Rationale: Enhances comprehension alongside emotional literacy.

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3. Main Activity Part 2 (15 minutes)

Emotion Expression Drawing & Sharing

• Pupils draw a picture showing how they feel about moving into a new class.
• Prompt with questions:
  • What are you looking forward to?
  • Is there anything that worries you?
• Pupils label their pictures using feeling words.
• Volunteers share their drawings and explain their emotions to the class.

Rationale: Combines creativity with verbal expression, supports emotional vocabulary and confidence in speaking.

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4. Plenary (10 minutes)

Puppet Role-Play and Group Discussion

• Using a puppet, the teacher models talking through feelings linked to a new class (e.g., “I’m a bit nervous but also excited!”).
• Pupils take turns giving the puppet advice on how to feel brave and happy.
• Teacher summarises key messages:
  • It’s okay to have mixed feelings.
  • Talking about feelings helps us feel better.
  • Everyone experiences feelings differently.

Assessment:

• Observe pupils’ ability to use feeling words appropriately during sharing and role-play.
• Check understanding of strategies to manage emotions.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation of pupil participation in discussions, use of vocabulary, and sharing artwork.
• Teacher notes pupils who may need further support with emotional literacy or speaking skills.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a ‘Moving Class Feelings Book’ with pupils’ drawings and feelings to revisit later.
• Set up a ‘Feelings Corner’ in the classroom with emotion cards for pupils to use when upset or worried.

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Additional Notes

• Maintain a supportive classroom atmosphere to foster emotional safety.
• Reinforce that all feelings are natural and valid.
• Encouraging empathy builds positive peer relationships.

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This lesson plan innovatively blends emotional literacy with English skills, tailored to Year 2, and firmly grounded in the national curriculum to support learners through a significant transition.