Understanding Our Feelings

Overview

This 45-minute lesson is the first in a three-part unit titled "Building Our Community Together" designed for Year 1 students. The focus is on helping children recognise and name a variety of emotions, understand how these emotions influence behaviours and relationships, and begin to develop empathy through recognising the feelings of others. The lesson uses storytelling and role-play to engage pupils actively, aligned with the PSHE objectives of the National Curriculum for England.

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Curriculum Links

PSHE Education - Key Stage 1 (Years 1-2)

• Health and Wellbeing: Recognising and identifying feelings and expressing emotions
  (Reference: PSHE Association Programme of Study, Year 1)

Statutory Guidance Key Objectives:

• To recognise, name and describe a range of feelings and emotions.
• To understand that people have feelings that may be different from their own.
• To develop positive relationships through empathy and respect for others’ emotions.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Recognise and name at least four different emotions (happy, sad, angry, scared).
2. Identify how emotions can be expressed through facial expressions, body language, and behaviour.
3. Demonstrate understanding that other people have feelings that may be different from their own.
4. Show basic empathy by responding appropriately to classmates’ feelings in role-play.

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Resources Needed

• Emotion flashcards with simple illustrations (happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised)
• Short, age-appropriate storybook featuring a character experiencing different feelings (e.g. “The Colour Monster” or similar)
• Emotion faces mirror cards (small hand mirrors or printed faces for mimicry)
• Role-play props (optional, e.g. puppets, hats)
• Whiteboard and marker
• Worksheets with simple emotion faces for drawing or colouring (optional for early finishers)

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Greet pupils and explain today’s focus: “Today we are going to learn about feelings!”
• Quick “Feelings Check-In”: Ask children to show on their face how they are feeling right now (happy, sad, tired, excited, etc.)
• Briefly introduce the idea that everyone has feelings and it is important to understand them.

2. Story Time: Exploring Emotions (10 minutes)

• Read the chosen story aloud, emphasising the emotions the character experiences.
• Pause after each emotion is described and ask: “How do you think they are feeling here?” Show corresponding emotion flashcard.
• Encourage children to make the face and body language of that emotion (use mirrors or mimicry).

3. Emotion Identification Activity (10 minutes)

• Show emotion flashcards one at a time and ask children to name the emotion.
• Discuss simple signs that show that feeling (e.g. “When I’m angry, I might frown and stamp my feet.”)
• Group activity: “Emotion freeze”
  • Call out an emotion and pupils ‘freeze’ making that facial expression and body posture.
  • Peers guess the emotion – reinforce correct vocabulary and recognition.

4. Role-Play to Recognise and Respond (15 minutes)

• Introduce simple scenarios where characters feel different emotions (e.g. someone is sad because they lost a toy, someone is angry because they can’t share).
• Use puppets or props to demonstrate scenarios and invite volunteers to role-play how the character shows the emotion.
• Follow-up with whole class discussion: “How could we help a friend who feels this way?”
• Emphasise kindness, listening, and respect for feelings.

5. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Recap key points: “We have learned names for lots of feelings today and how to spot them.”
• Ask a few children to share: “Which feeling do you recognise most about yourself?” or “How will you help a friend who’s sad or angry?”
• Set a ‘Feeling Friends’ challenge: “Today, try to notice a friend’s feelings and be kind.”
• Congratulate the class on their great listening and sharing.

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment through observation during emotion recognition, freeze activity, and role-play responses.
• Use questioning to assess understanding of vocabulary and empathy concepts.
• Note any pupils needing additional support in recognising or expressing feelings for follow-up lessons.

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Differentiation and SEND Support

• Pair less confident children with a buddy during role-play.
• Use clear, simple language and visual emotion clues.
• Provide sensory supports (e.g. stress balls) if needed for emotional regulation.
• Allow more physical movement for children who find sitting still challenging during freeze activities.

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Extension and Home Learning

• Encourage parents/carers to talk about emotions at home.
• Send home a simple feelings chart to share with family, encouraging children to name feelings daily.
• Suggest a family storytime using “The Colour Monster” or a similar book to reinforce learning.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Observe engagement during role-play – do pupils show empathy and recognition of others’ feelings?
• Were emotion vocabulary and recognition secure by the end?
• Note which emotions might need revisiting or expanding in future lessons.
• Consider adding art-based activities (drawing feelings) for varied learning styles in subsequent lessons.

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This lesson plan is designed to build a strong emotional foundation that supports positive relationships and community spirit among young children, perfectly aligning with the National Curriculum’s PSHE statutory framework and the core theme of health and wellbeing for Key Stage 1.