Understanding Feelings

Lesson Overview

Subject: English (ELA)
Year Group: Year 1
Lesson Number: 14 of 28 in the unit Community, Travel, Emotions
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 30 students
Curriculum Reference: National Curriculum for English (KS1) - Spoken Language Objectives: Listen and respond appropriately, speak audibly and fluently, articulate and justify answers, participate in discussions, role-play and drama.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Recognise and name basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, excited, scared, etc.).
• Use simple sentence structures to express their feelings (e.g., “I feel happy because…”)
• Develop confidence in speaking aloud and responding to classmates through role-play.
• Practise turn-taking and active listening during discussions.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 mins) – Emotion Charades

1. Introduction (5 mins):

   • Display emotion flashcards with faces showing different feelings (happy, sad, surprised, angry, excited, etc.).
   • Ask: “How do you feel today?” Encourage students to share using “I feel…” sentences.
   • Model responses: “I feel happy because I played with my friend.”

2. Charades Game (5 mins):

   • One student picks an emotion card and acts it out without speaking.
   • The rest of the class guesses: “Are you feeling happy/sad/excited?”
   • The student reveals the emotion by saying: “I feel… because…”

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2. Main Lesson (30 mins) – Partner Role-Play

Activity 1: Matching Feelings with Situations (10 mins)

• Hand out scenario cards (e.g., “You lost your favourite toy,” “You got a surprise birthday gift,” “You see a big dog barking.”)
• In pairs, students read the scenario and decide which emotion it would make them feel.
• Each pair shares their answer with the class using full sentences:
  “I would feel scared because the dog is barking.”

Activity 2: Role-Play Conversations (20 mins)

1. Set the Scene (5 mins):

   • Introduce two characters (e.g., a child at the park and their friend).
   • Model a short conversation:
     Teacher: “How do you feel?”
     Student A: “I feel excited because I am going on a swing!”
     Student B: “That sounds fun! I feel happy for you.”

2. Paired Practice (15 mins):

   • Students partner up and act out different “How do you feel?” conversations using the scenario cards.
   • Encourage swapping partners after each round.

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3. Plenary (15 mins) – Feelings Circle & Reflection

• Students sit in a circle and share one thing that made them feel a certain way today.
• Use a soft toy as a talking object – only the person holding the toy speaks.
• Encourage responses in full sentences: “I feel… because…”
• Teacher prompts reflection:
  • “How can we help someone who is feeling sad?”
  • “What can we do if a friend feels scared?”
  • “Why is it important to talk about our feelings?”

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Differentiation

• For EAL/SEN students:
  • Use visual emotion cards with clear facial expressions.
  • Provide sentence starters: “I feel… because…”
  • Allow additional time for responses.
• For More Able Learners:
  • Encourage “What might happen next?” discussions based on scenarios.
  • Introduce more nuanced feelings (e.g., worried, proud, disappointed).

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Resources Needed

✅ Emotion flashcards
✅ Scenario cards
✅ Soft toy for the plenary
✅ Whiteboard and marker

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation: Are students confident in using “I feel…” sentences?
• Listening Tasks: Are they able to identify emotions correctly based on scenarios?
• Speaking Tasks: Are they forming clear, structured responses?

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Teacher Reflection

✅ Did all students engage in role-play conversations?
✅ Were students able to articulate their emotions clearly?
✅ What adjustments could be made for next time?

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This lesson combines structured speaking practice with imaginative role-play, scaffolding students’ ability to express emotions confidently—an essential skill for emotional literacy and communication development in Year 1. 🌟