Emotions in Action

Grade 4 Drama

Duration: 60 minutes

Class Size: 1 student

Unit: Emotions in Action

Lesson 1 of 1

Lesson Title: Exploring Emotions Through Improvisation

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Common Core Alignment

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant descriptive details.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3: Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (or performance).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5.A: Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

Note: While the Common Core does not explicitly include drama standards, the skills related to collaborative discussion, storytelling, character description, and expressive language are directly supported here.

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Learning Objectives

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

• I can identify and name at least four different emotions (joy, sadness, anger, fear).
• I can use my body and voice to express these emotions clearly.
• I can participate in improvisational activities that help me explore feelings in an imaginative way.
• I can reflect on how emotions influence storytelling and character development through discussion.
• I can use descriptive language to explain how emotions affect actions in a story.

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Success Criteria

• Student demonstrates clear facial expressions and body language corresponding to each emotion.
• Student uses varied vocal tones that match the emotions being expressed.
• Student participates fully in improvisation activities, showing creativity and engagement.
• Student uses newly learned vocabulary (joy, sadness, anger, fear) during reflection and discussion.
• Student explains how emotions influence storytelling with age-appropriate language.

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Materials Needed

• Emotion cards with dyslexia-friendly fonts and high-contrast colors
• Mirror or reflective surface for self-observation
• Comfortable open space for movement
• Visual emotion chart (pictures + keywords)
• Reflection journal or notebook with accessible (dyslexia-friendly) paper and fonts
• Timer or stopwatch

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Lesson Procedure

1. Introduction & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Activity: Greeting and emotional check-in with the student ("How are you feeling today?")
• Use the emotion cards to show the four key emotions: joy, sadness, anger, fear.
• Using the mirror, model facial expressions for each emotion, encouraging the student to copy.
• Differentiation: For a student with dyslexia or processing challenges, include verbal cues and allow extra time for copying expressions. Use simple, clear language.
• Success Criteria Check: Student correctly mimics facial expressions.
• "I can" statement: I can recognize and copy feelings on my face.

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2. Improvisation Exploration (20 minutes)

• Activity: Guided improvisation.
• One emotion at a time, the student imagines a situation (e.g., finding a lost puppy for joy, missing a toy for sadness). The teacher prompts the student to act out the scenario using body language and voice only—no words at first.
• Encourage exaggeration of body posture and vocal tone to convey emotion clearly.
• Then, invite the student to add simple words or sounds that might go with the emotion (e.g., laughing for joy, sighing for sadness).
• Rotate through all four emotions twice to reinforce learning.
• Differentiation: Allow student to choose situations they relate to or feel comfortable with to reduce anxiety. Use visual aids and emotion cards during scenario setup.
• Success Criteria Check: Student communicates each emotion visibly and vocally.
• "I can" statement: I can show feelings with my body and voice.

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3. Reflective Discussion & Storytelling (15 minutes)

• Discuss with the student: How does feeling joy or anger change the way a character acts? How might these emotions help tell a story better?
• Use simple questions like: "Can you tell me how someone who is scared might move or talk?"
• Encourage the student to describe or tell a short story using at least two emotions experienced in the improvisation.
• Use a reflection journal where the student can draw or write about one emotion and how it feels to act it out. Dyslexia-friendly writing supports optional.
• Differentiation: Support oral storytelling if writing is difficult, or allow drawing responses. Use sentence starters if helpful.
• Success Criteria Check: Student uses emotion vocabulary in storytelling or drawing to explain feelings.
• "I can" statement: I can explain how emotions help tell a story.

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4. Wrap-Up and Preview (10 minutes)

• Recap the four emotions learned and how they were used in activities.
• Ask the student to pick their favorite emotion to act out one last time.
• Preview next steps: "Next time, we will start creating mini-plays using these feelings!"
• Provide positive feedback highlighting the student's creativity and work.
• Success Criteria Check: Student confidently names and acts out an emotion during wrap-up.
• "I can" statement: I can remember and share my feelings through acting.

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Assessment

• Formative: Teacher observation during improvisations assessing clarity of emotional expression.
• Student self-assessment: Using simple thumbs up/down or "I can" statements during reflection.
• Teacher notes: Record which emotions are easiest/hardest for the student to express for future differentiation.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Needs	Strategies
Dyslexia or reading difficulties	Use dyslexia-friendly fonts, color contrast, verbal instructions, sentence starters, and drawing options.
Social/Emotional Sensitivity	Allow choice in scenarios, provide calm reassuring feedback, avoid pressure.
Language Processing	Break tasks into smaller steps, repeat and rephrase instructions, use visual aids.
Kinesthetic Learners	Emphasize movement-based activities and use of body language.

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Reflection Notes (For Teacher)

• Monitor student’s comfort with emotional expression and adjust pacing accordingly.
• Be attentive to nonverbal cues that an emotion may be difficult or triggering.
• Consider additional support or follow-up lessons focusing on complex emotions if ready.

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Thank you for using this detailed plan to spark emotional creativity and drama skills!