Feelings and Repair

Overview

In this 15-minute social-emotional language mini-lesson, students practice recognizing emotions, choosing socially acceptable responses, and taking ownership when they make a mistake by using apology and solution language. The activities are short, concrete, and include role-play and discussion so students can connect words to feelings and actions.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to name how someone feels in a scenario using feeling words.
• Students will be able to describe helpful vs harmful behaviors using simple adjectives/adverbs (for example, “kind,” “quickly,” “gently”).
• Students will be able to explain how a choice affects others.
• Students will be able to take ownership by using an apology and a next-step solution when they make a mistake.

Success criteria

• I can say how a character feels and point to why.
• I can tell what the helpful choice is and how it helps other people.
• I can tell what the harmful choice is and how it hurts feelings or safety.
• I can use a complete repair statement: “I’m sorry. Next time, I will…”

Curriculum links

• Language (Grade 2): Use words and phrases from conversations and texts, including adjectives and adverbs, to describe feelings and actions.
• Speaking and Listening (Grade 1): Follow discussion rules (listening carefully, speaking one at a time).
• Speaking and Listening (Grade 1): Add drawings or visual displays to clarify thoughts and feelings during discussion.
• Writing (Grade 1): With guidance, add details to strengthen a small piece of writing about a scenario and repair.

Lesson structure (15 minutes)

1. 0–2 min · Warm-up (Feelings check). Teacher shows two picture cards (happy/frustrated or calm/angry) and asks, “Point to the face that matches your feeling right now.” Student points and names one feeling word.
2. 2–6 min · Mini direct teach (Helpful vs harmful). Teacher briefly models two contrasting actions (for example: “Someone drops a toy—helpful kid picks it up” vs “Harmful kid yells and pushes the toy away”), emphasizing describing words (“gentle,” “angry,” “quickly”) and how it affects others (“It makes them feel…”). Student repeats 1 helpful and 1 harmful sentence using the teacher’s model.
3. 6–12 min · Role-play scenarios (Act, then name emotions). Teacher gives two short scenarios; for each, the student acts out one response (helpful first, then harmful). Teacher prompts:

• “How does the other person feel?”
• “Is this helpful or harmful? How do you know?” After the harmful role-play, teacher immediately shifts to repair practice. Student acts, then answers using a complete sentence (with prompting as needed).

4. 12–14 min · Apology and solution practice (Repair script). Teacher displays a simple repair visual with three parts: “I’m sorry / It was my mistake / Next time…” Teacher and student practice the script for a common classroom mistake scenario (for example: “I bumped you” or “I took a toy without asking”). Student repeats the repair statement and chooses one specific next-step solution.
5. 14–15 min · Quick exit check (One-sentence show what you learned). Teacher asks: “Tell me one helpful choice and one repair sentence.” Student responds orally with one helpful behavior and “I’m sorry… Next time I will…”

Resources

• Two or three emotion picture cards (happy, sad, mad/angry, calm)
• A small “Helpful vs Harmful” chart (drawn with simple icons)
• Repair visual card: “I’m sorry / It was my mistake / Next time…”
• Simple scenario cue cards (2–3 short situations)
• Sticky note or small paper for one quick drawing (optional if student benefits from visuals)

Assessment

• During role-play, teacher listens for correct emotion naming and whether the student distinguishes helpful vs harmful behaviors.
• During repair practice, teacher checks for ownership language (“my mistake”) and a next-step solution (“Next time I will…”).
• Exit check: student states one helpful choice and one repair sentence within 1 minute.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and a picture-based repair script; accept single-word feelings at first (then build to complete sentences).
• Support: Use gestures (pointing to chart icons) so the student can show helpful vs harmful even if speaking is limited.
• Extension: If the student is ready, ask “What could you do instead?” and require two different next-step options (not just one).
• EAL/SEN considerations: Keep scenarios familiar (sharing, bumps, taking turns). Use consistent language each time and repeat the same repair template.