Emotion ID Cards Lesson Plan Emotion ID Cards
Lesson Plan • Tier 2 Social-Emotional Learning
6th Grade
Time
15 Minutes
Approach
Visual ID, Paired Discussion, Guided Reflection
Format
Small Group (Tier 2)
The "Why"
Developing emotional literacy helps students better understand their internal states and communicate them effectively, which is essential for healthy social-emotional development and building strong relationships.
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify and name various emotions using visual aids and articulate their own current feelings to a peer.
Materials Needed
Emotion ID Cards (Printable Set)
Emotion ID Slides
Teacher Script
"How Do You Feel?" Cool Down Sheet
Preparation
Prepare Materials (5 mins)
Gather or print the 12 illustrated Emotion ID Cards. Review the slide deck and teacher script to familiarize yourself with the lesson flow and talking points.
Instructional Steps
01 2 Mins
Introduction & Hook
Greet students and introduce the lesson by asking: "How many of you have ever felt so many feelings you didn't know which one it was? Today, we're going to become emotion detectives!"
Key Reference: Slides 1-2 (Welcome & Why Emotional Intelligence?)
02 5 Mins
Introduce Emotion ID Cards
Display the 12 Emotion ID Cards one by one. Ask students to describe the illustrations. Discuss what each emotion feels like and provide relatable examples (e.g., "This is 'Excited'. What does their face tell us?").
Check for Understanding: Ask students to recall 2-3 emotions and describe them in their own words.
03 6 Mins
Practice: Share Your Feelings
Students pair up and pick an Emotion ID Card that describes how they feel right now. They share their choice and explain the "why" behind it while their partner listens respectfully.
04 2 Mins
Reflect & Cool Down
Bring the class together. Briefly discuss how using cards helps communication. Distribute the "How Do You Feel?" Cool Down worksheet as an exit ticket.
Emotion ID Cards Set Emotion ID
Happy
Feeling joyful & content
Emotion ID
Sad
Feeling down or unhappy
Emotion ID
Angry
Feeling furious or mad
Emotion ID
Worried
Feeling nervous or uneasy
Emotion ID
✨
Excited
Feeling eager or thrilled
Emotion ID
Calm
Feeling peaceful & quiet
Emotion ID
Surprised
Feeling amazed or shocked
Emotion ID
Embarrassed
Feeling awkward or self-conscious
Emotion ID
Shy
Feeling nervous in social settings
Emotion ID
Frustrated
Feeling stuck or annoyed
Emotion ID
Proud
Feeling pleased with achievements
Emotion ID
Confused
Feeling puzzled or bewildered
Emotion ID Slides Deck Emotion Detectives
Ever felt a tangle of emotions? Today, we're learning to understand our feelings better!
Mission 01
The Goal
Why Emotional Intelligence?
Know ourselves better
Communicate with others
Handle challenges
Build strong friendships
Our Emotion ID Cards
We have 12 special cards to help us identify and talk about different feelings. Let's look at them one by one!
Happy
Feeling joyful, content, or pleased.
What does 'happy' look like?
When do you feel happy?
Sad
Feeling unhappy, sorrowful, or down.
What does 'sad' look like?
When might you feel sad?
Angry
Feeling annoyed, frustrated, or furious.
What does 'angry' look like?
When do you feel angry?
Worried/Anxious
Feeling uneasy, nervous, or fearful about something.
What does 'worried' look like?
When do you feel worried?
Excited
✨
Feeling eager, enthusiastic, or thrilled.
What does 'excited' look like?
When do you feel excited?
Calm
Feeling peaceful, relaxed, or tranquil.
What does 'calm' look like?
When do you feel calm?
Surprised
Feeling astonished or amazed by something unexpected.
What does 'surprised' look like?
When do you feel surprised?
Embarrassed
Feeling awkward, self-conscious, or ashamed.
What does 'embarrassed' look like?
When do you feel embarrassed?
Shy
Feeling nervous, reserved, or uncomfortable in social situations.
What does 'shy' look like?
When do you feel shy?
Frustrated
Feeling annoyed or upset because you can't do something.
What does 'frustrated' look like?
When do you feel frustrated?
Proud
Feeling pleased with your own achievements.
What does 'proud' look like?
When do you feel proud?
Confused
Feeling bewildered, puzzled, or unable to understand.
Emotion ID Cards Script Manual Emotion ID Cards
Facilitator Script
PART 01
Introduction (2 Minutes)
Opening Hook
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Please settle in. Today, we're going to dive into something really important: our feelings! How many of you have ever felt so many different feelings at once that you weren't sure which one it was? Or maybe you felt a strong emotion but couldn't quite put a name to it?"
Wait for student responses / show of hands
Objectives (Slide 1 & 2)
"Exactly! It happens to all of us. Today, we're going to become 'Emotion Detectives'! Our goal is to help you identify and name emotions using special visual aids, and then to practice sharing how you're feeling right now with a partner. Why? Because understanding our emotions helps us know ourselves, communicate more clearly, handle tricky situations, and build stronger friendships. It's a superpower for life!"
PART 02
Introduce Emotion ID Cards (5 Minutes)
Action: Display the 12 Emotion ID Cards. Go through each slide/card systematically.
Guide the Discussion
"To help us with our detective work, I have 12 special 'Emotion ID Cards.' I want you to look at the faces on the cards and think about what that person might be feeling. Let's start with this one..."
The Prompt:
"Look at the face. What do you notice? What does [Emotion] look like? When do you usually feel this way?"
Definitions:
Happy: Joyful, pleased.
Sad: Down, sorrowful.
Angry: Furious, mad.
Worried: Uneasy, nervous.
Tip: Call on 1-2 students after the deck is finished for a quick "check for understanding" recall question.
PART 03
Practice Time (6 Minutes)
Instruction Script
"Now, it's time to put our skills into practice! I want you to think about how you are feeling right now. Pick the strongest feeling. Here's what we'll do:"
Pair Up: Find a partner near you.
Pick a Card: Silently choose one Emotion ID Card that describes you right now.
Share: Take turns sharing your card and explaining *why*. Listen respectfully."
Circulate the room, offer support, and monitor respect.
PART 04
Reflect & Wrap Up (2 Minutes)
"Alright, bring your attention back up here. Thank you for sharing. What did you learn today? How might using these cards help you in the future? Remember, being able to name a feeling is the first step to managing it."
Emotion Cool Down Sheet How Do You Feel?
Emotion Detective Cool Down
Name:
Date:
1
Check Your Emotional State
Look at the emotions we explored today. Which one best describes how you are feeling right now, as our class ends?
Happy
Sad
Angry
Worried
Excited
Calm
Surprised
Embarrassed
Shy
Frustrated
Proud
Confused
2
Explain the "Why"
Why do you think you are feeling this way? What happened today that influenced your mood?
3
Detective Insights
What is one new thing you learned about emotions or identifying them today?
Great work today, Emotion Detective!