Emotion & Motion Outline Emotion & Motion
Lesson Facilitation Guide
7th Grade • 50 Mins
WHY THIS MATTERS
This lesson develops students’ emotional literacy and dance vocabulary, fostering self-awareness, creativity, and physical engagement aligned with national dance standards.
APPROACH
Guided movement prompts and reflection
PREPARATION
Queue up music tracks for movement prompts
Project Mood Moves Slides
Print copies of Emotion Prompt Pages
Arrange classroom into open space for safe movement
Review prompts and safety guidelines
MATERIALS
Mood Moves Slides
Emotion Prompt Pages
Music Player & Speakers
Open Space
Journals
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Students will connect emotions to expressive movement by creating and performing freeze-frame poses, completing a guided worksheet, and reflecting on their emotional expression.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1
10 MINS
Objective & Warm-Up
Introduce the objective: connect emotions to expressive movement.
Lead a dynamic stretch and locomotor warm-up (e.g., reaching, lunges, quick feet).
Display three quick emotion prompts (happy, surprised, calm) using Mood Moves Slides – students move to embody each emotion.
2
15 MINS
Freeze-Frame Emote Activity
Display one emotion per slide using Mood Moves Slides .
In small groups, students create a 4-beat movement phrase ending in a freeze-frame pose that captures the emotion.
Rotate through four emotions, with each group sharing their final freeze-frame pose.
Encourage use of level changes, varied body shapes, and facial expression.
3
15 MINS
Worksheet Exploration
Distribute Emotion Prompt Pages .
Students read prompts and sketch or list three movements for each emotion.
Circulate to support movement vocabulary (e.g., "Angry stomp", "Joyful jump", "Mysterious glide") and clarify safety guidelines.
4
10 MINS
Reflection & Wrap-Up
Have students journal: Which was easiest/hardest? How did movement affect your feelings?
Invite volunteers to share reflections.
Summarize: Emotional intent, body dynamics, and performance presence.
ONGOING ASSESSMENT
PERFORMANCE
Observe group freeze-frame poses for clear emotional qualities.
VOCABULARY
Review Prompt Pages for creative movement descriptions.
SELF-AWARENESS
Read journals for articulation of emotional expression.
Mood Moves Slides Mood Moves
Express yourself! Use your body to show how you feel.
LETS GET MOVING
Teacher Notes Welcome students. Introduce the purpose of the Mood Moves deck. Encourage focus on body awareness and emotional expression through movement.
Warm-Up
1
Reach high to the sky
2
Lunge forward and back
3
Quick feet in place
Teacher Notes Guide the warm-up. Lead high reaches, lunges, quick feet. Remind students to move safely in the space.
Happy
Bounce with light steps
Open arms wide
Smile big!
Teacher Notes Show “Happy” and encourage bouncy, open movements. Smile and use big shapes.
Surprised
Eyes wide open
Leap up and out
Use sudden changes
Teacher Notes Prompt “Surprised”: wide eyes, big jumps, quick changes in level.
Calm
Move slowly like floating...
Soften your arms...
Breathe gently...
Teacher Notes For “Calm”: slow, smooth glides. Gentle arm curves. Deep breaths.
Angry
Stomp feet heavily
Clench fists
Move with power
Teacher Notes For “Angry”: use strong stomps, tense fists, forceful movements.
Joyful
Leap high!
Reach up!
Let your excitement shine through every movement.
Teacher Notes For “Joyful”: leap and reach higher with each jump.
Mysterious
Tiptoe softly
Move in curved lines
Keep it smooth and secretive
Teacher Notes For “Mysterious”: gliding, tiptoeing, flowing shapes.
Emotion Prompt Pages Worksheet Emotion Prompt Pages
Map your movement: Part 1
Name
Date
INSTRUCTIONS
Read each emotion prompt below. Sketch or list three specific movements that express each emotion. Think about levels (high/low), speed (fast/slow), and energy (sharp/smooth).
Happy
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Surprised
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Calm
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Angry
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Emotion Prompt Pages
Map your movement: Part 2
Joyful
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Mysterious
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Your Own Emotion:
Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3
Sketch Your Favorite Pose
Freeze-Frame Emote Activity Guide Freeze-Frame Emote
Group Movement Activity
Objective
Create a 4-beat phrase ending in a freeze-frame pose that communicates a specific emotion.
Time
15 MINS
Group Size
3–4 Students
How to Play
1
Setup (1 min)
Project an emotion from Mood Moves Slides . Find a safe spot in the room with your group. Respect personal space!
2
Create the Phrase (4 mins)
Brainstorm and practice a short 4-beat movement phrase that ends in a solid freeze-frame pose .
Level Changes
Body Shapes
Facial Expression
3
Perform & Rotate (8 mins)
Perform your phrase for the class. When watching others, look for one positive observation to share (e.g., "I saw high energy in their jump"). We will rotate through 4 different emotions.
4
Whole-Class Share (1 min)
One group shares their favorite pose of the session.
Activity Reflection
Which freeze-frame pose best captured its emotion? Why?
What body parts or shapes did you use to make the feeling clear?
How did collaborating in a group influence your movement ideas?
How might you make your emotional intent even stronger next time?
Movement Reflection Journal Movement Reflection
Self-Awareness Journal
Name
Date
Spend the next 10 minutes writing thoughtful, detailed responses. Use complete sentences and refer back to your experiences in the Freeze-Frame Emote Activity and your sketches on the Emotion Prompt Pages.
1
Which emotion did you find easiest to express through movement? Which emotion was the hardest ? Explain your reasons in detail.
2
Describe one movement phrase you created during the group activity. How did each element—level changes, body shapes, and facial expressions—help communicate the intended emotion?
3
How did working with your peers influence your creative process and final performance? Provide specific examples of ideas you adopted or adapted from teammates.
4
Reflect on your notes and sketches in the Emotion Prompt Pages. How did planning your movements on paper help you feel more confident or clear about your performance?
5
Imagine you’re telling a story in another class (like ELA or Social Studies). How could you use expressive movement techniques from today to make your storytelling better? Describe two ideas.
Every movement tells a story.
