A 30-minute Pre-K social-emotional learning lesson where students identify and express four core emotions—happy, sad, mad, and scared—through songs, mirror modeling, and interactive partner play.
• Non-Verbal / Gestural: Allow students to point to feeling paddles rather than naming vocally.
• Multilingual: Pair with home-language emotion terms (feliz, triste, enojado, asustado).
• Body Kinesthetics: Pair each feeling with full-body gestures (clapping, drooping, stomping, freezing).
Common Misconceptions
• Mad vs. Scared: Children often confuse angry scowls with startled wide eyes. Emphasize eyebrow direction (down/pointed vs. high/arched).
• "Bad Feelings": Reinforce that NO feeling is bad—all emotions are natural, but what we do with our bodies matters.
Pre-K SEL Observation Checklist
Observable Skill
Not Yet (1)
Developing (2)
Proficient (3)
Labeling: Names 4 emotions when shown visual slides.
Labels 0–1
Labels 2–3 with cues
Labels all 4 accurately
Mirror Mimicking: Forms facial cues in mirror upon prompt.
Only copies smile
Demonstrates 2–3 faces
Forms all 4 distinct faces
Peer Reading: Identifies partner's emotion in mirror game.
Guesses randomly
Identifies with hints
Identifies partner independently
Self-Reflection: Shares a real-life situation for an emotion.
Requires heavy prompting
Names a generic cause
Connects feeling to personal event
📌 Scribe student quotes directly on their Draw Your Feeling Sheet for portfolio documentation. Page 2 of 2
🌋 Modeling MAD:
"Slide 4! Squeeze your eyebrows together like a pointy 'V'. Press your lips into a tight straight line! Look at your eyebrows in the mirror. Now let's blow out that hot volcano air: Whoosh!"
🐰 Modeling SCARED:
"Slide 5! Open your eyes extra wide! Make an 'O' shape with your mouth: 'Oh!' Lift your shoulders up high like a startled bunny. Look at those big wide eyes in your mirror!"
💡 Prompting Tip: Give children 5 seconds of silent mirror exploration before naming each cue. Page 1 of 2
Instructional Script
Partner Game & Reflection Prompts
Phase 3 & 4 Guide
13:00 - 23:00
Phase 3: The Partner Mirror Game (Living Mirrors)
🗣️ TEACHER TALK (Pairing & Rules):
"Now, put your mirrors gently on your lap. Turn your knees to your elbow partner! In this game, YOU are the mirror! Partner A is the Feeling Maker. Partner B is the Magic Mirror. Ready?"
Circulation Prompt 1 (Observing Mouth):
"Partner B, look at your partner's mouth! Are the corners pointing up or pointing down? What is their mouth telling you?"
Circulation Prompt 2 (Observing Eyebrows):
"Look at those eyebrows! Are they squeezed down tight in a 'V' or way up high? What emotion could that be?"
Circulation Prompt 3 (Mirroring):
"Magic Mirror, can you copy that exact same face right now? Show me your copycat face! Awesome job!"
Switching Roles Prompt:
"1-2-3, freeze! Magic Mirrors, now it is YOUR turn to make a secret feeling face! Partner A, get ready to copy!"
23:00 - 30:00
Phase 4: Reflection Circle & Drawing Transition
🗣️ TEACHER TALK (Circle Debrief):
"Let's bring our hands to our hearts. We noticed that our faces tell the story of what we feel inside! Who would like to share: When did you feel HAPPY, SAD, MAD, or SCARED today?"
Sentence Frames & Scribing Prompts:
• "I felt happy when I got to play with the blocks."
• "I felt sad when my mommy left for work."
• "I felt mad when someone took my blue marker."
• "I felt scared when thunder went boom!"
Fast Teacher Pocket Cue Card
😊 HAPPY
Mouth UP • Cheeks UP
😢 SAD
Mouth DOWN • Eyes Low
😠 MAD
Brows 'V' • Lips Tight
😨 SCARED
Eyes WIDE • Mouth 'O'
🎨 Transition students to tables in small groups of 4 with crayons ready for the drawing sheet. Page 2 of 2
