Word Parade Guide Vocabulary Anchor Chart
Feelings Word Parade!
March to the beat of your emotions! Learn these 8 spectacular vocabulary words and notice how they look and feel in our bodies.
1. Ecstatic 🤩
What it means:
Super-duper happy and thrilled!
Parade Move Jump up and down with hands in the air!
2. Gloomy 😞
What it means:
Sad, heavy, and feeling like a rainy day.
Parade Move Walk slowly with heavy feet and slumped shoulders.
3. Terrified 😱
What it means:
Very, very scared or frightened!
Parade Move Freeze, widen eyes, and hold hands to your cheeks!
4. Frustrated 😤
What it means:
Stuck and annoyed when things get hard.
Parade Move Cross your arms, huff, and stomp one foot.
5. Proud 🦁
What it means:
Happy with yourself for doing something great!
Parade Move Stand tall, chest out, and give a double thumbs-up!
6. Exhausted 🥱
What it means:
Extremely tired, like you have zero energy left.
Parade Move Walk with floppy, noodle arms and let out a big yawn.
7. Curious 🧐
What it means:
Excited to explore, ask questions, and learn.
Parade Move Tilt your head, tap your chin, and look all around!
8. Shy 🫣
What it means:
Feeling quiet and wanting to hide a little bit.
Parade Move Slightly turn away, curl shoulders in, and peek out.
CRITICAL CUE FOR STUDENTS: Feelings change like the weather! Every feeling is a normal and exciting part of being human.
Feelings Parade Teacher Script Teacher Facilitation Guide
Feelings Parade Lesson Script
Grade 1
Duration: 30 Mins
Learning Objective
Students match 8 feeling words to physical/facial expressions with 85%+ accuracy.
Key Concepts
Expanded Emotions, Physical Expression, Emotional Literacy.
Prep Checklist
Print Word Parade Guide, cut Relay Cards, print Floats Worksheets.
0-5 MINS
Part 1: The Parade Warm-Up
Gather students on the rug. Put on dynamic marching band music at a low background volume.
🗣️ Say: "Good morning, parade performers! Raise your hand if you have ever seen a parade before. What did you see? (Accept 1-2 rapid student responses) . Yes! Flags, music, and people moving in creative ways!"
🗣️ Say: "Today, we are hosting our very own Feelings Word Parade ! Our bodies and faces are like parade floats—they show the whole world exactly how we feel on the inside without us saying a single word. Let's learn 8 special feeling words so we can march like emotional superstars!"
5-12 MINS
Part 2: Meeting Our Parade Members
Point to the "Word Parade Guide" poster. Introduce each of the 8 words with enthusiastic body language.
1. Ecstatic: "This is when we are so happy we could jump! Let's all jump and raise our hands! (Model jump) ."
2. Gloomy: "Like a rainy cloud. Slump your shoulders, let your head hang. Let's walk heavy... (Model heavy walking) ."
3. Terrified: "Super-duper scared! Eyes wide, gasp, hold your face! (Model pose) ."
4. Frustrated: "When a puzzle piece won't fit. Cross your arms, stomp, and huff! (Model huff) ."
Active Check for Understanding (CFU): Call out randomly: "Show me ECSTATIC !" then "Show me GLOOMY !". Check that all students are physically shifting their shapes instantly. Guide those who hesitate.
Feelings Word Parade • Grade 1 Page 1 of 2
12-22 MINS
Part 3: The Emotion Parade Relay
Divide the class into 4 parade troupes (lines). Set up 4 "float baskets" at the opposite side of the rug.
🗣️ Say: "Troupes! Each of you will take turns pulling a physical cue card. You must march across the room performing that exact emotion move. When you reach the float basket, match your physical move card to the correct Emotion Word on the float, drop it in, and high-five your teammate!"
🗣️ Say: "Remember, this is a parade, not a speed race! The team with the most accurate feelings matched is our Grand Marshal! Walk safely, stay in character, and let's march!"
Management Tip: If students break character or run, hit a triangle/bell. "Freeze! In our parade, we must keep our feeling shapes solid so our audience understands us! Reset and continue."
22-27 MINS
Part 4: Parade Floats Worksheet & Conversation
Send students to tables. Distribute the "Parade Floats of Feelings Worksheet."
🗣️ Say: "Now, let's design our own parade floats! On page 1 of your worksheet, use your line-matching lasso to connect each emotional parade character to their correct float. On page 2, draw your very own float showing how you feel right now!"
💬 Nuance Questions to Ask as They Work:
"How is being proud different from being ecstatic?" (Proud is quiet joy for doing well; ecstatic is loud, jumping joy!)
"What happens to our breathing when we are frustrated?" (It gets fast or hot!)
"How can we help a friend whose float looks gloomy today?" (We can invite them to play, write them a nice note.)
27-30 MINS
Part 5: Grand Finale Reflection
🗣️ Say: "You have all earned your Official Parade Director badges! Collect your exit ticket drawings. Remember, our parade of feelings goes on every single day. Some days we feel proud, some days we feel gloomy, and all of those floats are perfectly okay!"
Feelings Word Parade • Grade 1 Page 2 of 2
Emotion Parade Relay Cards Active Movement Game
Emotion Parade Relay!
Get students moving, acting, and matching! This print-ready kit features layout blueprints and 8 printable cards for your parade game.
Classroom Setup Blueprint
Start Lines
4 Troupes
Parade Pathway
March in Emotion Shape
No running!
Float Baskets
Match Cards
How to Play
1 Divide class into 4 teams (Troupes) standing in lines.
2 Place card piles face down at start line. Place 4 buckets with large matching Emotion words at the end.
3 First student draws a card, strikes that feeling pose , and marches down the path!
4 They drop card into correct word bucket, march back, and tag the next teammate.
Facilitation Hacks
🔊 Sound Control: Use a whistle or bell. Tell students: "When the bell rings, FREEZE like a statue in your emotion!"
🛑 Safety Rule: Running drops your score! Parade marchers must display excellent acting shapes, not high speeds.
👥 Peer Feedback: Encourage teammates to cheer and whisper the moves: "Yes! Slump those gloomy shoulders!"
INSTRUCTIONS: Cut out the cards on the next page. Laminate for durability!
Emotion Parade Relay • Lesson Kit Page 1 of 2
✂️ Cut Along Dashed Lines to Make 8 Game Cards ✂️
Emotion Card 🤩
ECSTATIC
Your Physical Parade Move:
Jump high in the air, raise arms, and display a giant smile!
Feelings Parade Match with 🤩
Emotion Card 😞
GLOOMY
Your Physical Parade Move:
Walk extra slowly, slump your shoulders, and keep chin down.
Feelings Parade Match with 😞
Emotion Card 😱
TERRIFIED
Your Physical Parade Move:
Widen your eyes, gasp quietly, and hold hands to cheeks!
Feelings Parade Match with 😱
Emotion Card 😤
FRUSTRATED
Your Physical Parade Move:
Cross arms tightly, stomp your foot, and puff cheeks out!
Feelings Parade Match with 😤
Emotion Card 🦁
PROUD
Your Physical Parade Move:
Stand super tall, puff chest, and give a double thumbs up!
Feelings Parade Match with 🦁
Emotion Card 🥱
EXHAUSTED
Parade Floats Worksheet Name:
Date:
Assessment Worksheet
Match the Parade Floats!
Draw a straight pencil line (a "matching lasso") from each vocabulary word on the left to its matching emoji expression face on the right.
Troupe Group 1
1. Ecstatic
2. Gloomy
3. Terrified
4. Frustrated
😱
😤
🤩
😞
Troupe Group 2
5. Proud
6. Exhausted
7. Curious
8. Shy
🥱
🫣
🦁
🧐
Goal: Match with 85% accuracy (at least 7 out of 8 correct matches!). You've got this!
Feelings Word Parade • Activity Pack Page 1 of 2
Name:
Date:
Exit Ticket
Design My Feelings Float!
How do you feel right now? Draw a magnificent parade float showing your feeling! Add faces, colors, banners, and balloons to express your emotion.
Today, my parade float feels:
I know this because my body is:
Self-Assessment Checklist:
I drew my float I completed my sentences I wrote my feeling word
Feelings Word Parade • Activity Pack Page 2 of 2
