My Feelings My Voice Lesson Plan My Feelings, My Voice
Tier 3 Individualized Lesson Plan
Duration
15 Minutes
Objective
Students will learn to identify common emotions and express them using visual cues and an AAC device or communication board.
Audience
6th Grade Individual Student (Nonverbal / Tier 3 Intervention)
Why This Matters
Understanding and expressing emotions is crucial for social development. This lesson empowers nonverbal students to communicate their internal states, reducing frustration and building stronger connections with others.
Preparation (5 Minutes)
Review the Teacher Script to familiarize yourself with language and prompts.
Print and cut out the Emotion Cards .
Ensure the student's AAC device is charged and accessible with emotion vocabulary.
Have a whiteboard/chart paper and markers ready for brainstorming.
Required Materials
Emotion Cards Activity
AAC Device Guide
Teacher Script
Slide Deck
Feeling Check-Out Sheet
Markers & Whiteboard
Instructional Procedure
1
Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?
2 MIN
Greet the student and model identifying a feeling.
Model using "I am feeling happy today" on the AAC device.
Encourage the student to select an emotion card or use their device.
2
Introduce Emotions
4 MIN
Present each emotion (Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised) using the slide deck or cards.
Describe what the emotion looks and feels like.
Ask student to point to a matching facial expression.
Reinforce understanding with simple physical demonstrations.
3
Practice Expressing with AAC
6 MIN
Use scenarios to practice real-world communication.
Scenario: "Your favorite game breaks. How would you feel?"
Guide student to select the emotion on their AAC device.
Offer verbal praise and positive reinforcement for communication attempts.
4
Cool-Down: Check-Out
3 MIN
Assess immediate emotional state and review keywords.
Distribute the Check-Out sheet.
Student selects their current feeling.
Review one or two new emotion words learned.
My Feelings My Voice Slides My Feelings,
My Voice
Understanding and Sharing Our Emotions
😊 😔 😠 😟 😲
What Are Feelings?
Feelings tell us how we are doing inside.
They are how our bodies and minds react to the world around us.
💭
🧠
Feeling: Happy
When something good happens!
Smiling face
Feeling light
😊
Feeling: Sad
When something difficult happens.
Frowning face
Feeling heavy
😔
Feeling: Angry
When things don't go our way.
😠
Feeling: Scared
When we feel unsafe or worried.
😟
Feeling: Surprised
When something unexpected happens!
😲
All Feelings are Okay
Every feeling is normal and important.
Our voice (or AAC device) helps us share them!
Time to Share!
👈
How are you feeling right now?
😊😔😠😟😲
My Feelings My Voice Script Teacher Script
My Feelings, My Voice
Lesson Context
Tier 3 / 6th Grade Individual
1
Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling? (2 Min)
"Hello [Student's Name]! It's so good to see you today. I'm excited for our lesson about feelings. How are you feeling right now?"
Teacher Action:
Pause, make eye contact, and wait for the student to engage or look at their AAC device.
"Today, I'm feeling happy!" [Point to happy card or smile] "Can you tell me how you are feeling? You can point to a card or use your communication device."
2
Introduce Emotions (4 Min)
"Now, let's learn about some different feelings. Everyone has feelings, and it's important to know what they are and how to share them. We're going to use our slides and our device to help us."
Happy 😊 Slide 3
"This is a happy face! When are you happy? Maybe when you play your favorite game? Happy feels light and joyful. Can you show me a happy face? Or point to 'happy' on your device?"
Sad 😔 Slide 4
"Sometimes we feel sad. Sad can feel heavy, like when something doesn't go your way. It's okay to feel sad. Can you show me a sad face, or point to 'sad' on your device?"
Angry 😠 Slide 5
"We might feel angry when we're frustrated. Angry can feel hot or tense. It's important to show our angry feelings safely. Can you show me an angry face, or point to 'angry' on your device?"
Scared 😟 Slide 6
"Sometimes we feel scared. Scared might feel shaky or worried. Maybe a loud noise makes you feel scared? Can you show me a scared face, or point to 'scared' on your device?"
Surprised 😲 Slide 7
"This is a surprised face! We feel surprised when something unexpected happens, like a sudden sound or a fun surprise! Can you show me a surprised face, or point to 'surprised' on your device?"
"Remember, all feelings are okay! We just need to learn how to share them."
3
Practice Expressing (6 Min)
"Now let's practice using our communication tools. I'm going to tell you a story, and you can show me how you would feel using your device or emotion cards."
Scenario 1: Favorite game breaks.
Teacher: "How would you feel? [Pause] Yes, sad! It's okay to be sad when something you like breaks."
Scenario 2: Present you really wanted.
Teacher: "How would you feel? [Pause] Yes, happy! Getting a present is very exciting!"
Scenario 3: Someone takes your turn.
Teacher: "How might you feel? [Pause] That's right, angry! It's not fair when someone takes your turn."
Emotion Cards Activity Emotion Visual Cards
Cut along the dotted lines. Use as visual prompts during instruction.
😊
Happy
Looks Like: Smiling face, bright eyes, relaxed body.
Feels Like: Light, joyful, excited, bouncy.
😔
Sad
Looks Like: Frowning, tears, drooping shoulders.
Feels Like: Heavy, down, quiet, slow.
😠
Angry
Looks Like: Tight lips, furrowed brows, fists.
Feels Like: Hot, tense, loud, frustrated.
😟
Scared
Looks Like: Wide eyes, trembling, tense body.
Feels Like: Shaky, worried, fast heart rate.
😲
Surprised
Looks Like: Wide eyes, open mouth, raised brows.
Feels Like: Sudden, unexpected, quick.
Custom
Draw your own
My Feelings, My Voice
Emotion Visual Cards
AAC Integration Guide AAC Integration Guide
Supporting Communication in Emotion Lessons
Before the Lesson
Check Vocabulary Accessibility
Ensure core emotion icons (Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised) are on the primary screen or no more than 1 folder deep.
Technical Readiness
Check battery levels and volume settings. Ensure the device is positioned within the student's optimal reach and line of sight.
Instructional Integration
Warm-Up Prompting
When asking "How are you?", point to the AAC device and say, "You can show me how you feel here." Avoid hand-over-hand; use gestural prompts or visual modeling first.
Modeling & Dual Referencing
As you show an **Emotion Card**, simultaneously point to the matching icon on the student's AAC. This "Aided Language Stimulation" helps the student map the visual card to their communication tool.
Navigational Support
If the student navigates to the wrong page, gently say, "Let's look for our feeling words," while pointing to the 'Back' or 'Home' button. Allow processing time (5-10 seconds) before re-prompting.
Validation
If a student selects a non-matching emotion (e.g., 'Angry' for a 'Happy' scenario), acknowledge the choice: "You picked angry. That's a big feeling. Let's look at the happy present again. Do you see a happy choice?"
Teacher Best Practices
Use "I" Statements
Model your own feelings on the device frequently to show that communication is a two-way street.
Acknowledge All Attempts
Even if they hit a wrong button, praise the effort: "I love how you are using your voice today!"
My Feelings, My Voice • Tier 3 Individual Support Guide
Feeling Check Out Cool Down Feeling Check-Out
How are you feeling now?
Lesson Wrap-Up
Choose the picture that best shows how you feel today:
😊
Happy
😔
Sad
😠
Angry
😟
Scared
😲
Surprised
Note for Facilitator
Allow the student to point, eye-gaze, or use their AAC device to indicate their choice. Mark the checkbox on their behalf if needed for documentation.
Material ID
FEEL-CHECK-6-T3
