Feelings Volcano Lesson Plan Feelings Volcano
Lesson Plan • Social-Emotional Learning
Audience
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
Time
45-60 Minutes
Objective
Identify core emotions and learn self-regulation tools.
Why It Matters
Emotional literacy and self-regulation are crucial life skills. This lesson provides young students with a concrete metaphor (the volcano) to understand how feelings build up, preventing emotional "eruptions" and promoting social-emotional well-being.
Teacher Preparation
1
Review the Feelings Volcano Slide Deck and Discussion Prompts .
2
Print one copy of the Feelings Check-In Worksheet for each student.
3
Print and cut out the Calm Down Corner Activity Cards .
4
Set up the projector for the slide presentation.
Lesson Instructions
5m
Warm-Up: How Do You Feel?
Begin with Slide 2 of the presentation. Ask students to show with their faces or bodies how they are feeling right now.
Discussion Tip: Ask "What does [emotion] feel like in your body?" (e.g., butterflies in tummy, tight chest, hot face).
10m
Introducing the Feelings Volcano
Use Slides 3-5 to introduce the volcano concept. Explain that feelings are like lava—sometimes they stay quiet, and sometimes they rumble and build up.
Explain that all feelings are okay , but big feelings can feel overwhelming if we don't know what to do with them.
15m
Identifying Emotions
Present Slides 6-9. Guide students to make "Angry Faces," "Scared Faces," etc.
Worksheet Task:
Distribute the Feelings Check-In Worksheet . Help students draw and write about their own emotions. Encourage partner sharing.
15m
Calm Down Strategies
Introduce tools using Slides 10-12. These are "safety valves" for our volcano.
Use the Calm Down Corner Activity Cards . Have a student volunteer pick a card and lead the class in practicing the strategy (e.g., the Deep Breath Dragon).
10m
Discussion & Wrap-Up
Use the Feelings Discussion Prompts for a circle-time reflection. Emphasize that being an "emotion expert" takes practice.
Conclusion: Show Slide 13 for a final positive message.
Feelings Volcano Slide Deck My Feelings Volcano
Welcome! How Are You Feeling Today?
Let's check in with our emotions! How does your body feel right now? Happy? Sad? Excited? Tired?
Teacher Note
Welcome students and set a calm tone. Ask them to think about how they are feeling right now.
Feelings Are Like Energy!
Sometimes they are quiet...
Sometimes they start to rumble...
Inside each of us, we have lots of feelings!
Teacher Note
Introduce the idea that feelings are like energy inside us. Sometimes they are small, like a gentle bubble. Other times, they can get big!
Our Feelings Volcano
Imagine your body is like a volcano .
Feelings can build up inside, like lava !
When feelings get too big, our volcano might erupt !
Teacher Note
Explain the volcano metaphor. Emphasize that all feelings are okay, but big feelings need our attention.
What Feelings Are Inside?
😊
HAPPY
😢
SAD
😠
ANGRY
😨
SCARED
😲
SURPRISED
😟
WORRIED
Teacher Note
Show pictures of different basic emotions. Ask students to make the facial expression for each. Emphasize that it's good to know what we are feeling.
Can You Name That Feeling?
It's important to know what feeling you are having.
When you know, you can choose what to do next.
Think About It:
What does 'happy' feel like? What does 'angry' feel like?
Teacher Note
Reinforce that identifying feelings is the first step. Ask students to share an example of when they felt one of these emotions.
Before the Eruption!
What can we do when our feelings start to rumble?
We have special tools to help us calm down!
These tools help us manage our feelings so our volcano doesn't erupt.
Teacher Note
Transition to calm-down strategies. Explain these are 'tools' to help manage big feelings.
Tool 1: Deep Breaths
🌸
Breathe in slowly (smell a flower!)
🕯️
Breathe out slowly (blow out a candle!)
Do this 3-5 times.
Calm Down Corner Activity Cards Calm Down Corner
Activity Cards for Little Volcanoes
Cut along the dashed lines to create your cards!
Deep Breath Dragon
🐲
How to do it: Imagine you are a dragon. Breathe in slowly through your nose, filling your belly with air. Hold for a count of three. Then, breathe out slowly through your mouth, like blowing a gentle puff of smoke.
Repeat 3-5 times
Starfish Stretch
⭐
How to do it: Stand tall like a starfish, spreading your arms and legs wide. Reach your fingers and toes as far as they can go. Take a deep breath as you stretch, then slowly relax. Feel how strong and calm your body can be.
Stretch Big & Relax
Counting Calm
🖐️
How to do it: Use your senses! Find:
👀 5 things you can see
🖐️ 4 things you can touch
👂 3 things you can hear
👃 2 things you can smell
👅 1 thing you can taste (or imagine!)
Focus Your Brain
Gentle Squeeze
✊
How to do it: Squeeze your hands into tight fists, count to five, and then slowly release. Feel the tension leave your hands. You can do this with your shoulders too – squeeze them up to your ears, hold, then let them drop.
Squeeze & Release
Happy Place
🏖️
How to do it: Close your eyes and think of your very favorite happy place. What does it look like? What sounds do you hear? What smells are there? Stay in your happy place until you feel a little calmer.
Visualization Tool
Talk it Out
🐢
How to do it: Find a trusted grown-up (teacher, parent, or counselor) and tell them how you are feeling. Sometimes just talking about it helps your feelings calm down. You can start by saying: "I feel..."
Share Your Heart
Feelings Check-In Worksheet My Feelings Check-In
Exploring the Volcano Inside Me
NAME:
DATE:
1
What Does This Feeling Look Like?
Draw a face for each feeling. Then, write or draw what it feels like in your body!
😊
1. Happy!
What does it feel like in my body?
😢
2. Sad...
What does it feel like in my body?
😠
3. Angry!!
What does it feel like in my body?
😨
4. Scared?
What does it feel like in my body?
2
My Calm Down Tools
Think about the tools we learned today. Which ones will help you most?
1. When my feelings volcano starts to rumble, one calm down tool I can use is:
2. How will using this tool help me?
3. Who is a grown-up I can talk to when I have big feelings?
You are an emotion expert!
Feelings Discussion Prompts Feelings Discussion Prompts
Guiding Conversations for Little Volcanoes
Facilitation Tips
Validate All Feelings: Remind students that all emotions are okay and normal.Normalize "Rumbles": Share a safe example of a time your own volcano started to rumble.Wait Time: Give young students 5-10 seconds to think before expecting an answer.Body Language: Encourage students to "act out" their answers using their faces or hands.
1
Opening: The Basics
What is one new feeling word you learned today, or one feeling word you thought about in a new way?
Can someone explain in their own words what it means for feelings to be like a volcano ?
How can you tell when your volcano is starting to rumble? What does it feel like in your body?
2
Deepening: The Tools
Which calm-down tool was your favorite today? Why do you think that one works well for you?
If you see a friend's volcano starting to rumble, what is something kind you could say or do to help them?
Is it okay to feel angry ? Why is it important to use our tools when we feel that way?
3
Reflection: Taking it Home
Where is a good place in our classroom (or at home) where you could go to practice your calm-down tools?
Who are some "trusted grown-ups" you can talk to when your feelings volcano gets too big?
Remember: You are an amazing emotion expert in training!
