Pumpkin Feelings Lesson Plan 🎃
Pre-K / Early Childhood SPED SEL & Communication
Pumpkin Feelings Lesson Plan
Pacing Guide 25–30 Minutes
Target Group
Pre-K (Ages 3–5)
Dev. Delays & Speech Goals
Setting
Small Group / 1:1
2–5 Students or Dyads
Core Modality
Visual + Tactile
Mirrors & Playdough
Core Feelings
4 Primary States
Happy, Sad, Mad, Surprised
Measurable IEP Objectives & Competencies
1. Motor Imitation Student will imitate 3 target facial expressions using a handheld mirror when provided a visual prompt with 80% accuracy.
2. Receptive / Expressive Student will point to or label the corresponding emotion card/symbol after creating the face with playdough across 4 trials.
3. Body Self-Awareness Student will tolerate holding and gazing into a mirror for 5+ seconds during emotion-matching routines.
Materials & Sensory Readiness Checklist
Prep: 5 minutes
✓ 1 shatterproof acrylic handheld mirror per student
✓ Orange & green sensory playdough (scented optional)
✓ Laminated Pumpkin Dough Face Activity Mats
✓ Calm Pumpkin Cool Down Mat & AAC communication boards
Facilitation Sequence (Part 1)
01
Sensory Hook & Mirror Hello (5 min)
Engage & Calm
Distribute handheld safety mirrors. Sing the transition chant: "Mirror, mirror, on the rug, give your face a gentle hug! Look inside, what do you see? A smiling pumpkin looking at me!"
Teacher Script: "Hold your mirror with two hands. Find your eyes! Blink, blink. Find your mouth! Make it say: Pop! We are getting our faces ready to play!"
02
Direct Modeling & Emotion Mirroring (8 min)
Visual Scaffolding
Display the slide deck or large cards. Model each emotion with exaggerated physical facial markers:
😊 Happy: Cheeks lift high, corners of mouth turn up, eyes sparkle. "Show your pumpkin smile in your mirror!"
😢 Sad: Corners of mouth drop down, brows tilt up, chin quivers gently. "Look at the gentle curve down."
😡 Mad: Brows squeeze together like angry caterpillars, lips press flat. "Squeeze your brow! Look in mirror!"
😮 Surprised: Mouth forms wide "O", eyebrows shoot way up high to hairline. "Wide eyes, big O mouth!"
PUMPKIN FEELINGS MIRROR MATCH • PAGE 1 OF 2 INSTRUCTIONAL PHASES 1–2
🎃
Facilitation Sequence (Part 2) & Clinical Supports
Practice & Individualization
03
Tactile Dough & Mirror Match Station (10 min)
Tactile Kinesthetic
Distribute playdough and Pumpkin Dough Mats. Students roll dough "snakes" for mouth curves and dough "berries" for eyes.
Check Routine: 1. Pick a feeling card. 2. Build the facial features on the pumpkin mat. 3. Look in the mirror and make the matching face. 4. Self-check: "Do we look the same?"
04
Partner Peek-a-Boo & Reflection (4 min)
Social Communication
Dyad game: Peer A holds up mirror or hides behind pumpkin mat, makes a face, and shouts "Peek-a-Boo!" Peer B identifies or mirrors the expression back. Great for reciprocal joint attention!
05
Pumpkin Breathe & Sensory Reset (3 min)
Regulation
Transition to the Calm Pumpkin Cool Down mat: Trace the pumpkin ribs, smell the pumpkin spices (deep breath in), and gently blow out the autumn leaf (slow exhale out).
Universal Design & Neurodiversity-Affirming Accommodations
Non-Speaking / AAC
Provide high-contrast core board tiles (Happy, Sad, Mad, Surprised). Allow eye-gaze selection or partner-assisted scanning before dough modeling.
Sensory Sensitivity
If student dislikes dough texture, offer dry-erase markers on glossy mats, felt face pieces, or place dough inside a zip-lock sensory squeeze bag.
Motor & Mirror Aversion
Pre-roll dough snakes so student only needs to curve them. If mirror gaze triggers distress, place mirror flat on table or practice on a stuffed toy first.
IEP Progress Monitoring Quick Tracker
Key: I = Independent | V = Verbal Prompt | M = Model | P = Physical/Gestural
Student Name Tolerates Mirror Imitates Happy Imitates Sad Imitates Mad Imitates Surprise Forms Dough 1. ___________________ [ ] Sec I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P 2. ___________________ [ ] Sec I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P 3. ___________________ [ ] Sec I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P I • V • M • P
PUMPKIN FEELINGS MIRROR MATCH • PAGE 2 OF 2 INSTRUCTIONAL PHASES 3–5 & IEP MONITORING
Pumpkin Expressions Slides 🎃 Pre-K Feelings Lab
🪞 Mirror & Match
Pumpkin Feelings
Mirror Match
Look in your mirror. What face do you see? Can you make a face like our pumpkin friend?
Hello, Friend!
👀 1. Look
🪞 2. Mirror Check
🟠 3. Dough Match
🪞 Mirror Routine
Ready, Set, Look!
How We Use Our Mirror
1
🤲
Two Hands
Hold your mirror gentle and steady.
2
👀
Find Your Eyes
Blink, blink! Look at your eyebrows.
3
👄
Find Your Mouth
Watch your lips move and change!
🌟 "I see my eyes! I see my nose! I see my smiling mouth!"
😊 Feeling #1
I Feel Happy!
Happy Pumpkin
🪞 Look In Your Mirror!
⬆️
Corners of your mouth go UP!
✨
Your eyes crinkle with happy joy!
😁
Show a big, shining pumpkin grin!
"Show your teacher your happy face!"
😢 Feeling #2
I Feel Sad
Sad Pumpkin
🪞 Look In Your Mirror!
⬇️
Corners of your mouth go DOWN into a frown.
💧
Eyebrows tilt soft and gentle.
💙
It is okay to feel sad sometimes.
"Look in the mirror. Can you curve your mouth down?"
😠 Feeling #3
I Feel Mad
Mad Pumpkin
🪞 Look In Your Mirror!
⚡
Eyebrows slant down in a sharp V shape.
➖
Mouth is pressed in a tight, firm line.
😤
Take a big puff of air to feel calm.
"Squeeze your eyebrows together! Look at your face!"
😮 Feeling #4
I Feel Surprised!
Surprised Pumpkin
🪞 Look In Your Mirror!
⭕
Mouth opens wide into a big letter "O"!
👀
Eyes open wide, eyebrows jump high!
😲
Say: "Whoa!" or "Oh my goodness!"
"Make your mouth an 'O' in your mirror!"
🟠 Hands-On Station
Playdough Face Time!
Pumpkin Dough Face Activity 🎃
Pumpkin Dough Face Mats
Roll dough • Shape feelings • Match in your mirror
Name:
Date:
Tactile Steps:
1. Roll dough snake 🐍 • 2. Press on dotted mouth 👄 • 3. Look in mirror & copy! 🪞
Emotion 1
😊
HAPPY
Tactile Recipe:
• 2 dough balls (eyes)
• 1 curved dough snake (smile)
Checked in Mirror! 🪞
Dough Work Area BALL BALL SNAKE SMILE ⬆️
Emotion 2
😮
SURPRISED
Tactile Recipe:
• 2 big round eyes
• 1 dough loop (open "O")
Checked in Mirror! 🪞
Dough Work Area WIDE WIDE "O" MOUTH
PUMPKIN DOUGH FACE ACTIVITY • MAT 1 OF 2 EMOTIONS: HAPPY & SURPRISED
🎃
Pumpkin Dough Face Mats
Notice the mouth direction • Feel your face in the mirror
Name:
Date:
Emotion 3
😢
SAD
Tactile Recipe:
• 2 gentle eyes
• 1 curved frown snake ⬇️
• 1 tiny dough teardrop
Checked in Mirror! 🪞
Dough Work Area EYE EYE TEAR FROWN SNAKE ⬇️
Emotion 4
😠
MAD
Tactile Recipe:
• 2 slanted brow sticks (\ /)
• 2 dough balls (eyes)
• 1 straight line mouth (—)
Checked in Mirror! 🪞
Dough Work Area STRAIGHT TIGHT LINE
🌟
Pumpkin Feelings Champion!
I used my mirror and shaped my feelings with playdough.
Happy
Surprised
Sad
Mad
PUMPKIN DOUGH FACE ACTIVITY • MAT 2 OF 2 EMOTIONS: SAD & MAD
Calm Pumpkin Cool Down 🌿
Calm Pumpkin Cool Down
Breathe slowly • Trace the pumpkin • Relax your face & body
Name:
Date:
Step 1: Autumn Pumpkin Breathing Repeat 3 Times
👃
1. Smell the Spice Breathe IN deep
↑ ↑ ↑
✨
2. Gentle Pause Hold for 1, 2, 3
• • •
🌬️
3. Blow the Leaf Slow exhale OUT
↓ ↓ ↓
Step 2: Calm Finger Tracing Path Use your index finger or roll a dough ball!
👉 Start at the green stem! Slowly trace each pumpkin line all the way to the bottom.
START HERE CALM
Step 3: Mirror Body Check Look in your mirror 🪞
👀
Soft Eyes
No squeezing or squinting
😌
Relaxed Shoulders
Drop your shoulders down
👄
Gentle Smile
Soft, quiet resting mouth
Step 4: How Does My Body Feel Now? (Point, circle, or mark with dough)
🌿
Cozy & Calm
My body feels relaxed
⭐
Ready to Learn
I am ready for what's next
🧸
Need a Hug / Rest
I need quiet time
PUMPKIN FEELINGS MIRROR MATCH • COOL DOWN MAT EMOTIONAL REGULATION & SENSORY RESET