My Feeling Thermometer

Week 2: Measuring Feeling Sizes

1st Grade • Tier 2

Time

30 Minutes

Objective

Understand that feelings have different intensities (big and small).

Metaphor

Feeling Thermometer (Cool to Hot).

Why This Lesson?

Recognizing the intensity of emotions helps students develop self-awareness and lays the groundwork for choosing the right calm-down strategies later.

Prep & Materials

Materials

Feeling Thermometer Slides
Feeling Thermometer Worksheet
Crayons or colored pencils

Quick Prep

Review the slides. Print one worksheet per student. (Est. Time: 5 mins)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Warm-Up: How Big is Your Feeling?

5 MIN

Recall some feelings from last week (happy, sad, angry).
Introduce the idea that sometimes feelings are small, and sometimes they are big.
Ask for examples: "Have you ever felt a tiny bit sad? What about very sad?"

2

Introduce Feeling Thermometer

10 MIN

Use the Slides to explain the thermometer concept.
Compare weather (hot/cold) to feelings (big/small).
Go through examples: A little annoyed (1-2) vs. Furious (5-6).

3

Activity: Create Your Own Thermometer

10 MIN

Distribute the Worksheet.
Guide students to color their thermometers: cool colors for small feelings, warm/hot for big.
Help them visualize what a "small angry" looks like vs "big angry".

4

Cool-Down: Checking Our Thermometers

5 MIN

Have each student share where their feeling is on the thermometer right now.
Reinforce: Knowing the size helps us know what to do next.

Feeling Thermometer Lesson Plan

Feeling Thermometer Lesson Plan