Naming the Trail Lesson Plan Naming the Trail
Session 1 Lesson Plan
Tier 3 Intervention
Overview
Audience 5-year-old (Kindergarten)
Time 30 Minutes
Approach Hands-on matching & play
Preparation
Lay out Emotion Cards face up
Display Feelings Chart at child height
Place Emotion Wheel in sight
Have Bingo Cards & markers ready
Ready Journal Sheet & crayons
Why This Matters
Building emotional vocabulary and recognition supports self-awareness and strengthens communication with parents.
Objective
By the end of Session 1, the child will identify and label four basic emotions—happy, sad, angry, surprised—using picture cards and name them aloud.
5m
Introduction
Greet the child warmly and explain the "Emotion Explorer Quest." Show 2–3 Emotion Cards and ask "How do you think this person feels?" Point to the match on the Feelings Chart.
10m
Activity 1: Emotion Matching
Spread cards face up. Ask the child to pick one, name it, and find it on the chart. Praise attempts: "I hear you say 'surprise'—let's find that face!"
5m
Game 1: Emotion Bingo
Hand out one Bingo Card and markers. Call out emotions ("Show me happy!"). Child covers matching face. Celebrate "Bingo!" with high fives.
5m
Cool-Down: Emotion Wheel Breathing
Explain how deep breathing helps big feelings. Model breathing in on 'happy' and out on 'calm'. Let child pick one and breathe together twice.
5m
Assessment & Reflection
Ask the child to draw how they feel now on the Journal Sheet. Prompt: "Which emotion did you like learning about today?" Note progress for next time.
Required Materials
Emotion Cards Feelings Chart Emotion Wheel Bingo Cards Journal Sheet
Session 1 Script Guide Session 1 Script
Facilitation Guide for Emotion Naming
INTRODUCTION (5 Minutes) Setup: Show Emotion Cards
Teacher: "Hello, Explorer! Welcome to our Emotion Explorer Quest. Today, we're going to be detectives who learn all about feelings! Are you ready?"
Pick up one card (e.g., Happy):
"Look at this face—what do you think this person is feeling?"
If the child responds correctly: "That's right—happy!"
If the child hesitates: "I see a big smile. When I smile like that, I feel happy. Can you say 'happy'?"
"Now, let's find 'happy' on our Feelings Chart. I’m pointing to it—say the word with me: 'happy.' Great job!"
Repeat with sad, angry, and surprised.
ACTIVITY 1: EMOTION MATCHING (10 Minutes)
"Okay, Explorer—time to match! Let’s spread out all the Emotion Cards right here."
"Pick one card. Look at the face. What is this feeling?"
If correct: "Yes—you found 'surprised!' Fantastic! Now, point to surprised on our Feelings Chart."
If incorrect: "Hmm, let’s look at the mouth and the eyes. Does it look angry? Or maybe surprised?"
"I love how you found that match! Can you think of a time you felt surprised? I feel surprised when I open a present!"
GAME 1: EMOTION BINGO (5 Minutes)
"Let’s play Emotion Bingo! Here is your Bingo Card and some markers. When I call an emotion, cover the matching face. When you get three in a row, shout ‘Bingo!’ Ready?"
Call: "Happy!" ... "Sad!" ... "Surprised!"
"Bingo! You did it! High five! Let's play one more round if you want."
COOL-DOWN (5 Minutes)
"Now, I have our magic Emotion Wheel. When feelings get BIG, we can use our breath to feel calm."
"Breathe in slowly on ‘happy’—1, 2—and out on ‘calm’—1, 2."
REFLECTION (5 Minutes)
"Let’s draw how you feel right now on your Journal Sheet. Which emotion face do you want to draw?"
"Thank you for being an amazing Emotion Explorer today!"
Emotion Discovery Cards Manipulative Emotion Cards
Cut these cards out for matching games and storytelling!
Cut Line
😊
Happy
When someone feels happy, they have a big smile and feel joyful—like when you play your favorite game!
Cut Line
☹️
Sad
When someone feels sad, they frown and might feel like crying—like when your ice cream falls.
Cut Line
😠
Angry
When someone feels angry, they scrunch their face and feel upset—like when someone takes your turn.
Cut Line
😮
Surprised
When someone feels surprised, their eyes open wide—like when you find a hidden present!
Explorer Tip
Try making these faces in a mirror! Can you show us your best "Surprised" face? How about your "Happy" face?
Feelings Explorer Anchor Chart Feelings Chart
Find and Match Your Emotion Cards
😊
Happy
☹️
Sad
😠
Angry
😮
Surprised
Point to the face that shows how you are feeling right now!
Emotion Explorer Bingo Cards Game Emotion Bingo
Listen for the emotion, cover the face, and shout BINGO!
#1
😊
☹️
😠
😮
#2
😮
😠
😊
☹️
#3
☹️
😮
😊
😠
#4
😠
😊
😮
☹️
Teacher Call List
😊 Happy ☹️ Sad 😠 Angry 😮 Surprised
Tip: Get three in a row (across, down, or diagonal) to win!
Emotion Breathing Wheel Tool The Emotion Wheel
A tool for calm breathing when feelings get BIG.
Calm
😊
Happy
☹️
Sad
😠
Angry
😮
Surprised
How to Use
1 Put your finger on CALM .
2 Breathe in as you trace up to a feeling.
3 Breathe out as you trace back to CALM .
Reflect
Which feeling did you choose?
How do you feel now?
Feelings Journal Reflection Sheet 1 Feelings Journal
Emotion Explorer Log Entry
Explorer Name
Date
1 Draw Your Feeling
Draw the face that shows how you feel right now. Use colors and big shapes!
2 Name the Emotion
Circle one:
Happy Sad Angry Surprised
3 Why do you feel this way?
Adult helper can write for you!
4 Favorite Part of Today
Great job, Emotion Explorer!
Sharing the Map Lesson Plan 2 Sharing the Map
Session 2 Lesson Plan
Tier 3 Intervention
Overview
Audience 5-year-old (Kindergarten)
Time 30 Minutes
Approach Drawing & Role-play
Preparation
Stack Emotion Story Cards face down
Spread Role-Play Masks on table
Display Emotion Wheel
Ready Journal Sheet & crayons
Why This Matters
Practicing emotion expression helps the child communicate needs, strengthens parent-child bonds, and supports regulation in everyday life.
Objective
By the end of Session 2, the child will express and discuss four basic emotions—happy, sad, angry, surprised—through drawing and role-play, using story cards and masks.
5m
Introduction & Review
Recap last session’s emotions using the Feelings Chart. Invite the child to name them aloud. Explain today is about "showing and talking."
10m
Activity 1: Emotion Drawing
Draw a Story Card (e.g., "Surprise gift"). Ask the child to draw a time they felt that way. Prompt: "This is me feeling surprised when..." Repeat for 2 more cards.
5m
Game 2: Role-Play Emotions
Choose a mask. Ask the child to wear it and act out the feeling with a short story ("I'm happy because..."). Teacher models a mask and swaps roles.
5m
Cool-Down: Emotion Wheel Breathing
Return to the Emotion Wheel. Model breathing in on a chosen emotion and out on "calm." Do two gentle breaths together.
5m
Assessment & Reflection
Ask about their favorite drawing or mask. Prompt: "Which was easiest to show? Which felt tricky?" Note child's confidence in role-playing.
Required Materials
Emotion Story Cards Role-Play Masks Emotion Wheel Journal Sheet
Session 2 Script Guide Expression Session 2 Script
Facilitation Guide for Emotion Expression
INTRODUCTION & REVIEW (5 Minutes) Setup: Feelings Chart
Teacher: "Hello again, Emotion Explorer! Do you remember our four feelings from last time? Let’s find them on our Feelings Chart."
Prompt 1: "Point to the face that looks 'happy'." (Wait for child) "Great—happy!"
Prompt 2: "Now show me 'sad'." (Wait for child) "Yes—sad!"
Prompt 3: "And where is 'angry'?" "Perfect." "Finally, 'surprised'?"
"You remembered them all—well done! Today we’re going to draw and act out these feelings. Are you ready?"
ACTIVITY 1: EMOTION DRAWING (10 Minutes)
"Here are our Emotion Story Cards. I’ll shuffle them, and you pick one."
(Child draws a card. Teacher reads it aloud: e.g., "You just got a surprise gift!")
"Think of a time you felt surprised. Now draw that moment on your Journal Sheet."
"That looks amazing! What emotion did you draw? Can you tell me what happened in your picture?"
Repeat for two more cards. Praise use of color and naming of faces.
GAME 2: ROLE-PLAY EMOTIONS (5 Minutes)
"Let’s put on our Emotion Role-Play Masks! Which mask will you choose first? Wear that mask and show me how you feel. Then tell me a short story."
"I’m so happy because I just saw a puppy pop out of a box!" (Teacher models)
"I could see you were really feeling _____ (name emotion). Want to try another mask?"
COOL-DOWN (5 Minutes)
"Breathe in on ‘angry’—1, 2—and out on ‘calm’—1, 2. Watch me."
"Now you choose any feeling and we’ll breathe together."
REFLECTION (5 Minutes)
"Which was your favorite—drawing or role-play? Why? Which feeling was easiest to show?"
"You did an amazing job! I'm so proud of you!"
Emotion Story Prompt Cards 2 Emotion Story Cards
Read these scenarios and draw or act out the feelings!
Happy Story
"It is your birthday and your friends come over to play!"
Sad Story
"You just found out that your favorite toy is broken."
Angry Story
"You are waiting for a turn, but someone else skips the line."
Surprised Story
"You walk into the kitchen and see a surprise gift on the table!"
Session 2 Activity
Pick a card, imagine the story, and draw how it feels on your journal sheet!
Emotion Role-Play Masks Manipulative Role-Play Masks
Cut out these masks to practice showing your feelings!
Instructions: Cut along the outer dashed line. Adult help needed for eye holes.
😊
Happy
☹️
Sad
😠
Angry
😮
Surprised
Tip: Attach a craft stick to the bottom of each mask for the child to hold it up easily during role-play!
Emotion Expression Journal Sheet 2 Expression Journal
Session 2: Story & Role-Play Log
Explorer Name
1
Drawing My Story
Think of the story card we read. Draw yourself feeling that emotion!
Draw Here
I am feeling:
2
Favorite Activity?
Drawing
Role-Play
3
Which was easy?
You are a Master Emotion Explorer!