Emotions
Name at least one body clue that tells you you’re starting to feel angry.
Your heart beats faster
Your face feels hot
Your fists or jaw feel tight or clenched
Your stomach feels tight or “twisty”
Your muscles feel tense
You feel like you want to yell or hit something
Your breathing gets faster or heavier
Your eyebrows scrunch together
If you are comfortable sharing, which emotions do you tend to feel most deeply? What's one healthy way you can cope with them at school?
For example: Sad, Angry, Nervous, Scared, Frustrated, Disappointed, Embarrassed, Worried, Confused, Lonely
Coping Skills:
What is empathy?
Empathy is understanding how someone else feels and caring about it. For example, noticing if someone looks sad and checking in on them. It could also be helping someone that just fell down because your empathy allows you to imagine how they're feeling.
Scenario: Imagine you’re taking a break in the calm corner. What makes it hard to go back to your work when your teacher says it’s time? What would help you go back anyway?
Perhaps the student doesn't feel better yet and the calm corner feels safe
Maybe the work feels too hard or the student is worried about messing up or getting frustrated
Maybe the student doesn't feel ready to focus yet
Show the class how to do 3 wall pushes AND explain why using your muscles helps your body calm down?
Body movement like wall pushes, stretching, dancing, yoga, and walking get extra energy out of your body
It tells your body you're safe by regulating your nervous system, which helps your body relax and brain calm down
Scenario: You feel nervous before a test. Name one thing that might also be happening in your body.
Also, what's one thing you could say to yourself to cope with your nervousness?
Here are some body clues that you might feel nervous before a test:
Your stomach feels fluttery or upset
Your hands feel sweaty
Your breathing feels fast
Your muscles feel tight
Your face feels warm
One thing you could say to yourself is, “I can take a deep breath and do my best.”
Why are all emotions useful, even the uncomfortable ones? What do they teach us?
All emotions are useful because they give us info about what we need or what is happening around us.
Feeling happy tells us something feels good or safe
Feeling sad tells us we may need comfort or help
Feeling angry tells us something feels unfair or needs to change
Feeling nervous or scared tells us to slow down or be careful
Sometimes people struggle to include others or be friendly to everyone. What are some reasons a person maybe struggling to be inclusive?
Maybe they are shy/nervous and aren’t sure how to talk to others.
Maybe they want to stay with the friends they already know because it feels safer
Maybe they're having a bad day or big feelings of their own
Maybe they don’t realize how their actions affect others
Maybe they’re worried about what others might think of them. Perhaps they choose friends based on popularity instead of kindness.
Maybe they let other people decide for them who they get to play with instead of making their own choices.
Scenario: You've taken space in the calm corner and you're feeling a little better but not 100%. What can you say to yourself to go back to class and do your best? What can you do to make the work feel more manageable?
You can say, "I don’t have to feel perfect. I just have to feel calm enough to try."
You can do one problem at a time or do it in chunks.
You can think about how accomplished you'll feel when you're done because you pushed through.
You can remember that you don’t have to like the work but it’s your job to try.
Scenario:
During class, your friend raises their hand to answer a question but gives the wrong answer. A few kids laugh so your friend feels embarrassed and wants to hide.
What are some body movements your friend can do to help them relax so the feeling can pass? What can they say to themselves to feel better?
Your friend can take a deep breath, remind themselves that everyone makes mistakes, and keep their head up.
They might tell themselves, “It’s okay to be wrong. I’m still learning.” They can also refocus on the lesson or ask for help later, showing confidence by staying engaged instead of shutting down.
If you're feeling upset about something, why is it UNHELPFUL to tell yourself, "It's fine. Don't be upset."
It ignores your real feelings instead of helping you cope with them.
The feeling doesn’t go away just because you tell yourself “It’s fine.” Your brain and body still feel the emotion.
The feeling can stay stuck inside if it's ignored and it may come out later as a bigger reaction, like yelling or crying.
Noticing and naming the feeling helps you work through it.
When we hear the word "smart", we often think it only means being good at reading or math. However, people can be smart in lots of different ways.
What do you think are some different ways people can be smart?
Word Smart
You’re good with words. You like reading, writing, talking, or telling stories.
Number & Pattern Smart
You like math, puzzles, logic, and figuring things out.
Picture Smart
You think in pictures. You like drawing, building, maps, or imagining things in your head.
Body Smart
You learn by moving and using your body. You like sports, dance, acting, or hands-on activities.
Music Smart
You love music, rhythm, and sounds. You might like singing or playing instruments.
People Smart
You’re good at understanding others. You like working with friends and helping people.
Self Smart
You understand your own feelings. You know what helps you calm down or do your best.
Nature Smart
You like animals, plants, and the outdoors. You notice things in nature that others might miss.
Big-Question Smart
You like thinking about big ideas like life, fairness, and “why things matter.”
Scenario: Let's say that a classmate of yours is typically kind to you but today they made a comment that rubbed you the wrong way. How might you let them know how you feel?
Use an “I” statement:
I felt… (name the feeling) hurt
When… (say what happened) you made that comment earlier
Because… (explain why it affected you) it didn't feel kind to me
Name one thing you find helpful that a friend or teacher does when you're sad or angry:
They could check in and ask, “Do you want to talk or have quiet time?”
They could offer you the calm corner or a breathing board
They could help you put your feelings into words
Show the class how to do either "butterfly tapping" or "tree pose" from yoga. When might these strategies be helpful? (What might you be feeling?)
Butterfly Tapping and yoga can help when you feel nervous, wiggly, or overwhelmed. These strategies can help reset your body and brain so you feel calmer.
Describe a situation when two feelings may exist at the same time.
Feeling excited and nervous before a test or performance
Feeling happy and sad when moving to a new school
Feeling proud and nervous when sharing your work in front of the class
Scenario: Your friend does not do well on a test. They keep thinking, “I’m bad at math. I should have known the answers. I always mess things up.” Your friend feels upset and doesn’t want to try the next assignment because they’re afraid of making more mistakes.
What could your friend say to themselves or do to help deal with these feelings and keep trying?
They could remind themselves: “The test was hard but it doesn’t mean I’m bad or can’t learn.”
They can take a few deep breaths to calm their body
They can ask for help
They can practice the problems one step at a time
They can remember that mistakes show what one needs to work on, not who they are as a person.
Scenario: You are annoyed with a classmate but realize that they might be having a hard day. What helps you "not sweat the small stuff" and let it go?
You can pause and take a deep breath
Take perspective and remember it might not be about you
Look at the big picture (they’re usually kind)
Think about a time when someone was understanding of you when you were having a bad day.
Scenario: Two students tell different stories about the same argument.
Student A says:
“He cheated and didn’t follow the rules.”
Student B says:
“She kept changing the rules and wouldn’t let me play.”
What might each student be feeling and why?
Student A might feel angry because they care about fairness
Student B might feel frustrated because they felt excluded
Both are reacting based on how they experienced the situation
Scenario: You feel nervous AND tired. What body movements can you do to first calm your body so you feel safe and then energize your body so you can focus more?
First, you could take three slow breaths, do some slow stretches, or try a quiet yoga pose (tree pose, child’s pose). Then, you could march in place, swing your arms, or stretch super tall.
Noticing body clues early gives you time to choose what helps you feel better rather than just doing the first thing your feeling is pushing you to do (e.g., scream, hit, shut down.)
Noticing what you're feeling allows you to pause before reacting
Allows you to choose a healthy coping skill (deep breathing, asking for help, taking a break)
You can choose how you respond so that it matches your goal (staying out of trouble, solving a problem)
What's a coping skill you can use in class if you're super frustrated but don't want to disrupt others?
You can take slow, deep breaths while squeezing your hands together. Then press your palms together or make fists and squeeze tight for 3–5 seconds. Repeat a few times while taking slow breaths.
Scenario: You notice a student sitting alone during a group activity. They say they’re “fine” but their body language looks tense. What clues might tell you they need support and what's one respectful way to help without embarrassing them?
Clues they might need support:
Their body looks tense or stiff
They are avoiding eye contact
They’re very quiet or withdrawn
Their arms are crossed or hands are clenched
One respectful way to help:
You could quietly check in with them and say, “If you want, you can sit with us,” or ask privately, “Is everything alright?”
Part 2: Scenario- Two students tell different stories about the same argument.
Student A says:
“He cheated and didn’t follow the rules.”
Student B says:
“She kept changing the rules and wouldn’t let me play.”
What are some steps they could take to solve the problem?
1. Calm down first
Both students stop the argument, take a breath, and keep their hands and voices calm before talking.
“I’m mad, but I can calm my body first.”
2. Listen to understand
Each student explains their side without interrupting.
3. Name feelings & perspectives
Student A felt angry because fairness mattered
Student B felt frustrated because they wanted to play
Both were trying to have fun, just in different ways.
4. Choose a fair fix
Together they decide on a solution, such as:
Restarting the game
Agreeing on rules before playing
Taking turns deciding rules
Asking an adult for help if needed
Both students agree and return to play.
Scenario: Your body feels tense but your energy is low. What body movements could you do at the same time to relax your muscles but also gain energy?
You could take slow, deep breaths while pressing your feet into the floor and stretching your arms gently. This helps relax tight muscles while also waking your body up.