Lesson Plan

Emotion Map Guide

Students will navigate an interactive Emotion Map to identify and name key feelings, practice expressing them using healthy strategies, and reinforce social-emotional skills through collaborative games and activities.

Building emotional vocabulary and self-awareness in 2nd graders fosters empathy, healthy peer interactions, and coping skills that support positive classroom climate and lifelong social-emotional growth.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Materials Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Map Overview

5 minutes

Step 2

Interactive Emotion Map Journey

15 minutes

Step 3

Emotion Trading Card Exchange

10 minutes

Step 4

Emotion Bingo

5 minutes

Step 5

Reflection & Healthy Expression Strategies

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Feelings Frontier

Welcome students warmly. Explain that today they will journey through the Feelings Frontier, learning about different emotions and healthy ways to express them.

Our Emotion Map

Point to the large Classroom Emotion Map Poster. Briefly preview each emotion station: Joyful Jungle, Sad Swamp, Angry Volcano, Fear Forest, and Peaceful Pond.

Joyful Jungle (Joy)

Ask: “When do you feel really happy?” Encourage 2–3 volunteers to share. then explain signals and triggers.

Sad Swamp (Sadness)

Prompt students: “Tell me a time you felt sad.” Validate responses, then review healthy strategies.

Angry Volcano (Anger)

Invite students to show a “mad face” safely. Discuss why anger happens and practice deep breathing together.

Fear Forest (Fear)

Ask: “What makes you feel afraid?” Normalize fear. Then model positive self-talk.

Peaceful Pond (Calm)

Explain that calm is also an important feeling. Lead a quick guided breathing exercise.

Recap & Next Steps

Review each healthy strategy. Transition to the Emotion Trading Card activity and Emotion Bingo.

Lesson Plan

Emotion Map Guide

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Materials Preparation

Step 1

Introduction & Map Overview

Step 2

Interactive Emotion Map Journey

Step 3

Emotion Trading Card Exchange

Step 4

Emotion Bingo

Step 5

Reflection & Healthy Expression Strategies

Slide Deck

Feelings Frontier

Our Emotion Map

Joyful Jungle (Joy)

Sad Swamp (Sadness)

Angry Volcano (Anger)

Fear Forest (Fear)

Peaceful Pond (Calm)

Recap & Next Steps

Activity

Game

Emotion Expedition

Nadine Cenord