Welcome students and introduce the day’s objective: we will explore what emotions are, how they range on a spectrum, and prepare for our activities.

Define “emotion” in kid-friendly terms. Use examples from the morning or recent school events.

Draw a simple horizontal line on the board and label negative, neutral, positive. Explain that emotions can move along this line.

Ask volunteers for additional examples. Record their suggestions under each category.

Explain that “happy” can be soft (content) or strong (ecstatic). Invite kids to share examples of mild vs. intense feelings.

Introduce the warm-up. Show how to use the Emoji Check-In sheet to identify current feelings.

Pose the scenario, then ask several students to raise hands and share which emotion they’d choose.

Prompt students to think quietly or jot ideas. Then invite sharing in pairs or small groups.

Explain that they will capture these thoughts with color and words on the canvas next.

Tell students to get out materials and transition to the Emoji Check-In sheets.