Unit Study: Kindergarten Emotions

Age and Grade Requirements

• Age: 5-6 years old
• Grade: Kindergarten

Goals

By the end of this unit study, students will be able to:

1. Identify and name various emotions.
2. Understand the different ways people express and manage their emotions.
3. Develop empathy and social skills in recognizing and responding to others’ emotions.
4. Enhance creativity through art and role-playing activities.
5. Gain exposure to basic concepts of psychology, literature, and communication related to emotions.

Schedule (5 Days)

Day 1: Introduction to Emotions

• Introduction to the concept of emotions and their importance
• Identify and discuss common emotions (e.g., happy, sad, angry)
• Arts and crafts: Create “Emotion Faces” using paper plates and craft materials

Day 2: Exploring Emotion Expressions

• Focus on facial expressions: Discuss how emotions are expressed through facial cues
• Learn about body language and gestures associated with different emotions
• Role-playing activity: Emotion charades

Day 3: Emotions and Storytelling

• Explore how emotions are portrayed in stories and literature
• Read and discuss age-appropriate storybooks that highlight different emotions
• Arts and crafts: Create a “Feelings Book” with drawings of various emotions

Day 4: Empathy and Understanding Others

• Focus on empathy: Discuss the importance of understanding and supporting others’ emotions
• Engage in empathy-building activities, such as sharing feelings in pairs or groups
• Reading a related storybook

Day 5: Emotional Self-Care and Culmination

• Discuss strategies for managing and coping with different emotions
• Culmination activity: Create a class “Emotion Wheel” with different emotions and corresponding coping strategies

Recommended Books (with Amazon Links)

1. “Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day” by Jamie Lee Curtis Amazon Link
2. “The Way I Feel” by Janan Cain Amazon Link
3. “In My Heart: A Book of Feelings” by Jo Witek Amazon Link

Recommended Video Links

1. Sesame Street: “Emotion Explorers” YouTube Link
2. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: “Feeling Mad” YouTube Link
3. Kids Learning Tube: “Feelings Song” YouTube Link

Arts and Crafts Activity

Create “Emotion Faces”: Provide paper plates and craft materials for students to create different emotion faces.

Role-Playing Activity

“Emotion Charades”: Have students take turns acting out different emotions for their peers to guess.

Culmination Activity

Create a class “Emotion Wheel” where each section of the wheel represents a different emotion, and students contribute coping strategies for each emotion.

Bible Connection

Discuss biblical stories that involve emotions, such as the story of David expressing various emotions in the Psalms, and explore how individuals in the Bible dealt with and managed their feelings.