Naming and Noticing My Feelings
Students learn to name how they are feeling using basic vocabulary, rate how big the feeling is, match the feeling to at least one body cue, and notice having two feelings about the same event.
Lesson Overview
What students will be able to do after this lesson: Students will be able to name how they are feeling using a specific feeling word, rate how big that feeling is, match it to at least one body cue, and notice when they have two feelings at the same time.
Skill segments at a glance:
| Segment | Segment name | Primary standards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naming the Feeling and Rating Its Size | SA-EMO-2-1 · SA-EMO-2-2 |
| 2 | Reading Your Body’s Signals | SA-EMO-2-3 |
| 3 | Two Feelings at Once | SA-EMO-2-4 |
Supporting standards reinforced:
| Code | Why it connects |
|---|---|
| RS-COM-2-4 | Reading a classmate’s body language uses the same body-cue awareness students build in Segment 2 |
| SM-REG-2-1 | Naming the feeling clearly is the first step before choosing a calming strategy — this lesson lays that foundation |
Key Vocabulary
- Feeling — Something happening inside you that comes from a situation, a thought, or your body — like happy, worried, frustrated, or excited
- Emotion — Another word for feeling; the two words mean the same thing
- Intensity — How big or strong a feeling is right now; feelings come in different sizes
- Body cue — A signal your body gives you that tells you something about how you are feeling — like a tight stomach, a fast heartbeat, or warm cheeks
- Mixed feelings — Having two different feelings about the same thing at the same time
Materials
- Whiteboard space or chart paper + marker for I Do modeling
- A classroom feelings chart posted where students can see it
- Before the week begins: Post your unit anchor chart and I Can Statement where students can see them — you’ll reference both throughout the week.
- A 1–5 intensity scale drawn or posted (a simple line with 1 on one end and 5 on the other works well)
How this lesson is structured: Each skill segment below has an I Do (teacher models the skill with a realistic scenario) and a We Do (class practices together with your guidance). Independent practice — the You Do — lives in the practice resources that go alongside this lesson.
What Students Need Before This Lesson
- What’s inside
- What students should already be able to do
- Helpful to have in place
- 3 quick set-ups before the I DoFeelings vs. Actions — they are not the same thing · Feelings and situations — knowing the difference · All feelings have a size — even the calm, comfortable ones
- Rescue planIf students are significantly behind
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Introducing the Skill
- What’s inside
- Opening hook
- What we’re learning
- Why it matters
- Core sentence frameThe frame students use all week
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Naming the Feeling and Rating Its Size
- What’s inside
- I do: 4 teacher modelsTextbook example: naming the feeling, the cause, and the size · Wrong version → fix: vague words that don’t name a feeling · Non-conflict example: the skill used in a positive, ordinary moment · Big feeling + high number: what intensity looks like at a 4 or 5
- We do: 5 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Reading Your Body’s Signals
- What’s inside
- I do: 3 teacher modelsTextbook example: noticing a body cue and matching it to a feeling · Wrong version → fix: ignoring the body signal · The same body cue can connect to different feelings — context matters
- We do: 5 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Two Feelings at Once
- What’s inside
- I do: 3 teacher modelsTextbook example: two real feelings, both named, one identified as bigger · Wrong version → fix: picking only one feeling and ignoring the other · Non-conflict example: two feelings in a comfortable, ordinary moment
- We do: 5 guided scenariosWith sentence frames, pacing notes and what to watch for
- Coaching in the momentWhat to say when students get stuck
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Closing the Week
- What’s inside
- Closing prompt
- Land the key idea
- Connect to daily life
- Optional — Quick check-in
This section opens when Grade 2 launches.
Practice for every skill segment
Each lesson comes with independent practice — the “you do” — for each of its 3 skill segments, in print and digital.
Printable practice
Ready-to-copy practice pages for each segment.
- View and print in your browser
- Answer keys for quick checking
Digital activities
Share one link — students open it on any device, and you see their answers.
- Works on Chromebooks, tablets and phones
- Students just type their name to start
While you wait: from the SEL Resource Library
Self-Awareness resources for Grade 2, ready to use today.
