Emotional Regulation What Would You Do? Cards — Think, Choose, Act
You hoped to be the dragon, and you got Tree Number Three. These emotional regulation what would you do scenarios ask Grades 2–5 students what they’d do with a feeling like that, not whether they should have it.
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About this resource
You hoped to be the dragon, and you got Tree Number Three. These emotional regulation what would you do scenarios ask Grades 2–5 students what they’d do with a feeling like that, not whether they should have it. Forty cards cover disappointment, embarrassment, jealousy, over-excitement and sadness, each with three action cards, for Self-Management practice in the Think, Choose, Act format.
What students practice
- Handling disappointment when something isn’t what they hoped
- Laughing off an embarrassing moment and carrying on
- Being glad for others when jealousy shows up
- Showing big excitement in a way that fits the place
- Letting sadness show, telling someone and finding comfort
What’s inside
- 40 scenario cards, eight per feeling: Handling Disappointment, Handling Embarrassment, Handling Jealousy, Handling Over-Excitement and Handling Sadness
- 120 action cards (three per scenario: a best choice, a partial one and an impulsive one)
- 40 reflection sheets with three questions and space for the student’s own action
- A five-part teacher guide; 77 pages
A look inside
- The Lunchroom Stumble: a few kids giggle at a stumble. One card has students grin and say, “Whoa, that chair jumped out!” The others are Eat Without a Word and Glare at Them.
- Ravi’s Red Bike: a big brother wheels in a shiny birthday bike while your own chain squeaks.
- A Kitten Tomorrow: bedtime bouncing while little sister Mei tries to sleep. Whisper Kitten Names is one choice.
How to use these emotional regulation what would you do cards
- Run a Classroom Poll on Zara’s Bread Lesson before you reveal the three action cards
- Turn & Talk about the cards for The Empty Cookie Jar and ask which choice fits the moment best
- Role-play Two Hours to Party Time and use Freeze & Reflect: “What are you thinking right now?”
- Use the reflection sheets as journal prompts or a take-home activity
- Rotate small groups through SEL stations such as Act It Out and Write It Out, taking the emotional regulation scenarios one feeling at a time
Grade fit
Scenes are set at home (14), in the community (14) and at school (12). Body clues like stinging eyes help younger readers name the feeling, and older students can weigh where and when to show it. That makes the cards useful emotional regulation activities for all of Grades 2–5.
Digital version
The interactive digital version shares as one link: students answer the think questions (or just read them in the quick format), choose an action card and say why, on any device with no student logins. At the end they download an answer sheet to hand in.
Good to know
The sadness cards touch on loss: a goldfish named Captain dies in The Empty Fish Tank, a favorite climbing tree is cut down, and a favorite snack shack closes for good. Read them ahead if a student in your class is grieving.
Pairs well with
Emotional Regulation Task Cards give written practice on the same skill, and Emotional Regulation Conversation Cards work as a quick morning meeting opener.
Questions teachers ask
Do the cards tell students to hide their feelings?
No. The feeling is always okay. The action cards differ in what students do with it, such as telling someone, letting tears come, or saving big excitement for the right place.
Can I use one feeling at a time?
Yes. Each feeling has its own eight scenarios, so you can teach one feeling at a time.
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