Objective(s):   To understand that music can evoke specific feelings.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can link a feeling to a piece of music 
• I can discuss how a piece of music makes me feel 
• I can recognise how I am feeling today (this is for students able to access this at this point) 

Resources: 

• Mind map from Lesson 1 
• “Fuzzy felt face” 
• “My Many Coloured Days” – Dr Seuss (optional) 
• Device for music videos 
• Paper, pencils, felt tip pens, paint, etc. 

Activities: 

• “Fuzzy felt face” - Ask the student to display a face which represents how they are feeling today.   
• Revisiting colours and emotions from last lesson – use Dr Seuss ‘My many coloured days’ – read and discuss – for example, did we choose the same colours as are used in the book? 
• Watch this video discussing what feelings each piece of music makes them feel. (there are questions in there about Jack and the Beanstalk … if the student is familiar with it then you could discuss them, otherwise ignore!) 
• What music do they know that evokes a feeling? 
• Play “Happy” by Pharell Williams, 
• then ask the student to think of other songs that they can think of that makes them happy, sad, etc.  Do they ever listen to music when they are feeling a certain way, or to make themselves feel differently?  

Assessment 

Revisit the mind map – can the student add names of pieces of music to the feelings on there?  Are there any new feeling words they have encountered and wish to add? 

Objective(s):  To explore and emotion in depth, utilising one of the senses. 

Learning Outcomes: 

•  I can choose one of my senses and use this to explore an emotion in depth 
• I can recognise how I am feeling today (this is for students able to access this at this point) 

 Resources: 

• Mind map from Lesson 1  
• “Fuzzy felt face” 
• Large paper, pens, glue, etc. 
• Voice recorder / electronic device
• Jars and coloured sand 
• Tags and string  

Activities: 

• “Fuzzy felt face” - Ask the student to display a face which represents how they are feeling today.   
• Recap previous work around feelings they can identify, and choose a feeling to focus on today

This next part can be approached in any way which utilises one or more senses– e.g. considering sounds (including music) related to that feeling; smells associated with it; colours or anything visual to do with it; textures, etc. 

If the student chooses sounds, work with them to record a soundscape that represents a particular feeling.   This could involve them (and you) making noises, finding pre-recorded sounds on the internet, playing pre-recorded music, or using ‘GarageBand’ to produce a piece of music, or a combination of all of these things. 

If the student chooses smell, this could be represented as a drawing to capture the smells associated with the feeling or could be an activity to gather plants and flowers in the woodland that have a scent that links to the feeling. 

If they choose texture, you could gather materials in the woods, as well as other resources, that represent that feeling and create a collage (which could include drawings and photos too) or a sculpture.  This could also be combined with colours, etc. if the student wishes. 

If the student chooses colour, you could create a “feelings jar” with coloured sand.  The student decides upon several emotions they are feeling (or have been feeling) and assigns a feeling to a different colour of sand.  They add layers of sand to the jar without mixing them, filling the jar to the top.  Layers can differ in size to represent strength of feeling, “e.g. I’m feeling more happy than sad, so the green layer is deeper than the blue.”  The student writes a key on one side of the label and their name on the other, tying it to the jar with string. 

Assessment: 

Ask the student to talk to you about how and why they have represented this feeling in the way chosen – this can be done throughout the activity. 

Revisit the mind map at the end and make a note of how and why they represented a particular feeling a particular way today. 

Objective(s):  To be able to name the most common emotions and to describe their effects on the body.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can describe the effects of some common emotions on the body 
• I can recognise how I am feeling today 

Resources: 

•  Mind map from Lesson 1  
• “Fuzzy felt face” 
• Roll of paper 
• Coloured pens 
• “My Mixed Emotions” book (optional) 

Activities: 

•  “Fuzzy felt face” - Ask the student to display a face which represents how they are feeling today.   
• Draw around the student onto the roll of paper or, if they are not comfortable, draw an outline of a body shape on the paper. 
• Discuss the emotions the student can remember the names of and ask where on the body they might feel these emotions, where the feeling starts from and where it affects.  Use pages 8 - 11 in “My Mixed Emotions” to help 
• They might name several places for different emotions.  Add the emotion names onto the body outline in the places identified – you could also do this in representative colours.    
• This activity will take some time and might lead onto discussions about how the student feels, how they might deal with different feelings, etc.  You might also wish to talk about emotions that the student hasn’t mentioned and add them to it. 

Assessment: 

 Revisit the mind map and add parts of the body affected to each feeling label.  Add any new ‘feelings’ words to the mind map. 

Objective(s):  To know that emotions may feel ‘bad’ or ‘good’, and to give examples of ‘useful’ uncomfortable emotions.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can name emotions that make me feel comfortable and emotions that make me feel uncomfortable 
• I know what fight or flight responses are (freeze will be covered in a later session) 
• I can recognise how I am feeling today 

Resources: 

• Mind map from Lesson 1  
• “Fuzzy felt face” 
• ‘Circle of feelings’ activity 
• “Fight or flight” handout  
• electronic device to show video clips
• (“The New Social Story Book” by Carol Gray) 

Activities: 

• “Fuzzy felt face” - Ask the student to display a face which represents how they are feeling today.  
• Additional activity: for autistic students, or those who do not yet understand “comfortable” and/or “uncomfortable”, look at “What is Comfortable?” (p.98), “What is Comforatble for Me?” (p. 99), “What is Uncomfortable” (p. 104) and “What is Uncomfortable for Me?” (p. 105) from The New Sensory Story Book by Carol Gray.    
• Circle of feelings - sorting activity - emotions that make me feel comfortable and emotions that make me feel uncomfortable - black and white cards with velcro on the back, put onto a felt target board, comfortable on the inside and uncomfortable on the outside. Talk to the student about this as they are doing the activity. 
• Discussion - why do some feelings make us feel uncomfortable?  How do we respond to extreme situations, e.g. danger? Introduce the concept of “fight or flight” (see handout for more details) 

Assessment:  

Revisit the mind map, adding any new emotion words.  Annotate the mind map with “comfortable” and “uncomfortable” next to each emotion as appropriate. 

 What is the The Fight or Flight response?

Objective(s):  To know that emotions may feel bad or good, and that they do not represent you as a person.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can recall what a ‘fight or flight response’ is 
• I can plot different emotions on a graph and understand that it is normal to experience a range of emotions during a day  

Resources: 

• Mind map from Lesson 1  
• “Fuzzy felt face”  
• “Ups and downs” handout  
• "Ups and downs" scenarios

Activities: 

• “Fuzzy felt face” - Ask the student to display a face which represents how they are feeling today.  
• Revisit last session - comfortable and uncomfortable feelings.  Ask the student why we have emotions like anger or fear, remembering “fight or flight”. 
• “Ups and downs” activity plotting emotional responses to different scenarios which might occur in a day - gives a graph with peaks and troughs - talk about how it is normal to experience a range of emotions throughout a day 
•  “You are not your feelings” - Reaffirm that an angry person is not a bad person; that everyone has emotions and that those emotions do not define you as a person.   
• No one is always angry, just as no one is always happy! Try to change the way you phrase things … “I feel angry” instead of “I am angry”. 

Assessment:   

 Using the mind map, have a discussion of emotions they have felt today.

Objective(s):  To be able to describe ‘anger’ as a metaphor and explore it in more depth 

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can link anger to a metaphor 
• I can explore that feeling and metaphor in more depth through art 

Resources:  

• ‘Anger is …’ worksheet from Running Deer's Emotional Curriculum Worksheets
• Play-Doh or air-dry clay and other art materials – pencils, pens, etc. and large sheets of paper 

Activities: 

• Tell the student that we are going to be talking about anger today.    
• Using the ‘Anger is …’ worksheet from Running Deer's Emotional Curriculum Worksheets, consider the questions on the sheet.  
• Then discuss the following:
• If the “anger” was a colour, it would be …? 
• If the “anger” was a shape, it would be …? 
• If the “anger” was an animal, it would be …? 
• If the “anger” was an object/item/metaphor, it would be …? 
• If the “anger” was a flower/tree/something from nature, it would be …? 
• If the “anger” could talk, what would it say and what would its voice sound like? 
• The “anger” stops me from …? 
• The “anger” helps me … 
• Without the “anger” I would … 
• … makes the “anger” much bigger 
• … makes the “anger” much smaller 
• I am stronger and bigger than the “anger” when … 

Next, encourage the student to expand creatively on the metaphor. 

Choose a metaphor/object/item/name, for example a child might say that “anger” is like a dragon – encourage the child to draw/paint/sculpt a dragon. 

Ask questions, for example “what is the dragon’s name”?  “What does the dragon sound like?” “What makes the dragon stronger?” “What scares the dragon?”   

Objective(s):  To be able to describe ‘sadness/low mood’ as a metaphor and explore it in more depth 

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can link sadness/low mood to a metaphor 
• I can explore that feeling and metaphor in more depth through art  

Resources:  

• ‘Sadness/low mood is …’ worksheet from Running Deer's Emotional Curriculum Worksheets
• Play-Doh or air-dry clay and other art materials – pencils, pens, etc. and large sheets of paper  

Activities: 

• Tell the student that we are going to be talking about sadness / low mood today.   
•  Using the ‘Sadness/low mood is …’ worksheet, consider the questions on the sheet.  
• Then discuss the following: 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” was a colour, it would be …? 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” was a shape, it would be …? 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” was an animal, it would be …? 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” was an object/item/metaphor, it would be …? 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” was a flower/tree/something from nature, it would be …? 
• If the “Sadness/low mood” could talk, what would it say and what would its voice sound like? 
• The “Sadness/low mood” stops me from …? 
• The “Sadness/low mood” helps me … 
• Without the “Sadness/low mood” I would … 
• … makes the “Sadness/low mood” much bigger 
• … makes the “Sadness/low mood” much smaller 
• I am stronger and bigger than the “Sadness/low mood” when …

Next, encourage the student to expand creatively on the metaphor. 

Choose a metaphor/object/item/name, for example a child might say that “Sadness/low mood” is like a sinking ship – encourage the child to draw/paint/sculpt a sinking ship.  

Ask questions, for example “what is the sinking ship’s name”?  “What does the sinking ship sound like?” “What makes the sinking ship stronger?” “What overshadows or moves the sinking ship?”   

Objective(s):  To be able to describe ‘happiness/joy/excitement’ as a metaphor and explore it in more depth.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can link happiness/joy/excitement to a metaphor 
• I can explore that feeling and metaphor in more depth through art

Resources:  

• ‘Happiness/joy/excitement is …’ worksheet from Running Deer's Emotional Curriculum worksheets
• Play-Doh or air-dry clay and other art materials – pencils, pens, etc. and large sheets of paper 
• Fuzzy felt face (in yellow box file)

Activities: 

• Tell the student that we are going to be talking about happiness, joy and excitement today.   
•  Using the ‘Happiness/joy/excitement is …’ worksheet, consider the questions on the sheet.  
• Then discuss the following: 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” was a colour, it would be …? 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” was a shape, it would be …? 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” was an animal, it would be …? 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” was an object/item/metaphor, it would be …? 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” was a flower/tree/something from nature, it would be …? 
• If the “Happiness/joy/excitement” could talk, what would it say and what would its voice sound like? 
• The “Happiness/joy/excitement” stops me from …? 
• The “Happiness/joy/excitement” helps me … 
• Without the “Happiness/joy/excitement” I would … 
• … makes the “Happiness/joy/excitement” much bigger 
• … makes the “Happiness/joy/excitement” much smaller 

Next, encourage the student to expand creatively on the metaphor. 

Choose a metaphor/object/item/name, for example a child might say that “Happiness” is like “dancing and singing to music” – encourage the child to draw/paint/sculpt the dancing and singing to music.  

Ask questions, for example “what is the dancing and singing to music’s name”?  “What does dancing and singing to music sound like?” “What makes the fireworks stronger?” “What overshadows the dancing and singing to music?”  “who lights the fireworks?” “Who can see the dancing and singing to music?” “What makes the dancing and singing to music even better?” 

Objective(s):  To be able to describe ‘worry/fear’ as a metaphor and explore it in more depth.

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can link worry/fear to a metaphor 
• I can explore that feeling and metaphor in more depth through art 

Resources:  

• ‘Worry/fear is …’ Running Deer's Emotional Curriculum worksheet
• Play-Doh or air-dry clay and other art materials – pencils, pens, etc. and large sheets of paper 
• Fuzzy felt face (in yellow box file) 

Activities: 

• Tell the student that we are going to be talking about worry and fear today.   
• Using the ‘Worry/fear is …’ worksheet, consider the questions on the sheet.  
• Then discuss the following: 
• If the “Worry/fear” was a colour, it would be …? 
• If the “Worry/fear” was a shape, it would be …? 
• If the “Worry/fear” was an animal, it would be …? 
• If the “Worry/fear” was an object/item/metaphor, it would be …? 
• If the “Worry/fear” was a flower/tree/something from nature, it would be …? 
• If the “Worry/fear” could talk, what would it say and what would its voice sound like? 
• The “Worry/fear” stops me from …? 
• The “Worry/fear” helps me … 
• Without the “Worry/fear” I would … 
• … makes the “Worry/fear” much bigger 
• … makes the “Worry/fear” much smaller 
• I am stronger and bigger than the “Worry/fear” when … 

Next, encourage the student to expand creatively on the metaphor. 

Choose a metaphor/object/item/name, for example a child might say that “Worry” is like “butterflies in my tummy” – encourage the child to draw/paint/sculpt the butterflies in their tummy.  

Ask questions, for example “what are the butterflies’ names”?  “What do the butterflies sound like?” “What makes the butterflies stronger and flutter more?” “What would make the butterflies fly away?” “What makes the butterflies go quiet / go to sleep?” 

Objective(s):  To be able to discuss having ‘mixed feelings’ and understand that it is usual to feel more than one emotion at a time. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• I can describe a time when I have felt more than one emotion at the same time 
• I can place those feelings on different parts of the body 

Resources:  

• ”Puzzle Person” worksheet 
• Felt tip pens / colouring pencils 
• Fuzzy felt face 

Activities: 

• Ask the student if they have ever felt more than one feeling at a time, when they had “mixed feelings”? 
• Using the “Puzzle Person” worksheet, the student writes the names of different emotions they know on different pieces.  Encourage them to think about where they place the feelings.  Ask the student to choose colours to represent each emotion on each puzzle piece and colour them in. 
• Read aloud the example of Dan below. 
• Dan’s story came first in the competition. He was to get a computer as a prize and had been invited to read his story at the National Finals. His teacher asked him how he was feeling. He said, ‘I don’t know, part of me feels proud and happy and part of me feels scared and worried.’  
• Consider the following scenarios and ask the student to indicate some of the feelings they might have . The student is likely to have different feelings about the event and you should explore with them whether they could have both. 
• Going on an adventure holiday when you are going to abseil from a tall cliff. 
• Starting a new club. 
• Meeting new friends.  
• Your best friend being chosen to do a special job when you really wanted it. 
• You being chosen for the football team when your friend is not, even though you think she deserves it.  
• Being invited to a family wedding on the day of your best friend’s special birthday trip.

Can the student talk about what they were feeling?  It might have been when they started Running Deer – they could have been happy and excited, but worried and fearful, for example. 

At the end, return to the puzzle pieces and ask the student how they are feeling today.  They could represent this on the “fuzzy felt face”.