Running head: ELEMENTARY GUIDANCE LESSON
Elementary Guidance Lesson
CSP 674
Kathy Wiertsema-Miller
January 2002
The Feelings Journal is a series of classroom guidance lessons for elementary grades 2-3. The objectives of these lessons are as follows:
—Learners will become familiar with a variety of feelings and feeling words.
—Learners will associate feelings with specific situations.
—Learners will gain insight into the causes of feelings.
Each individual lesson is designed to be delivered within a 30 minute time period, and each lesson should focus on one feeling. Some suggested feelings are: happy, sad, mad, scared, confused, frustrated, and excited. Clearly, any number of feelings would be appropriate for the Feelings Journal. The overall number of lessons within the Feelings Journal and, therefore, the overall length of the Feelings Journal, should be individualized according to the needs of any particular school and student body. For example, the Feelings Journal could be compiled over a monthÕs time, but it could also be an ongoing project throughout an entire school year. Students are encouraged to illustrate the notebook cover.
Lesson
Plan
Identify the feeling word, talk about it as a class, and define it. Then have students complete #1-2 on worksheet (see Appendix).
Describe to the class a time when the instructor experienced the feeling. Have students complete #3-4. Then orally share some student responses with the whole class.
Have students complete #5-6. Then orally share student responses with the whole class.
Discuss as a class other words that mean approximately the same thing as the word of the day. Ask students to write one example in #7.
For closure, emphasize to students the importance of recognizing this feeling and other feelings in themselves and in others; encourage them to be understanding and accepting of what others feel.
Have students place completed worksheets into their individual journalsÑ3 ring binders are recommended.
Optional activities include the following: illustrations of feeling and/or situations that created feeling, partner sharing of answers rather than large group sharing, encouraging recognition of how one person can cause another to feel a certain feeling (good and/or bad).
All lessons in the Feelings Journal are reflective of the Personal/Social developmental domain of the Minnesota School CounselorÕs Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling as well as the Gysbers & Henderson model.
The Feelings Journal is also directly related to the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee Standards for elementary students. The lessons are directly linked to the following standards within the self-knowledge competency: knowledge of the importance of self-concept and skills to interact with others.
Finally, the Feelings Journal also correlates to learning area #8, Physical Education and Lifetime Fitness, of the Minnesota Graduation Standards. This learning areaÕs focus on personal health and decision-making is reflected in the Feelings JournalÕs focus on awareness of feelings, awareness of self, and its overall promotion of positive mental health.
Gysbers, N.C., & Henderson, P. (2000). Developing and managing your school guidance program. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
Rief, J.M., &
Enestvedt, J.K. (1993). The
Minnesota school counselorsÕ model of developmental guidance.
Publisher location unlisted:
Minnesota School Counselors Association.
Kathy Wiertsema-Miller, Counselor
Northfield High School
Northfield, MN 55057
507-663-0636
Fax 507-645-3455
Kathy.Miller@nfld.k12.mn.us
Appendix:
Student Worksheet
Name Date
Feelings Journal
1. Feeling word
2. Define the feeling word.
3. Describe a time when you had this feeling.
4. What is another event or a situation that could make a person feel this feeling word.
5. What does this word make you feel like doing?
6. How does someone look when they feel this word?
7. Write another word that means about the same thing as this feeling word.