My Feelings wellbeing lesson plan
My Feelings is a ready-to-teach wellbeing lesson for Year 1 that helps Australian teachers introduce emotional literacy through structured, age-appropriate discussion. Teachers get a clear way to help students build a shared vocabulary for how they feel. Students learn to identify and name a range of everyday feelings, notice how emotions can show up and practise simple ways to talk about how they are feeling. The lesson gives teachers a calm, practical starting point for ongoing emotional literacy work in the classroom.
Emotional Regulation & Mental Health
Snapshot
My Feelings
This lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce emotional literacy and help Year 1 students build shared language for their feelings.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Identifying and naming different feelings
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
recognise a range of common feelings, such as happy, sad, worried and angry
recognise that feelings can change during the day depending on what happens
recognise simple signs of how a feeling might show up, such as facial expressions or body language
Understand
understand that everyone experiences different feelings and that this is normal
understand that there are words they can use to describe how they feel
Practise
practise naming their own feelings using simple, familiar language
practise noticing and describing feelings in given scenarios or examples
practise asking for help when a feeling feels too big to manage alone
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for Year 1 students who are building early emotional literacy skills and learning to notice and name how they feel.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care or circle time sessions
early emotional literacy and regulation programmes
whole-class discussions introducing feelings vocabulary
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing emotional literacy Use when students are building their first shared vocabulary for feelings.
Starting the school year Use when establishing classroom norms around noticing and naming emotions.
Reinforcing wellbeing routines Use when revisiting how students check in with their feelings during the day.
Supporting students during change Use when helping students name feelings that come with new routines or situations.
Building help-seeking confidence Use when students need to understand that it is okay to talk about big feelings.
Creating a structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led lesson focused on feelings and emotional awareness.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Young students are still developing the language they need to describe how they feel. Without simple, shared words for emotions, students can find it harder to explain what is happening for them or to ask for help when something feels difficult. Teaching emotional literacy early gives students practical tools they can use throughout the school day, whether they are excited about an activity, upset after a mistake or unsure how to describe a mix of feelings. It also gives teachers a common language to use when checking in with students. This lesson supports a classroom culture where talking about feelings is normal and expected, rather than something students need to work out on their own.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Emotional literacy Students learn words to describe a range of common feelings.
Self-awareness Students notice and reflect on their own emotional experiences.
Emotional regulation Students begin to connect naming a feeling with managing it.
Empathy Students consider how others might be feeling in given situations.
Communication Students practise expressing feelings using simple, clear language.
Help-seeking Students learn that talking about feelings, including big ones, is safe and expected.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students to use general examples rather than sharing personal stories about themselves or others
Identify trusted adults students can speak to at school if a feeling feels too big
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use simple, familiar examples such as feeling happy, worried or left out
Give students time to practise saying feeling words aloud
Allow students to respond through discussion, drawing or simple activities depending on confidence
Keep the pace calm and check in with students who seem unsettled by a topic
Supporting safe discussion
Use scenarios rather than personal disclosures where possible
Remind students not to name classmates when giving examples
Reinforce that talking about feelings, including difficult ones, is safe and expected
Adaptation options
Use drawing or matching activities for students who find verbal discussion harder
Spend more time on any feelings students find confusing or hard to name
Extend discussion for students ready to talk about more complex or mixed feelings
