Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Children in the early childhood years, specifically preschool, often experience a wide variety
of emotions related to physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development and the learning
environment around themselves. Furthermore, children who are just entering school are facing
their first experiences with working in small and large groups, following rules and routines,
and responding to social interactions and the many emotional circumstances that revolve
around them. Throughout this unit, children will be introduced to a classroom that has created
many quiet corners and reduced materials and clutter in order to create an environment that
promotes sharing and understanding. Over the course of the next several weeks, we will be
focusing on identifying emotional needs; creating discussions around how children are feeling
and what they can do to express and overcome those feelings. We will also be
focusing on getting to know the routines of the classroom in order to aid in the easy of
transition times and to reduce the amount of circumstances where children express frustration
over unexpected moments.

Each learning experience will be labeled with a letter from the acronym WHERETO,
which stands for:

W: Where students are headed and where their experiences have led them
H: Hooking and holding students interest
E (1): Experiencing and exploring unit ideas
R: Reflecting, rethinking, and revising work
E (2): Exhibits and self-evaluations for students
T: Tailored learning plan to fit all learners
O: Organizational tools for students
Where are your students Throughout this unit, children will be able to recognize
headed? Where have they emotions in themselves and others, develop effective coping
been? How will you make strategies that accompany their emotions, and understand
sure the students know where the role emotions play in their school and home
they are going? environment. Children will view be presented with
emotional vocabulary through role play situations and
picture emotion cards, coping strategies through the
building of a Quiet Cube and sensory bottles, and will
participate in whole and small group conversations about
emotional strategies. Children will also have the ability to
read diverse books that allow them to know and understand
the elements of social and emotional development.
How will you hook students at At a young age, children experience a wide variety of
the beginning of the unit? emotions as a response to social and learning situations in
the world around them. In addition, preschool students
begin to express empathy towards peers and adults, often
wanting to know why someone is crying, what they can do
to help, and questioning the actions of a student in distress.

What events will help
students experience and
explore the big idea and
questions in the unit? How
will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?
To introduce the unit, children will view an emotion graph
(Appendix A) with the words sad, happy, and angry;
each word will be accompanied with a real picture of a child
or adult expressing said emotion. Children will review the
words, pictures and will express their ideas over the course
of a whole group discussion. Students will then have to
label their emotions of how they are feeling that day. This
will be the catalyst for introducing emotion vocabulary and
will be continued throughout the unit using dialogue and
emotion graphing.
Students will use the following essential questions to drive
the learning experiences throughout this unit:
1. How does understanding the words emotion and
feelings useful in daily classroom interactions?
2. How can expressing emotions physically impact the
environment?
3. How can the verbal expression of emotions effect
the relationships we have with our peers and other
adults?
4. Why is understanding a positive coping method
essential to creating a positive learning
environment?
Based on these questions, children will have a purpose for
their learnings and experiences; each essential question will
relate to a purposeful activity, open dialogue in small,
whole, and individual conversations, and role-playing areas.
Children will be equipped with knowledge in the following
ways:
Reading social-emotional books such as The Way I
Feel by Janan Cain
Exploring center areas that provide meaningful
materials to extend play:
o Costumes and assumed roles in Dramatic
Play
o Vocabulary word cards in writing (Appendix
B)
o Block play people and picture faces in
Blocks
o Puzzles with emotions, real people, and
differing abilities in Manipulatives/Table
Games
o Apps in the Listening area, such as Breathe,
Think, Do and Touch and Learn Emotions

How will you cause students
to reflect and rethink? How
will you guide them in
rehearsing, revising, and
refining their work?
How will you help students to
exhibit and self-evaluate their
growing skills, knowledge,
and understanding
throughout the unit?
How will you tailor and
otherwise personalize the
learning plan to optimize the
engagement and effectiveness
of ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the
unit?
o Fidget devices in quiet areas textured balls,
sensory bottles, books, soft toys
o Art related emotion tools through the
introduction of My Many Colored Days by
Dr. Seuss
Yoga and meditation exercises during Music and
Movement periods and transitions
Children will be introduced to several methods that will
allow them to reflect, rethink, and revise their work. Due to
the fact that young learners are at various levels of
development, conversational pieces will be key each day
and throughout learning experiences; children will be able
to discuss their work before, during and after each learning
activity and whole group experience. End of the day group
times will be utilized as a way for everyone to reflect their
learnings, as well as the introduction of an emotion book
which each child will help create. Finally, children will also
be introduced to a KWL (Know-Want to Know-Learn) chart
(Appendix C) which will be added to throughout the unit as
a way to express each individuals learning.
Children will have the opportunity to continuously reflect
on their work and create a self-evaluation through a variety
of methods. They will be able to design their learning
experiences based on what they want to know through the
creation of the KWL chart; the W specifically focuses on
what students want to know and their assessment will be to
expand upon what they have learned. In addition, children
will be able to add to their personal classroom portfolios
which will help them continuously think and reflect upon
their work.
Inclusion in an important part of this classroom and this unit
for many reasons; several of our students have IEPs and
individual learning needs and it is important to consider
these for curriculum design and the inclusion of all learners
is important in order to ensure that the elements of the UDL
are being followed accordingly. Therefore, there will be
several small, whole, and individual classroom learning
experiences that will allow students to complete their
learning in ways that provide for social interaction and the
completion of activities in extended periods of time.
Additional, word and picture cards will be utilized
throughout the unit to provide resources for verbal and non-
verbal students. Plus, the use of multimedia outlets will
allow for students with a variety of abilities to be able to
function in the classroom; modeling for the Proloquo

How will you organize and
sequence the learning
activities to optimize the
engagement and achievement
of ALL students?
program, sequencing First-Then programs, timers on
iPads, and access to technology.
Similar to the way that a students development progresses,
individuals will be building upon their prior knowledge with
new learning experiences as the unit progresses. The first
several days (or even weeks) will focus on an introduction
to emotions; utilizing the essential questions, gauging prior
knowledge and experiences of students, and focusing on
one emotion at a time. Then as the unit progresses, more
complex concepts will be introduced related to the previous
knowledge; a focus will be on routines (how do emotions
affect daily routines?), calming techniques (building on
identifying emotions and responding), and role playing
situations (which will be a method of self-evaluation based
on how students respond to peer conflicts and interactions).

# Lesson Title Lesson Activities Resources

1 Emotion Introduction: Teachers will present picture The Way I Feel by

Introduction cards to students (happy, sad, mad) in Janan Cain
& Essential the form of a graph and will be posed with the Graph for emotions
Question question: What are emotions? (Appendix A)
Induction Activity: Children will chart their response on KWL Chart
(whole group) a KWL chart, leaving the L part to show (Appendix C)
learning outcomes that have been reached
Children will read the story The Way I
Feel by Janan Cain - Children will
discuss the different emotions that are
read throughout the book and will
relate them to personal experiences
(How might you feel if it was
thundering outside? Why?).
They will use their name tags to add
onto the graph that says "Today I
feel..."
(W, H, E1, R, E2, T, O)

2 Class Introduction: Children will utilize Emotional

Emotion vocabulary word cards to identify an emotion vocabulary cards
Book they wish to express for the addition to a (Appendix B)
(individual classroom emotion book Camera
activity) Activity: Children will be presented with Blank paper
emotional vocabulary word cards and will be Pencil, writing tool
asked to select one to expand upon
 Children will point to or express an
emotion and will be given a mirror to
show their expression
Teachers will take a picture of the
child expressing the same emotion as
on the vocabulary card
Children will label their emotion,
write the word on paper, and state a
way they might feel that particular
emotion (I feel.when)
(W, E1, R, E2, T)
3 Emotion Introduction: Children will review the KWL Dont Let the Pigeon
Introduction: chart in regards to emotion introduction. Drive the Bus by Mo
Mad (whole Picture cards will be used to focus on the Willems
group) word mad. Mirror
Activity: Children will read a story and then Paper, markers,
will chart their answers about what can be pictures for Mad
done when an individual is mad: chart (Appendix D)
Dont Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by
Mo Willems will be read to the class
Teachers will aid discussion
throughout the story using leading
questions (Why is the pigeons face
turning red? What else can he be
doing instead of stomping his feet?)
Children will utilize a mirror to see
their angry face and will chart their
answers of what they do when they get
mad and will discuss which ways are
safe to utilize to express emotions
(W, E1, R, E2, T, O)
4 Mad Emotion Introduction: Children will review mad Llama Llama Mad at
Continuation chart and coping ideas and will expand upon Mama by Anna
(whole group) their knowledge Dewdney
Activity: Children will read a story and then Bug Chart (Appendix
discuss the different words for mad (i.e. E)
angry)
Llama Llama Mad at Mam by Anna
Dewdney will be read to the class
whole group discussion will be
facilitated through leading questions
(What makes you angry or What
would you do if you were the little
llama?)
Children will add to a Bug Chart
using the prompt: If someone is
 bugging me, I can Teachers will
chart answers on the bug and will
facilitate questions through whole
group discussions and references to
the story
(H, E1, R, E2, O)
5 Self-Portrait Introduction: Children will be able to utilize Paper
(individual their previous knowledge to create a self- People colored
activity) expressive portrait crayons
Activity: Children will use people colored Multi colored crayons
crayons and paper to depict how they are Mirror
feeling Hand-over hand
(W, H, E1, T) adaptions
Draw It! App for iPad
for alternative
technologies for
children
6 Emotion Introduction: Teachers will help children Today I Feel Silly &
Introduction: explore the idea of happy by brainstorming Other Moods That
Happy (whole alternative ways for children to express being Make My Day by
group) happy (motions, movements, and additional Jamie Lee Curtis
words
Activity: A story will be read to support
childrens idea of the concept of happy and
children will discuss the various things
around them that make them happy
Teachers will read Today I Feel Silly
& Other Moods That Make My Day by
Jamie Lee Curtis and will facilitate
discussions by placing emphasis on
silly, happy, and angry to form
connections between previous learning
Children will practice showing the
ways they look when they are happy
(H, E1, R)
7 Foam Introduction: Teachers will supply children My Many Colored
Emotion will circular foam pieces in a variety of colors Days by Dr. Seuss
Faces (small and collage materials to facilitate emotion Foam circles in a
group) discussions variety of colors
Activity: Children will be instructed to create Googly eyes
foam emotion faces using collage materials Multi colored
Emotional vocabulary cards, along markers
with the book My Many Colored Days Mirror
by Dr. Seuss will be utilized to assist Self-Assessment
children with choosing an emotion and Rubric (Appendix F)
corresponding foam face
 Children will utilize googly eyes,
markers, and collage materials to
create a face that matches their chosen
emotion
Teachers will facilitate discussion by
referencing the book, a mirror, and
using leading questions
o Reflective assessments will be
provided through anecdotal
records and a grading rubric
(H, E1, R, E2, T)
8 Happy Introduction: Teachers will utilize the song If Youre Happy and
Emotion If Youre Happy and You Know It via You Know It by
Continuation YouTube Kids to introduce happy and a Super Simple Songs
(whole group) variety of other emotions via YouTube Kids
Activity: Children will utilize multimedia to If Youre Happy and
continue their learning about emotions You Know It by Jane
Teachers will utilize YouTube Kids Cabrera
on the iPad to listen to If Youre Paper and pencil for
Happy and You Know It by Super anecdotal notes
Simple Songs Children will
participate along with the movements
After movement, children will listen
to the story If Youre Happy and You
Know It by Jane Cabrera and will
participate along with the movements
Teachers will facilitate discussions
through comparison of songs and
having children transition by having
them choose an emotion and a
reaction for the class to participate
(H, E1, R, E2, T)
9 Playdough Introduction: Children will follow a simple Picture playdough
Mixing (small playdough recipe in order to interact with recipe (Appendix G)
group) peers while teachers provide instructions Flour
regarding turn taking, sharing, and manners Salt
Activity: Children will follow a recipe for Oil
playdough and will interact with up to three Cream of Tartar
other peers in a positive way Water
Teachers will utilize a picture chart for Food coloring
a playdough recipe to introduce to
1 cup
children
1 Tbs
Children will take turns measuring,
1 Tsp
pouring, and mixing in order to create
the playdough recipe Bowl
Spoon for mixing
 Teachers will facilitate interactions
through explaining steps, facilitating
turn taking, and using vocabulary
modeling
(H, E1, T)
10 Playdough Introduction: Teachers will set-up and People colored
People Mats facilitate small group interactions during playdough mats
(small group) which children will self-select people colored (accessed through
playdough mats Pinterest)
Activity: Children will create faces using the Playdough
playdough that was created during small Playdough rollers
group instruction Plastic knives
Teachers will place playdough, rollers, Paper and pencil for
plastic knives, and playdough face anecdotal records
mats on the table
Teachers will facilitate instruction and
interaction of the creation of selecting
playdough mats that match individuals
skin color and creating faces that
reflect how they feel
(H,E1, R, E2, T)
11 Emotions Introduction: Teachers will revist the KWL KWL Chart
Continued chart to reference emotions and what children (Appendix C)
(whole group) have learned thusfar. Questions from the W Feelings by Aliki
section will be answered in the L section to
display understanding of knowledge
presented
Activity: Teachers will read a story that
addresses previous knowledge learned and
children will have the opportunity to sort
pictures related to the emotions within the
story
Teachers will read Feelings by Aliki
and will facilitate discussions by using
open-ended questioning (How do you
think the kids are feeling here?
What clues from the pictures let you
know that)
Children will sort pictures of happy,
sad, and angry
(E1, R, E2, O)
12 Sensory Introduction: Teachers will reference the Display charts
Bottle ideas from previous stories and angry charts (Appendix D, E)
Creation that were created to bring up emotional Plastic water bottles
(small group) situations and the solutions for reacting to Water
emotional states Glycerin
 Activity: Teachers will guide students in the Glitter
creation of sensory bottles which will be Small plastic beads
utilized in the classroom quiet cube Foam collage
Teachers will reference previous material
materials and utilize display charts to Funnel
facilitate conversations about being Food coloring
angry or upset
Children will add glycerin, water,
beads, glitter, and collage materials to
a plastic bottle to create their own
sensory bottle
Children will focus on How does
holding and shaking the sensory bottle
make you feel?
(H, E1, R, E2, T)
13 Emotions Introduction: Teachers will reference the Glad Monster, Sad
Continued: KWL chart to discuss the ways in which Monster by Ed
Sad (whole emotions are defined and expressed Emberley and Anne
group) Activity: Teachers will read a story and Miranda
facilitate a discuss regarding being sad and Emotion Graph
glad (Appendix A)
Children will hear the story Glad Glad, Sad Monster
Monster, Sad Monster by Ed hand puppet (free
Emberley and Anne Miranda resource through
Teachers will facilitate the discussion Pinterest)
utilize a hand puppet of the monster
and expanding upon the word
feelings and how they relate to each
student
Children will chart how they are
feeling utilizing the emotion graph
(H, E1, R, E2, T, O)
14 Social and Introduction: Children will utilize their Classroom emotion
Emotional previous knowledge to identify the emotions book
Recognition of peers through the use of picture cards and Assessment form
(individual verbalize how they would respond to their Paper and pens for
activity) peers anecdotal records
Activity: Children will be challenged with
recognizing and labeling a peer's emotional
expression, responding to a peer with an
appropriate gesture or comment, and making
a connection to a personal experience that
relates to their emotional expression. This will
be done through a role playing, question-and-
answer situation as a response to picture cards
with various peer's emotional expressions.
 Teachers will utilize picture from the
class emotion book to display for
individual children
Children will choose an emotion, state
its name, and discuss how they would
respond to a peer in that emotional
state
Teachers will utilize the self-
assessment rubric to guage an
individuals understanding of
emotions and response to peers
(H, E1, R, E2, T)
 Appendix A

Today I Feel...
7

0
Sad Mad Happy

Sad Mad
Appendix B

Happy

Sad

Mad

Silly
Angry

Scared
 Appendix C

K-W-L Chart (example):

What We Know: What We Want What We Learned:

Emotions to Know:
can be when What can
you are we do
happy when we
When you get mad?
are happy What
you smile happens
Sometimes when we
people get are sad?
angry and Why do
throw things mommies
We cry and daddies
when we are yell?
sad How can I
I smile and be kind to
yell my friends?
Mommy Can
makes me animals cry
happy too?
 Appendix D

When I am Mad

I stomp my feet

I yell

Talk to my dad

Throw things

Instead I Can

Talk to a teacher
 Go to the Quiet Cube

Shake my sensory bottle

 Appendix E

When Someone is Bugging Me, I Can

 Appendix F

Foam Emotion Face Rubric.pdf

 Appendix G

Playdough Recipe

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Salt

1 Tbsp Oil

2 Cups Water

1 Tsp Cream of Tartar

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Place in microwave for 4 5 minutes
3. Cool for several minutes
4. Kneed and use