Exploring “Emotional Needs” in the classroom
Lesson plan for teachers and librarians to use in schools.
Grade Level: Junior School/Primary School (Ages 7-10)
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Identify and understand the concept of emotional needs.
Analyze the emotional needs of the main character, Alex, in the provided book.
Reflect on their own emotional needs and those of people around them.
Materials:
Copies of the book “Emotional Needs”
Whiteboards and markers
Sticky notes
Chart paper
Drawing materials (colored pencils, markers, etc.).
Handout with questions and activities
Lesson Plan:
Introduction (10 minutes):
Begin by asking students what they think "emotional needs" are and why they are important.
Introduce the book featuring the main character, Alex, and explain that it explores emotional needs.
Reading Activity (15 minutes):
Provide each student with a copy of the book or read an excerpt aloud.
Ask students to pay attention to the main character, Alex, and the emotional needs as they read.
Encourage students to make notes or highlight relevant passages in their books.
Take a pause on page 17, and display the image of the book summary.
Group Discussion (5 minutes):
Divide the students into small groups and have them discuss an emotional need based on what they've learned through the reading. If possible, divide the class into five groups, and have each group discuss one need.
Each group should choose a spokesperson to share their findings with the class.
Group Activity (15 minutes):
Continue with pages 18-22, and provide the part of the book that is psychoeducation. Allow for questions and self-reflection.
Provide the children with their own copy of pages 23-29. Provide demonstrations of the tools, and ask the children to try them out themselves.
Children can share with the class which tool is their favourite.
Personal Reflection (10 minutes):
Ask each student to reflect and write down one emotional need they think is important to them.
Ask the children to use the emotion wheel in the book to help with the missing need. Each child should pick a statement from the emotion wheel and write it on their post-it note.
Have students place their sticky notes in their diary/inside their lanyard/somewhere visible that they can refer to and view each day.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
Summarize the key points from the lesson, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing emotional needs.
Invite students to reflect on how they can use Alex to support meeting their own emotional needs after the lesson.
Homework:
Encourage students to write a short journal entry on their own emotional needs and strategies for fulfilling them. This will help reinforce the lesson's concepts and foster self-awareness.
This lesson not only introduces the concept of emotional needs but also engages students in meaningful discussions and self-reflection, making it a valuable experience for their emotional intelligence development.
