Act Out Some Feelings

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Theme: Feelings

Materials: Feelings Handout (English) // (Spanish)

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Vocabulary: Empathy

SAY: It is important to be able to read others’ feelings. This is called empathy.

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Explore: Why do you think we need to ‘read’ others' feelings?

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DO:‍ Let’s Act Out Some Feelings!

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‍SAY: Sometimes, feelings just bubble up, and sometimes we feel things as a reaction to what we see, hear, or feel. Today, we will talk about and name different kinds of feelings.

Ask for six volunteers to come to the front of the class. Explain that you will give them a feeling to act out, but they shouldn’t tell the other students in the class. For each of the volunteers, point to one of the emotions on the “Feelings Handout” to indicate which one they have been assigned. 

SAY: Okay, actor-volunteers, I am going to pretend to offer you a sandwich, and I want you to react in a way that shows us the feeling on your paper. Then, the class is going to guess what the feeling is. After each actor-volunteer acts out the feeling, ask the class to guess what it is.

After each actor-volunteer has gone, debrief the activity with one or more of the following prompts:

• ‍How specifically did you know what feelings were being demonstrated? 
• If the person offering the sandwich might be offended, does that mean any of the feelings the actors had were wrong? 
• How could it be helpful to recognize what feelings you are having?

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Reflect: 

SAY: Kids can have strong feelings, especially when it is time to stop doing something we are enjoying like using the computer, playing a game, or turning off social media. Everyone experiences feelings, and sometimes, they can be big and uncomfortable. Our feelings and how we show them can affect everyone around us. What can you do if you feel upset when you have to turn off the computer or tablet?

Here is a strategy for breaking away from your tech: “Breathe, look up, and finish up.”

• Take a deep breath
• Look at the person talking
• Close or turn off the device

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Let’s practice! You all will pretend to be on devices at home and I’ll be a parent or guardian.  I will ask you to finish up and say it’s time for chores. 

Let’s do it! Don’t forget to Breathe, look up, and finish up. You can even say, almost done, or something like that. But eye contact and a polite tone of voice are required.

Interval Training Game

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Theme: Balance

Materials: Ensure students have paper, something to draw with, their computers/tablets (if your school uses them) and a book. Have a device for timing out 3 minute intervals.

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Vocabulary: Balance

SAY: Balance means using technology but also making time for other activities, such as playing outside, reading, or talking with friends and family. This helps you stay happy and healthy.

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Explore: 

SAY: Just like we need different foods to be healthy, we need different activities to stay happy and strong. Using technology is fun, but doing other things is also important.

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ASK: What if we stayed on the computer at our desks all day? What kind of school day would that be? 

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DO: Interval training game.

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Materials: On their desks, students should have paper and something to draw with, their computers, and a book. Set a timer for short intervals (e.g., 3 minutes) and lead the children through a series of mini-activities: (you can amend these to suit your class)

• 3 minutes of a simple outdoor game (if possible, or indoor physical activity like jumping jacks) 
• 3 minutes of reading or looking at picture books 
• 3 minutes of drawing or coloring 
• 3 minutes of a tech activity (like a short educational video or a simple game on a tablet)

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Reflect: After completing the activities, gather the children in a circle. 

ASK: How did it feel doing different activities? Did you notice a difference in how you felt after each one? When tech is used in the classroom, what changes in the class?

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Key Learning: This activity aims to help students understand that while technology is fun, it's important to balance screen time with other activities to stay healthy and happy.

The Freeze Game

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Theme: Self-Control

Materials: A device to play some music to the class, and a selection of songs appropriate for the class to dance to (teachers choice).

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Vocabulary: Self-Control

SAY: Self-control means stopping yourself from doing something you shouldn't do, even if you really want to. Self-control is an important skill for finding balance in any situation. Self-control helps you wait until the teacher or a friend is done talking before you talk or put the cookie aside until after dinner.

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Explore: 

ASK: When watching your favorite TV show or playing a game, how do you feel when it's time to stop? Why is it good to take breaks from screens and do other activities like playing outside or reading a book?

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DO: The Freeze Game

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Explain that today, they will play a fun game to practice self-control. 

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SAY: Self-control means stopping yourself from doing something you really want to do.

In this case, dancing! You will be dancing and moving around when the music is playing, but when the music stops, you have to "freeze" and stay very still until the music starts again. It’s important to stop as soon as the music stops and stay frozen even if you want to keep dancing.

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Play music and encourage the children to dance, jump, and move around. Stop the music suddenly and remind them to freeze. Repeat several times, varying the time the music plays and the "freeze" periods.

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Reflect: After playing, gather the children in a circle and discuss the game. 

ASK: Was it hard to stop when the music stopped? How did it feel to stay still when you wanted to move? Why is self-control important?

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Key Learning: By playing the Freeze Game, they learn to manage their impulses.

Personal Balance Charts

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Theme: Balance

Materials: Blank paper, and markers or pen/cils.

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Explore: 

ASK: How long do you spend on screens daily? Is that a good balance? Is anything missing?

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DO: 

Give each child a piece of paper and markers. Ask them to draw their balance chart and fill in the sections with activities they do each day. They can make a T chart, pie chart, or different-sized circles or shapes on the page. For each category, they should write an estimate of how long they do each activity.

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Here are the categories:

• Schoolwork (Online) - Time spent on homework or school assignments on the computer.
• Schoolwork (Offline) - Time spent on homework or reading without using any technology.
• Entertainment (Offline)- Time spent playing video games, watching YouTube, or using social media.
• Entertainment (Offline) - Time spent playing outside, doing crafts, or hobbies that don’t involve screens.
• Exercise - Time spent doing physical activities, like sports, running, or playing outside.
• Sleep - Time spent sleeping at night.
• Home Time - Time spent where you live, whether it’s eating dinner, talking, or doing activities.
• Personal Time - Time spent alone, doing things you enjoy that might not fit into other categories.

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Reflect: 

ASK: How do you feel about the balance in your life? If you are feeling out of balance, how can you prepare to better balance technology with your in-person relationships and activities? 

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Encourage them to take their charts home and share what they learned about balancing tech use with other activities with their families.