Mind-Body research suggests that there is a distinct link between our mind and our body. The human body happens to be a perfectly tuned early warning system to keep us in touch with our emotional state. Through increased awareness comes increased self-regulation. Helping young children through a difficult emotional experience starts by asking "Where do you feel it in your body?"
What will students learn during this lesson?
Students will be led through a discussion of how we feel emotions in our body. We might all feel things differently but some examples might include feeling red/hot when angry, feeling "butterflies" in our stomach when nervous, or feeling like our heart "hurts" when we are sad.
Students will be read "The Way I Feel" by Janan Cain. They will be led through a discussion about the illustrations and matching emotions.
Students will then be guided to perform a Body Scan utilizing the Body Scan script below.
Last students will be given a Body Map worksheet to complete. This worksheet includes a blank outline of a person and students will be asked to draw colors that might occur when they are feeling a certain emotion. For example, coloring many colors through the arms and legs to indicate excitement or yellow in the heart area for happiness.
Body Scan Script
Have students find their mindful bodies and cue them through at least three mindful breaths.
Put your hands on your head. Close your eyes. How is your head feeling? Do you see any colors?
Keep your eyes closed. Put your hands on your heart. How is your heart beating? Fast? Slow?
Hold out your hands so that they touch. How are your hands feeling? Cool? Warm? Soft?
Rub your hands together. Slowly, Now quickly! Stop! How do they feel?
Put your hands on your belly. Big belly breath in. Big belly breath out. Are your hands moving up and down? How does your belly feel?
Put your hands on your knees. Give them a little squeeze.
Wiggle your toes. How are they feeling?
Let’s all take one more big belly breath together and then open our eyes.