Emotions X-ray

Activity Overview

Identifying feelings in ourselves is a powerful tool in helping students become empathic problem solvers. The more we can identify feelings in ourselves, the more easily we can see how others may be feeling. We ask students to think about the impact their decisions have on others because we want them to be able to build on the empathic understanding that is developing at this age. In this activity, students will use the concept of X-ray photography to connect to how and where our feelings are inside our bodies. Healthy social emotional development includes awareness of all feelings, without equating them as either negative or positive in nature. Feelings are feelings, and all feelings are okay.

What You Need

• F is for Feelings

• Child-sized piece of butcher paper

• Markers or crayons

• X-Ray Slide Deck

• Stuffed animals

Steps

1. Read the book, F is for Feelings on Epic. Please read the parent introduction first, as well as the guide on page 32-33 for tips on how to talk about feelings.

2. Talk to students about what an X-ray is. It sees inside of our bodies so that we can find out what our bones look like. Ask students if they have ever had an X-ray. Have the student pretend to be a doctor for the stuffed animals and take their X-rays.

3. While discussing X-rays, ask, “We can see our bones by taking an X-ray, but is there a way to see our feelings?”

4. Tell students they are going to draw “Emotion X-rays.” These pretend scans will look like X-rays, but in addition to being a map of our bones, these will also help us map our feelings.

5. Have the student lay down on a piece of butcher paper and trace their body. Tell them they can use the body trace to draw what is inside their bodies. Encourage them to draw bones, organs, and any systems of the body as well if they are interested in adding these.

6. Once your student is satisfied with their X-ray, prompt them to now think of where their feelings live inside their bodies. Use the guiding questions below to frame your discussion and help students indicate those places on their X-rays. For instance, if a child says they feel sadness in their tummy, ask them to mark where that is on their X-ray.

Guiding Questions

• Where does happiness live inside your body - where do you feel it the most?

• Where does your sadness live? How does it make your body feel?

• Where do you keep your anger? How does that make your body feel?