Lesson Plan
Mask Your Mood Plan
Guide a 7th grader to design and decorate a paper mask using colors, shapes, and symbols to represent hidden emotions and facets of identity, fostering nonverbal self-expression and emotional insight.
Mask-making offers a visual, hands-on outlet for students reluctant to talk. It externalizes inner feelings, builds self-awareness, and promotes emotional regulation through creative symbolism.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Design Planning
5 minutes
Step 3
Mask Decoration
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection
5 minutes
Slide Deck
Mask Your Mood
Materials & Workspace
Design Planning Prompts
Mask Decoration
One-Word Reflection
Lesson Plan
Path Of Emotions Plan
Guide a 7th grader to create a visual “path” of emotions by drawing and segmenting a winding line on paper, then filling each segment with colors and symbols that represent emotions and experiences from past to present.
This journey-based art activity lets a reluctant student map feelings nonverbally, fostering narrative thinking, emotional insight, and self-reflection without pressure to talk.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Path Sketch
5 minutes
Step 3
Segment Filling
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection
5 minutes
Slide Deck
Path of Emotions
Materials & Workspace
Sketch Your Path
Segment Filling Prompts
One-Word Reflection
Lesson Plan
Emotion Garden Plan
Guide a 7th grader to design and illustrate a symbolic garden where each plant, flower, or feature represents a distinct emotion or personal quality, fostering nonverbal self-expression and emotional awareness.
By assigning feelings to visual elements, this art activity provides a safe, talk-free outlet for students reluctant to share verbally, encourages introspection, and builds emotional vocabulary through metaphor and creativity.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Garden Plot Layout
5 minutes
Step 3
Plant Creation
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection
5 minutes
Slide Deck
Emotion Garden
Materials & Workspace
Garden Plot Layout
Plant Creation
One-Word Reflection
Lesson Plan
Mood Mosaic Plan
Guide a 7th grader to create a paper mosaic representing their current emotional landscape by tearing or cutting colored paper and arranging pieces nonverbally, promoting emotional exploration, stress relief, and creative self-expression.
This tactile collage-like activity offers a safe, nonverbal outlet for reluctant students to explore and communicate emotions, reduce anxiety, and build self-awareness through hands-on creativity.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
Step 2
Technique Demonstration
5 minutes
Step 3
Mosaic Creation
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection
5 minutes
