About This Lesson
What brings your students instant joy? Use this Positive/Negative Emotions Sorting Deck to help students sort between positive and negative emotions. All you need to do is print out the deck and cut out the pictures!
Introduce the concept of positive emotions by having students identify what makes them feel positive emotions (like joy, gratitude, love, and awe) versus negative emotions (like stress, anxiety, and anger). Have students sort pictures of events, places, and experiences into two categories: “positive emotions” and “negative emotions.” When sorting, use behavior-specific praise to acknowledge that “YES! ___ makes you feel love/joy/gratitude/awe/inspiration/etc.”
Here’s what you’ll get:
* 18 premade sorting cards (includes real pictures with labels)
* Instructions on how to cut and fold the cards
Why you’ll love these sorting cards:
* The activity is easy to read and implement.
* You can use this resource as a standalone activity or as part of a comprehensive, science-based unit study.
* Proof Positive’s resources are and will always be free.
Ways to Use
- Incorporate into morning/end-of-the-day meetings
- Use as a brain break to help with transitions
- Integrate into small groups and/or individual counseling sessions
- Families can use these at home, too!
What is Jolts of Joy?
Don’t wait for joy to come to you, go get more of it! Science shows that joy-inducing activities transform the way we think, perform and respond. Jolts of Joy are small, intentional actions that inject positive emotions into our day and help us take control of our wellbeing moment to moment. The overall goal is to have greater control over the ratio of positive to negative emotions you experience each day. By unleashing the power of positive emotions with intention, you and your students can jolt yourself into joy!
Science of Positive Emotions
Positive emotions create opportunities for growth and healing, mentally and physically. The Broaden and Build theory is based on the notion that positive emotions enable us to develop new and creative ways of thinking to enhance wellbeing and promote resilience. Scientific evidence finds that even little moments of joy throughout the day add up to greater physical and mental wellbeing. People who experience positive emotions think better, perform better, and feel better. Experiencing positive emotions regularly can:
- Open our eyes and minds
- Increase creative thinking
- Expand our visual field
- Allow for global thinking and diversity
- Prevent depression and anxiety
- Undoing effect
- Improve cardiac functioning
- Increase healthy sleep
Looking for more Jolts of Joy resources?
* Explore the free Jolts of Joy Unit Study, which comes with teaching slides, additional worksheets and activities, and even IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism.
Proof Positive’s resources are and will always be free. Be well!
★ Bonus access to full lesson plans and unit studies on the skills of happiness at our Skill Center
