Today I Feel Silly
& Other Moods That Make My Day
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Silly, cranky, excited, or sad—everyone has moods that can change each day, and mood swings are an elementary school child’s stock-in-trade. Jamie Lee Curtis brings the ever-changing moods of a youngster to the foreground, while once again providing much room for classroom activities based on this terrific story.

The Mood Swing

Draw a picture of a swing and glue a small pocket on the front. Create word cards of different emotions, such as happy, sad, silly, grumpy, etc. The children then make a face to go with each card, and then they discuss things that make them feel this way. Discuss the opposite of that emotion and write it on the back of the card, so when the card is flipped the opposite emotion is shown. Brainstorm the different ways to express happy, sad, etc. A list of synonyms can be written to correspond with the word and hung in the classroom as a vocabulary reference list.

Funny Face Feelings

Discuss various emotions, such as happy, sad, frustrated, angry, melancholy, surprised. Give children an emotional scenario and have them mimic the facial expressions. If possible, take photos of the faces. When the pictures are developed, the children can match them to a list of “feelings” words and create a classroom chart.

How Do You Feel Today?

Using the idea from the book, have children create their own mood mask using a paper plate with holes cut in it and a paper disk fastened to the plate. Spin the disk and change the expression of the face. Then sing the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” but sing it using the different emotions (angry, sad, silly, etc.) Discuss with students the effect the emotion has on the tone and mood of how they sing the song.

Color My World

Read the passage from the book, “Today I was angry. You’d better stay clear. My face is all pinched and red ear to ear.” Ask students why they think the entire page is colored red. Ask them if red means angry. Discuss how colors often depict moods. Recite different examples and then brainstorm a variety of ones with students. For example; “You are totally relaxed and lying in a field of flowers.” What color means relaxed? Have students illustrate and color various moods and colors. Create a class book for the reading corner.

A Week of Feelings

Reinforce learning the days of week and understanding feelings by giving each child a calendar sheet showing one week of days. Each day the children write down how they feel at the end of the day and why. This can also be used like a journal and extended for the whole month– Today I feel excited because I have a play date. Today I am nervous because of my math test.

Teaching ideas prepared by Mary Moriarty, teacher Mahopac Central Schools, Mahopac, NY