Resources

MOOD METER

A mood meter is a SEL tool that fosters the growth of self-awareness. It helps build emotional literacy and vocabulary providing shared language so learners can identify, articulate, and talk about their emotions.

A mood meter is a tool that helps us identify and articulate our emotions and gives us shared language to talk about them.

There are all kinds of mood meters- with different colors, emojis, and words.  The mood meters presented here are designed so that learning is scaffolded- which means learning is built upon previous skill development and knowledge. This leads to a deeper understanding of one’s emotions and how they affect behavior.

You will notice that both mood meters have the same four quadrants and the same four colors.  Using the mood meter on the left, students begin to develop the ability to recognize and articulate how they are feeling.  As they continue to practice and develop this skill, they can advance to using the mood meter on the right to increase their emotional literacy and vocabulary, and deepen their understanding of the nuances of various feelings.

For example, a learner may articulate they are feeling bored.  As they gain the skill of self awareness and increase their emotional vocabulary, they may realize that what they are really feeling is tired, lonely, or confused.  Understanding different emotional states allows them to effectively address their emotions.

Mood meters can be integrated into daily routines and schedules, such as checking in with students at the beginning and end of their day or during transitional moments.  They can also be integrated into any subject matter or curricula.