Enhance Creative Writing Lessons Using a Feelings Phrase Bank

Listen up! When I say that a teacher never stops thinking, even when we're not at school, I mean it! Recently, I created a feelings picture-word sheet for my kindergarten class to help with their journal writing. They were so excited to write at least a sentence or two in their journals. This is what it looked like:

When I saw how powerful words were in helping my students express their emotions and experiences, I was inspired. This success led me to the idea of a feelings phrase bank for older students. Naturally, I dove back into my library and did additional research to start building this phrase bank, and I did it!

 Today I present to you my Feelings Phrase Bank – a fun and comprehensive resource designed specifically to support elementary teachers in enhancing their older students' creative writing skills. It is a great tool to help students develop their writing skills or express ideas.

What Is the Feelings Phrase Bank?

The Feelings Phrase Bank is a set of phrases that students explore and use to describe different emotions. Each page focuses on a specific emotion, such as happy, sad, excited, or scared, and includes a list of sample phrases that students can use in their writing. The phrases are designed to be relatable and easy for young learners to understand.

Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect inside the notebook:

Happy Phrases: "I felt like I was on top of the world," "My heart was bursting with joy," "I couldn’t stop smiling."

Sad Phrases: "Tears welled up in my eyes," "I felt a lump in my throat," "My heart felt heavy."

Excited Phrases: "I felt a rush of excitement," "My heart was racing with anticipation," "I was bouncing with joy."

Scared Phrases: "A chill ran down my spine," "I felt a shiver of fear," "My heart skipped a beat."

Each page is designed with bright colors and playful illustrations to keep students engaged. There's also a My Phrases section where students can write their own phrases, fostering creativity and personal expression.

        

How to Use the Feelings Phrase Bank in Your Classroom

Using the Feelings Phrase Bank is simple and flexible. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Daily Writing Prompts: Start each day with a writing prompt that encourages students to use a phrase from the bank. For example, "Write about a time you felt excited. Use at least one phrase from the 'Excited Phrases' section."

2. Creative Writing Assignments: Incorporate the phrase bank into your creative writing assignments. Challenge students to write a short story using phrases from multiple sections.

3. Emotion Discussions: Use the phrase bank as a starting point for discussions about emotions. Have students share times they felt a certain way and the phrases they used to describe their feelings.

4. Art Integration: Encourage students to draw pictures that correspond to the phrases they choose. This helps visual learners connect words with emotions.

5. Creative Writing Lessons: During creative writing lessons, students can refer to the Feelings Phrase Bank to find just the right words to express their characters' emotions. This makes their stories richer and more vivid, and helps them become more confident writers.

Suitable for Upper Grades

While the Feelings Phrase Bank is beneficial for younger students in oral discussions, it's an excellent resource for upper elementary grades. Older students often face the challenge of expressing complex emotions in their writing. The phrase bank provides them with a rich vocabulary to enhance their storytelling, making their narratives more vivid and engaging.

Where to Purchase the Feelings Phrase Bank

I'm thrilled to share that the Feelings Phrase Bank is now available for purchase! You can find it on Teachers Pay Teachers and would be added soon on my other platforms. Thank you for considering the Feelings Phrase Bank for your classroom.

 I can't wait to hear about the amazing stories your students will create!

Happy Teaching🌟🥰