How Are You? ESL lesson thumbnail
Book 0C · Unit 3Starter · Ages 4–6

How Are You?

This feelings ESL lesson teaches happy, sad, angry, sleepy and hungry with the question 'How are you?' Children sing, make emotion masks and copy facial expressions in a Mirror Me game. They build a feelings spinner, respond in pairs and describe their current mood using a full sentence.

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Lesson format

2 × 45 minutes

Level

Starter

Age group

Ages 4–6

Main focus

Speaking first

What students will learn

• Recognise and name basic emotions
• Use 'I'm ___' to express feelings
• Create emotion masks and act them out
• Match feelings to images and actions
• Use a feelings spinner for speaking practice
• Build vocabulary through songs and games

Lesson flow

Children sing a feelings song, make two feelings masks (happy/sad), and play a Mirror Me guessing game acting out different emotions. The second lesson builds a feelings spinner wheel, plays a pair game spinning and saying 'I'm ___ today!', and listens to a short story guessing how a character feels, finishing with each child sharing how they feel now.

Target language

  • • 'How are you?'
  • • 'I'm ___'
  • • Emotion vocabulary
  • • 'How is she/he feeling?'

Key vocabulary

  • fine
  • great
  • tired
  • sad
  • happy
  • okay
  • well
  • feeling
  • excited
  • bored

Speaking questions students answer

  • • How are you today?
  • • How do you feel after the game?
  • • How is Teddy feeling?
  • • Are you happy or sad?
  • • What makes you feel tired?

Recommended teaching contexts

• Starter ESL and EFL classes• Ages 4–6• Primary school classrooms• Language schools• Private and small-group lessons• Teaching greetings vocabulary• Pair and whole-class speaking• Interactive whiteboards and online teaching

Why this lesson works

The lesson follows a clear progression: Answer 'How are you?' with feeling words, make and act out feelings masks, spin a feelings wheel and describe how they feel. Teachers can open the materials and start immediately, while students move from supported vocabulary practice to purposeful spoken English.

This lesson includes

• Interactive lesson slides
• Teacher guide
• Printable worksheets
• Speaking practice: "How are you today?"
• Classroom games
• Videos
• Vocabulary practice
• Pair work
• Extension activities

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