Statue Game
Embodying
Core Emotions

Kids express what they know and understand about core emotion vocabulary using their bodies and faces. Teachers describe the variety of choices that they see their students making.

When you play the emotion statue game, your students may make different choices than expected! How kids express emotion is a reflection of their culture, personality & personal experiences. This game provides the entire class with the opportunity to learn about familiar emotion words from a variety of people. Notice & describe a variety of interpretatio...

Physical expression tells a story, just like illustrations in a book. Model inference by noticing and describing your students’ physical choices and how those choices express emotion. This process helps kids to make a connection between visual, kinesthetic and verbal literacies and boosts confidence in their communication skills.

Describe three choices.
To ensure a variety, notice and describe
1) a choice that is being repeated by multiple students,
2) a dramatic or bold choice, and
3) a subtle choice.

Scroll through images above for examples.

Example 1: I see many people have small smiles, their hands clasped under their chin and their shoulders lifting toward their ears.

Example 2: I see someone with their arms stretched to the sky, finger spread wide and eyes squinting!

Example 3: I see someone with the palms of their hands pressed together and their eyebrows lifted!

To find specifcc language use the

1) a choice being repeated by multiple students
2) a student making a dramatic choice
3) a student making a subtle choice

For support, use the

1) a choice being repeated by multiple students
2) a student making a dramatic choice
3) a student making a subtle choice

For support, use the

1) a choice being repeated by multiple students
2) a student making a dramatic choice
3) a student making a subtle choice

For support, use the

Teaching Artist Sara Jane Munford
(PS124, 1st grade ELL class)

Classroom Teacher Theresa Donnelly
(PS62 kinder/ 1st grade class
12 students with disabilities, 1 teacher & 1 para-professional)

Teaching Artist Susanna Brock and Classroom Teacher Hope Komal on-line class
(PS51, 1st grade)