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Climate Emotions Wheel

Provided by: Climate Mental Health Network |Published on: September 27, 2023

Activity - ClassroomCultivates 21st Century Skills

78910

Synopsis

This activity allows students to describe, draw, or color in their feelings about climate change in a climate emotions wheel and encourages them to share their feelings with others.
This activity is based on research from the University of Helsinki and is available in 15 different languages.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Visual and Performing Arts, Health

Authors: Climate Mental Health Network

Region: Global

Languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Hausa, Igbo, Swahili, Yoruba, Finnish, Romanian, Swedish

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The blank activity sheet is provided in the resource and can be printed out for students to complete.
The wheel covers a wide array of relevant emotions.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should understand each emotion on the wheel, so define any words that your students are unfamiliar with.
There are links to Parent Resources, Creative Art Therapy ideas, and a Guide for Action and Self Care at the end.
Check in with students as they complete this activity and be aware that some students may need to talk with a guidance counselor or other trusted adult to process negative emotions.

Differentiation

This activity can fit within a larger unit on the impact climate change has on personal health.
This activity pairs well with another resource titled How to Talk to Young People About Climate Emotions.
Teachers can use this activity as a conceptual introduction to climate grief and/or climate anxiety.
This activity can supplement a classroom discussion on how to effectively manage climate guilt, grief, or frustration.

Framework for Shifting Paradigms in Climate Education

This resource exemplifies the Cultivates 21st Century Skills Key Focus Area.

Core Component 1: Cultivating Agency through Technology, Leadership Skills, and Multifaceted Literacies
- Students will learn how to use their emotions to energize them towards climate action. For example, the guide suggests channeling outrage into climate action, which will lead them to feelings of pride or empowerment.
Core Component 2: Build Emotional Strength for Climate Advocacy
- The guide provides students with prompts and guidance to work through emotions, recognize their purpose, and make them constructive. Students learn strategies for dealing with emotions. Students will identify their most common climate emotions and work through prompts to deal with them.
Core Component 3: Global Competence and Citizenship Development
- Students are encouraged to seek out others to have conversations and find common ground. Students will understand that they are not alone in their climate emotions.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Climate Mental Health Network

Climate Mental Health Network urgently addresses the mental health impacts of the climate crisis through education, community engagement and by harnessing the power of media and technology.

Related Teaching Resources

All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.