Activity 1.2.1:

Climate emotions wheel

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Overview

Curriculum linkage

Cross-Curricular & Global Competencies, Cross-Curricular & Global Competencies Any discipline or class during which climate change is discussed. The words describing the different climate emotions can help build learners’ vocabulary. As such the climate emotions wheel could be introduced during the main language/literature class, and could be associated with the study of poems, novel excerpts, plays exploring specific emotions.

Competences built

Compassion, Emotional literacy, Emotional regulation, Empathy, Self-compassion

Prep

  • Familiarize yourself with the climate emotions wheel and the meaning associated with each emotion in relation to climate change before introducing this activity.

Competences/activities to practice first by the teacher

Steps in the activity

  1. Understanding the wheel
  2. Using the wheel
  3. Reflecting on the activity

Step 1: Understanding the wheel  

  1. Acknowledge that it may be difficult to put words onto the emotions we feel in relation to climate change, and that simply putting work on emotions can trigger strong feelings and emotions. The latter are normal and should be welcome. 
  2. Introduce a grounding exercise (i.e. feeling the ground under our feet and experiencing its presence and support) as you introduce this activity,  for learners to be able to support themselves, if need be, while exploring climate emotions. 
  3. Introduce the climate emotions wheel to learners, as a tool that covers a number of emotions they are likely to feel in relation to climate change, although it is a non-exhaustive list of emotions. 
  4. Highlight that learners may experience several emotions at the same time, and that they can shift from one emotion to another while exploring them and or/listening to others expressing their own climate emotions. 

Step 2: Using the wheel  

  1. Give learners the opportunity to identify the emotions they are feeling at that moment. 
  2. Give learners the opportunity to express those emotions in writing, and/or with the rest of the group if they feel called to do so. 

Step 3: Reflecting on the activity

  1. Reflect collectively on how it feels to have more words to express different emotions with subtlety. 
  2. (Optional) Further explore emotions through literature and/other artforms to introduce how the arts can help live with and navigate various emotions individually and collectively. 

Dos and Don’ts

Do

  • Answer questions that can help learners better understand what the different emotions are about. 
  • Validate the variety of the learners’ experiences, including the fact that some learners may not be feeling any emotion at all. 
  • Validate that it is normal to feel a variety of emotions while learning about climate change or taking action to address climate change and its impacts. Emotions are part of our life journey. 
  • Listen to learners who feel overwhelmed by the exercise, and/or express the need for additional support, and provide them with support to deal with dysregulation (see tool 1.1. Fostering a trauma-informed learning environment) and the information they need to access this additional support if needed (check activity 1.1.1 – Creating a Culture of safety and care for more details). 

Don’t

  • Invalidate the emotions that are being expressed. 
  • Suggest that learners should strive to transform their emotions encompassed by the categories of ‘sadness, fear and anger’ to ‘positivity’, and/or that they can achieve this result by merely taking action.

Adaptations

If your learners struggle with feeling emotions, you can start by sharing a personal story that highlights the emotions you feel when thinking about climate change. You can also invite learners who feel safe enough to share their emotions to do it with the class, for inspiration purposes. You can highlight that not feeling emotions is totally normal. Engaging with activity 1.2.3 (drawing symbols to express emotions), could also help the older students connect with how they feel.  

If your learners struggle with choosing emotions on the climate emotions wheel, consider showing them the emoji version of the wheel. 

We invite you to adapt this activity to the specific needs of your learners, including by taking into account their neurodiversity. When adapting tools and activities for neurodivergent learners, please note it is not about treating others how you want to be treated, but how they want to be treated. Ask, listen, and stay open to different ways of learning and engaging. 

References

This activity is adapted from the Climate Emotions wheel resources of the Climate Mental Health Network by One Resilient Earth. 

Basic Info

  • Age range: 6+
  • Duration: Short (less than 45 minutes)
  • Group size: Flexible

  • Level of difficulty: Basic

  • Materials/space required: –
  • Location: Flexible

  • Engagement of external stakeholders: No