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Unit  Religion, Student Identity, and the School Calendar
Lesson Name  Read the Room: Mood Meter 4 Corners
Grade Band  Middle School (6-8)
Required Materials

  • Printed Mood Meter

  • Four pieces of paper

  • Markers

  • Scissors

  • Tape
Standards / Competencies 

SEL Core Competencies: 

  • Self-Awareness: identifying emotions, experiencing self-efficacy, linking feelings, values and thoughts, demonstrating honesty and integrity 

  • Self-Management: managing one’s emotions, exhibiting self-discipline 

  • Social Awareness: taking others’ perspectives, recognizing strengths in others, demonstrating empathy and compassion, identifying diverse social norms, showing concern for the feelings of others 

  • Relationship Skills: communicating effectively, developing positive relationships, showing leadership in groups, resolving conflicts constructively, seeking or offering support when needed 

ELA Standards: Listening and Speaking, Reading, Writing 

Social Studies Theme: Individual Development and Identity 
Recommended Time  60 mins 
Essential Question  How do our personal experiences, religious beliefs, and cultural
values impact our reactions to “hot” topics?
Learning Objectives 

Students can reflect on their reactions to “hot topics” by using the language of the mood meter.

Students can gain a better understanding of their reactions by discussing how their personal experiences, religious beliefs, and cultural values influence them.  

Students can demonstrate an openness to hearing other reactions by moving to different corners of the room as they acknowledge various viewpoints and express counterarguments. 
Activating Prior Knowledge  Ask students: What does it mean to “read the room”?  How can we
be more in tune with our emotional reactions and open to those of
others?
Core Instruction 

Based on a text or mixed- media, have students write a reaction.  Then, they can go to the corner of the room that best matches the mood of their response.  Once in their corner, they can discuss with students there what they think influenced their reaction.  Students then can share with the whole group and as they hear others share their “hot takes,” they are free to move to another corner of the room representing their new reaction.  This is a visual representation that we are listening to each other as well as open to new ideas.

You can use any of the following topics as prompts for you’re the Mood Meter activity:

  • Local newspapers

  • Historical topics

  • Character decisions in texts

  • Ethics of science

  • Controversial media
Wrap-up  Ask students how moving around the room helped them connect their
thinking to their emotional responses to the topics the class
discussed.
Learning Beyond Classroom Walls 

Write a soapbox speech about a hot topic that you feel strongly about.  You can enter the national contest at https://mikvachallenge.org/

Invite local leaders into the classroom and ask them to share how they work through bi-partisan differences.
Supplementary Resources 
Instructional Content Adaptations 

Teachable Moment (10 mins):

When a debate naturally surfaces in class or something sparks a controversial comment, students can move to Mood Meter 4 Corners to help them to read the room.