Character feelings thermometer: a 1st grade reading comprehension activity
What it is: a 1st grade comprehension activity where students track how a character's feelings change across a story on a paper thermometer, from calm to very upset or from sad to happy. Students learn to use what the character says and does as evidence.
Time: about 25 minutes. Grade: 1st grade.
Materials: a picture book where the main character's feelings change, a thermometer outline per student with 4 levels labeled with feeling words, and crayons.
- Read the story aloud.
- Go back to the beginning. Ask: "How does the character feel here? How do you know?" Mark it low or high on a big thermometer.
- Do the same for the middle and the end, pointing to words or pictures that show the feeling.
- Students color their own thermometers for the beginning, middle and end.
- Partners share: "At the end, the character felt ___ because ___."
Differentiation: students who need support use faces next to each feeling word. Students who are ready add a feeling word of their own, such as nervous or proud. English learners can act out each feeling before naming it.
Quick check: ask a student to point to one page that shows a big change in the character's feelings.
Need it for another grade or subject? Ask us on the request page and our team will write it.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades K–2
- Subject
- Reading
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.