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Ms Artastic
Discover Powerful, Creative, and Relevant Art Education Lessons & Resources.

SEL Activity Emotion Monsters Art Lesson Social Emotional Learning Art Project

SEL Activity Emotion Monsters Art Lesson Social Emotional Learning Art Project
SEL Activity Emotion Monsters Art Lesson Social Emotional Learning Art Project – image 2
SEL Activity Emotion Monsters Art Lesson Social Emotional Learning Art Project – image 3
SEL Activity Emotion Monsters Art Lesson Social Emotional Learning Art Project – image 4
Lesson
Middle School
Social Emotional LearningVideo Lesson
$5.00
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Selected reviews from TPT

★★★★★

Used this resource for the end of the year and my students love step-by-step art projects using the different medians. They all turned out so cute and colorful!

Shelley D. · April 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

My students love this lesson and love Ms. Artastic! Even my most reluctant artists are excited about drawing and participating in these lessons.

Cindy R. · March 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

A perfect addition to my SEL visual arts unit I am doing with my year 2 students in Term 4. Thank you :)

Melanie K. · September 2021 · TPT review

Overall rating on TPT: 4.8 out of 5 from 14 ratings (see every rating on TPT). These are selected 4- and 5-star written reviews by teachers on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers), shown word for word. TPT's newer 4-point scale ("Extremely satisfied" = 4) is converted to stars.

Read more selected reviews (11)

Engage your students in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through art! This creative Emotion Monsters Art Lesson is designed to help students build self-awareness by exploring how they express emotions visually. Through student-choice-based artworks, learners will design their own Emotion Monsters, transforming feelings into imaginative creatures using their preferred art mediums.

 

Perfect for classroom teachers and homeschool educators, this lesson integrates SEL with art, making it meaningful, engaging, and fun while promoting emotional intelligence and self-expression. Use the video lesson as a reference for yourself or play it in class for easy instruction!

 


 

VIDEO ART LESSON

 

This is a video art lesson. Your download includes the lesson plan and printable pages, plus a "Watch the Video" page with a clickable link and QR code to the step-by-step video tutorial, so you can watch it anytime and show your class again later.

 


 


 

WHAT IS SEL?

 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of helping students:

 

  • Understand and regulate emotions
  • Develop self-awareness and self-management
  • Show empathy and build positive relationships
  • Strengthen social skills and decision-making abilities

 

This SEL art project encourages students to reflect on their emotions while engaging in a creative and expressive art-making process.

 


 

WHAT’S INCLUDED? (Non-Editable)

 

This detailed and engaging SEL Art Lesson includes everything you need to help students successfully create their Emotion Monsters!

 

  • Full Lesson Plan (2 pages)
  • Materials list
  • Learning objectives & SEL discussion prompts
  • Step-by-step teacher guide (Teacher Does/Student Does)
  • Creative extension ideas
  • Step-by-Step Drawing Handout
  • Guides students through how to design their Emotion Monster
  • Includes visual & written step-by-step instructions for easy understanding
  • Full-Color Example of the Finished Artwork
  • Provides a reference for students to inspire creativity
  • Video Art Tutorial
  • Play in class or use as a reference for easy, stress-free instruction!
  • Bulletin Board Display Sign
  • A printable title sign for showcasing completed student artwork
  • Art Making Reflection Worksheet
  • Encourages students to think critically about their art and emotions
  • Student Project Reflection Sheet
  • Helps students evaluate their creative process and artistic choices
  • Artist Statement Template
  • Supports students in expressing their artistic intent and emotional connections
  • Assessment & Marking Rubric
  • Clear, easy-to-use grading rubric to assess student work

 

This resource is designed to support all types of learners and can be easily adapted for different grade levels and teaching environments!

 


 

MATERIALS & MEDIUMS

 

This lesson allows creative flexibility, so students can choose their favorite materials to bring their Emotion Monsters to life!

 

  • Pencil, eraser, black felt marker
  • Template (included!)
  • Choice of mediums (markers, colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolor, mixed media, or digital art)

 


 

HOW TO PREP

 

  • Review the lesson plan and gather materials in advance.
  • Project the video tutorial for students to follow or use it as a teacher reference.
  • Print any necessary student handouts (step-by-step guides, templates, rubrics).

 


 

HOW TO USE

 

  • Introduce the SEL theme by discussing how emotions can be shown visually.
  • Play the video tutorial or demonstrate using the step-by-step guide.
  • Allow students to experiment with different materials to personalize their artwork.
  • Have students complete the reflection worksheet and artist statement to connect emotions with artistic choices.
  • Use the rubric for easy grading and display the finished artworks for a classroom or homeschool SEL gallery!

 


 

WHO IS THIS RESOURCE FOR?

 

  • Art Teachers incorporating SEL into the art curriculum
  • Classroom Teachers looking for engaging SEL-based lessons
  • Homeschool Parents wanting meaningful and creative SEL activities
  • School Counselors & SEL Specialists integrating art therapy techniques into student learning

 


 

  • Primary, Elementary, and Middle School educators
  • Access to hundreds of ready-to-use art lessons
  • Time-saving lesson planning & engaging projects

 


 

YOU MAY

 

Use this for many years in your classroom or homeschool.

 

Modify for your students' needs.

 

Purchase additional licensing for school use.

 

YOU MAY NOT

 

Share this product with other teachers, administration, or districts (Admin must purchase additional licensing).

 

Sell, post, or distribute this product for free (including blogs, websites, or shared drives).

 

Use this on Outschool or similar platforms.

 


 

READY TO MAKE ART & EXPLORE EMOTIONS?

 

This SEL Art Lesson is a powerful way to encourage emotional expression through creativity! Download today and start making meaningful art with your students!

 

Sincerely,

 

Ms. Artastic

 


 

Images and Lessons are Copyright Products

 

YOU MAY

 

For clip art, you may use them as clip art, website graphics, binder covers, or even bulletin board decorations.

 

Use this in creative ways! Explore and have as much fun with it as you would like

 

By additional licensing for school use.

 

YOU MAY NOT

 

Use this on OutSchool

 

Put on your Blog

 

Share this product with other teachers, administration or districts. Admin can buy additional licensing.

 

Sell this product or give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ms Artastic

 


 

FILES YOU WILL DOWNLOAD

 

  • Emotion Monsters SEL Art Lesson - Video Lesson + Lesson Plan - Ms Artastic.zip: the lesson plan and printable pages (PDF), plus a "Watch the Video" page (PDF) with a clickable link and QR code to the step-by-step video tutorial

 


 

★ Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library

Buy nowDownload preview

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More selected reviews from TPT

★★★★★

Fun creative activity to use for students to identify emotions!

Erica S. · March 2025 · TPT review
★★★★★

This is a great resource to use when you need emergency sub plans! Easy to follow!

Erika B. · October 2024 · TPT review
★★★★★

This was fun to do over the course of 2 days. We displayed these in the hallway for everyone to see.

Erin S. · May 2024 · TPT review
★★★★★

Great tool to use with students who were struggling with emotions!

Ashley D. · June 2023 · TPT review
★★★★★

A great social emotional learning addition for your lesson. Great accompany to the book , The Color Monster.

sherry cooper · November 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

so great!

Lindsay A. · October 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

Great! Love it!

Megan E. · June 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

Great!

Emily D. · May 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

My students enjoyed this resource!

Paula A. · May 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★

Great resource!

Natalie T. · September 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★

My summer school students really enjoyed this lesson as an extension of our Social/Emotional learning.

Jamie W. · June 2021 · TPT review

Overall rating on TPT: 4.8 out of 5 from 14 ratings (see every rating on TPT). These are selected 4- and 5-star written reviews by teachers on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers), shown word for word. TPT's newer 4-point scale ("Extremely satisfied" = 4) is converted to stars.

Love this resource? Let me know

Ms Artastic

Art lessons and resources for teachers, homeschool educators and the kids they teach, by artist and educator Kathleen McGiveron.

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