One of our Skills for Learning & Life themes is being able to identify different feelings and emotions. This theme supports us with becoming more self-aware. There are many different strategies and tools that can help you identify how you are feeling. The Mood Meter is one tool that can support youth and adults to precisely identify how they are feeling.

The Mood Meter has four different color quadrants to reflect different emotional states. The top right quadrant is purple. This quadrant represents emotions we experience that have high levels of energy and are more pleasant. If you are in the purple emotional state, you may be feeling happy, excited, hopeful, or optimistic. You feel pumped up and ready to accomplish anything.

The top left quadrant is red. This is the quadrant for feelings we experience that are high levels of energy but are more unpleasant. Here you may be feeling frustrated, angry, nervous or worried. Your body might feel tense, your eyebrows might be raised, and/or your heart might be beating fast.

The lower left hand quadrant is blue. This quadrant represents emotions we experience that have low levels of energy and are more unpleasant. In this emotional state you might feel sad, lonely, embarrassed, or discouraged. Your body posture might be slumped, you might have a frown on your face, and you might not feel motivated to do that much.

The lower right hand quadrant is green. This is the quadrant for emotions that have lower levels of energy and are more pleasant. Here you feel calm, relaxed, and/or content.

Using the Mood Meter at home can be a great start for family conversations around feelings that help build emotional skills. While you have breakfast or before you leave for school, ask your child where he/she finds themselves on the meter and share your own feelings. Check in again in the evening at dinner or before bed.

Remember, while some emotions may feel uncomfortable, there are no bad emotions. All feelings are okay and can change throughout the day. If you ever feel that your child can’t move past the red or blue emotional state and need to talk to someone, let me know and I will connect them with the school counselor and/or behavior health professional.

Mood Meter Links

Grades K-2
English Primary Mood Meter
Spanish Primary Mood Meter
Haitian Creole Primary Mood Meter
Portuguese Primary Mood Meter

Grades 3-12
English Mood Meter
Spanish Mood Meter
Haitian Creole Mood Meter
Portuguese Mood Meter