To discover a wide selection of 4-H activities and experiences,

visit 4-H.org/4HatHome

EXPRESSING
EMOTIONS
Learn different ways to express how you are feeling.
 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Expressing
Emotions
—
Learn different ways to express
how you are feeling.

About the Activity Supplies

Talking about how you feel isn’t always easy.
Every person has a lot of different emotions
throughout each day, which can make expressing These simple supplies are
emotions more challenging. Let’s learn about the all you’ll need.
ways you can share your emotions verbally and
non-verbally and why it is important to share • Cardstock or Construction Paper
with others about how you are feeling. If you’d (8.5”x11” or larger)
like, you could start this activity by watching the
• Pencil or pen
movie “Inside Out.”
• Sticky note(s)
• Magazines AND/OR Art Supplies
(paper, glue, markers, colored
pencils, crayons, etc.)

Grades: 6-12
Topic: Mindfulness, Healthy
Living, Creative Arts, and
College Readiness
Time: 30-45 minutes

4-H at Home | Expressing Emotions 2

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Activity Steps 4  ach day, move your sticky note to the emotion
E
that represents how you feel. You could even
Expressing your emotions is a give each family member a sticky note with their
name on it so that they can share their emotions.
great way to take care of yourself.
In this activity, you will create a DID YOU KNOW?
chart to help you to uncover and A protective factor, something or someone that
helps to reduce stress. Having one safe adult
share how you are feeling. You can in your life to share your emotions with is an
use this chart to help yourself and example of a protective factor.
your loved ones.
—
Bonus Fun
Take a look at other creative ways to express
1  ake a list of every emotion you can
M your emotions.
think of. Watching Inside Out might help
you start your list.
1  ake time each day to share with your family
T
DID YOU KNOW? or friends something that happened using
An emotion is a state of feeling. Everyone has emotional words. Talk about something funny,
emotions and emotions are not wrong. Emotions sad, silly, frustrating, exciting, etc. that
do not make you “good” or “bad.” Emotions happened during your day.
happen to everyone.
2  ake an emotional video using digital pictures
M
2 Identify 10-12 emotions that are common for or videos of you and your loved ones. Practice
you. Using the art supplies and cardstock, draw making faces or body stances for each emotion
pictures OR cut out pictures from magazines before you take your pictures. Label the
that represent these emotions. emotions and use music to help you “set the
tone.” Ask an adult for permission to post on
DID YOU KNOW? social media.
It is important to let people know how you
are feeling. Keeping your feelings inside can 3  tart an emotion journal. Use this journal
S
cause you stress. Some symptoms of stress to draw or write how you are feeling
are stomach aches, headaches, and difficulty throughout the day. Every emotion is an
sleeping. important one. Journal when you are feeling
happy, sad, frustrated, or any other emotion.
3  abel the emotions on your artwork to
L
complete your emotion chart. Hang this on
your refrigerator or in a common area of
your house.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can “talk” about your emotions with
words, drawings, body language, music, tone
of voice, posture, and pictures. Both verbal
and non-verbal language are important for
communication.

4-H at Home | Expressing Emotions 3

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Test Your Knowledge

See how much you learned about expressing your emotions.

QUESTION 1 QUESTION 3
True or False? Everyone has emotions. What is an example of how you can
a. True: Everyone experiences a range of emotions express your emotions?
b. False: Only some people feel emotions a. Words
b. Music
QUESTION 2 c. Drawing
An example of a protective factor is… d. All of the above
a. Having one safe adult in your life.
b. Emotions QUESTION 4
c. Stress Stress can be caused by…
d. Non-verbal communication a. Journaling
b. Protective factors
c. Keeping your feelings inside
d. Drawing

Reflection Questions
• Can you name a time when your emotions changed how you acted?

• Who can you share your thoughts and feelings with?

• What is your favorite feeling?

• How do you reset your feelings when you feel stressed?

4-H at Home | Expressing Emotions 4

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Investigate & Explore

Take what you’ve learned to the next level to learn more
and explore the possibilities.

Sometimes, people react based on the emotions Try to take a step back and count to 10 before
that they feel. If you are excited you will probably letting your emotions control your actions. And if
clap or cheer. But, when you feel negative you do act with your emotions first, and someone
emotions, you may react in ways that reflect gets hurt, remember to say “I am sorry”.
those feelings. When people experience intense
emotions, they may not always see a situation
clearly. And sometimes when they do this, they
can hurt the feelings of others or their own
feelings get hurt.

Brought to you by:

4-H at Home | Expressing Emotions 5

 To discover a wide selection of 4-H activities and experiences,
visit 4-H.org/4HatHome

BOUNCING BACK
Exploring resilience through a “smashing” experiment.
 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Bouncing Supplies

Back These simple materials will get you

started, although you may need to
visit a convenience or craft store for
— a few items.
Exploring resilience through a Parent supervision is recommended for
“smashing” experiment. this activity when using the hammer.

• Hammer
About the Activity • Plastic glove
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we expect. • Safety glasses
How we react in certain situations is based on
• Tarp
our own resilience. In this lesson, we will explore
the concept of resilience and learn how we can
• A writing utensil
better equip ourselves to bounce back when life • Paper
throws us lemons or unexpected surprises. • A variety of household items,
which could include…
— Banana — Pillow
— Tomato — Sweatshirt
— Potato — Ball
— Bag of chips — Book
— Rubber band — Bucket
— Eraser — Water balloon
— Empty can — Modeling clay/
or bottle playdough
— Book

Grades: 6-12
Topic: Mindfulness, Healthy
Living, Creative Arts, and
College Readiness
Time: 30-45 minutes

4-H at Home | Bouncing Back 2

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Activity Steps

As we get older, life can become increasingly challenging. With age comes additional
responsibilities, and sometimes these changes in our lives can be exciting. But other times life’s
changes can lead to stress. Situations that could trigger stress could be peer pressure, rules set by
the authority figures, or conflict in friendships.

While there may be times we can’t control our environments or how others treat us, we can learn to
bounce back from setbacks through resilience. This exercise will require adult supervision; however,
it will demonstrate the concept of resilience and how it applies to our emotional well-being.

1  efore we move on to the fun part of our

B 2  se a writing utensil to create a chart on your
U
activity, let’s get organized. Grab your paper piece of paper. Your chart should have four
and a writing utensil, then follow the instructions columns across the top with the following labels:
below. object, appearance before, appearance after,
high or low resilience. Make a list of all the items
DID YOU KNOW? you collected in the column labeled, “Object.”
Protective factors — such as having a safe adult
in your life who cares for you and whom you can
turn to for guidance — can help build resilience.

Below is an example of how your chart may look:

High or Low
Object Appearance Before Appearance After
Resilience

Item #1

Item #2

Item #3

4-H at Home | Bouncing Back 3

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Activity Steps 5  ake notes on the chart about the appearance

M
after you’ve smashed each item. Then go
(continued...) through each item on your chart and label
whether you think it has high resilience or low
resilience.
3  ow comes the fun part! Smashing objects with
N
DID YOU KNOW?
a hammer to see how they respond! We strongly
Just like the objects we just used for our
recommend adult supervision for this part of the
experiment, individual people also have their
activity. Lay each of your objects on the tarp.
own personal levels of resilience. However,
Examine each item and make notes on your
resilience isn’t set in stone. According to the
chart of what each item looks like before you hit
American Psychological Association, the
it with the hammer.
following actions can help you to build up
your resilience and bounce back from negative
Tip: If you would rather not use the hammer,
experiences: Connecting with others, accepting
watch the Bouncing Back Video to see our team
change, positive self-talk, developing self-care
do it for you! Some of the objects on that video
routines, learning more about yourself, defining
differ from what is in the list above, so you may
personal goals, and having a hopeful outlook.
need to make some adjustments to your chart.
6  ext, let’s explore various traits of resilience and
N
4  arefully hit each item with the hammer. As an
C
how they can also apply to people.
extra safety precaution, only hit one object at a
time. As you smash each item with the hammer, On the back of the paper, answer
did you notice that some of the objects are these questions:
less affected by the impact than others? For
example, while a tomato or water balloon may • What are some characteristics of the items
explode when you hit it with the hammer, a with high resilience?
pillow or modeling clay may have the ability to • What are some of the characteristics of the
return to its original shape (with some extra care items with low resilience?
and attention, of course). In this case, the pillow
• Can any of these characteristics be applied to
and clay are more resilient than the tomato or
humans?
water balloon, because they are better able to
recover from their injuries. DID YOU KNOW?
If you aren’t sure where to start with building
resilience, consider joining a club or finding an
activity that interests you. Volunteering, playing
sports, or becoming involved in organizations
like 4-H can be a great way to foster personal
growth. Practicing mindfulness — a practice
some people use to reset their perspective each
day — is another way to build resilience.

4-H at Home | Bouncing Back 4

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Test Your Knowledge

See how much you learned about resilience.

QUESTION 1 QUESTION 3
Resilience is the ability to: What are some ways we can build resilience?
a. Bounce back a. Accepting change
b. Give up b. Developing self-care routines
c. Be angry c. Ignoring situations that bother us
d. Be happy all the time d. Answers a and b
e. None of the above
QUESTION 2
True or False? You can develop resilience. QUESTION 4
a. True: Resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, True or False? You can develop resilience.
and actions that anyone can learn and develop. a. True: Everyone experiences difficulties.
b. False: It’s not possible to control how we react You are not alone.
to certain situations. b. False: It all depends on your reaction to it.

Reflection Questions
• Do you think you are resilient? What are some • What are some goals that you have for today? For
places in your life that you can identify that have this week? For this month? For next year?
forced you to “bounce back?”
• How do you reset when you are stressed?
• How do you make connections with others? Do Make a list of things you can do when life feels
you allow yourself to share your thoughts and overwhelming.
feelings with people you trust?

• List at least one safe adult who you can talk to

when you feel stressed.

4-H at Home | Bouncing Back 5

 30-45 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Investigate & Explore

Take what you’ve learned to the next level to learn more
and explore the possibilities.

Everyone experiences set-backs, stress, and Some situations will be easier than others, but
difficult times. You are not alone, and these practicing the tips we previously mentioned can
situations do not have to define you. By learning help. Find someone to confide in. Build a personal
more about yourself and how you engage with mantra. Take time each day to say: “I am a very
the world, you have the ability to take back special and worthwhile person, and I deserve the
control and build upon your resilience. very best.”

Brought to you by:

4-H at Home | Bouncing Back 6

 To discover a wide selection of 4-H activities and experiences,
visit 4-H.org/4HatHome

CREATE YOUR
OWN VISION BOARD
Bring your goals to life with a vision board!
 60 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Create Your
Own Vision
Board Supplies
—
These simple supplies are
Bring your goals to life with all you’ll need if you’re
a vision board! creating a physical board
versus a digital board.

About the Activity • 4-H Pledge to Create

Close your eyes, and think about your future. SMART Goals PDF
What do you imagine? Visualizing and planning • Poster board
goals are two key ways to make your dreams a
• Magazines or printed photos
reality. This activity will walk you through ways
to develop goals, how to visualize them, and
• Glue
most importantly, how to measure their success. • Tape
The end result will be a physical or digital vision • Stickers
board that you can reference for motivation. • Scissors

Grades: 6-12
Topic: Mindfulness, Healthy
Living, Creative Arts, and
College Readiness
Time: 60 minutes

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board 2

 60 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Activity Steps

High school can be a stressful time. Managing things like grades, team tryouts, social circles, and
plans for college is a lot to balance. While you may view your performance in each of these areas as
a reflection of your success, the truth is this: Your level of success is up to interpretation. Most of the
time, how well a person achieves their goals is really in the eye of the beholder. While a test grade of
a B may be an achievement for one student, it may be a letdown for another. If that’s the case, how
do we accurately measure our successes? Creating SMART goals is one way to do this.

A SMART goal stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals
are clearly defined, so anyone can look at them and know where the finish lines are located and
when they should be reached. In this activity, we will learn more about SMART goals, how to develop
them, and how to create a vision board to help to achieve them.

1  ague goals that do not have action steps or

V • A is for ATTAINABLE: Goals that are
deadlines are easily forgotten or set aside. attainable take your time, available resources,
That’s where SMART goals come in. Before we and skills into consideration to determine if
start on our vision board, let’s take a closer look the goal is possible for you to complete in
at how to put together a SMART goal. your current situation. For example: “Drinking
less soda does not take any time or extra
• S is for SPECIFIC: Making a goal specific resources. I will drink water instead.”
means you have clearly stated the objective,
• R is for RELEVANT: Relevant means that a
as well as what will be done and who will
goal T is for TIME-BOUND: Having deadlines
complete it. Anyone who reads the goal will be
in place will help you actively work towards a
able to understand the desired outcome. For
goal. For example: “Within 60 days, I will cut
example: “I will decrease the amount of soda I
my soda intake to one can per week.”
drink each week.”
• SMART Goal Example: Within 60 days, I will
• M is for MEASURABLE: Outlining exactly how
decrease the amount of sugar in my diet by
you will measure your success will help you
cutting my soda intake from 10 cans per week
determine if you are making progress. For
to 1 can per week.
example: The goal, “drink less soda,” is good,
but it would be hard to measure accurately.
Redefining this goal to, “Drink only one
soda per week,” is a better example of a
measurable goal.

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board 3

 60 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Activity Steps
(continued...)

2  ow that you have seen an example of a SMART

N 5  ind pictures, quotes, stickers, or other images
F
goal, download the 4-H worksheet to brainstorm that will help you visualize the SMART goals
some of your own SMART goals. Reflect on you plan to include on your vision board. Select
specific prompts or questions to help you focus images that help you see yourself reaching
on your goals, future, and values. your goals. If you’re not sure where to look for
vision board inspiration, consider magazines,
Here are some prompts to get you started: photographs, and decorations. You can even
• Is there an academic goal you haven’t yet draw your own pictures or inspirational words.
explored that you would like to achieve in the If you’re creating a digital vision board, consider
upcoming semester or school year? Pinterest — just make sure you have an adult’s
permission to use it.
• Are there new values you want to establish
(i.e. empathy, inclusiveness, etc.)
6  ang your vision board in a place where you
H
• Are there any specific extracurricular will see it every day. If you created a digital
achievements you would like to achieve in the vision board, print a copy to hang up in at least
upcoming semester or school year? one location. Consider hanging the board on
• Are there ways that you would like to engage the back of the door in your room, the inside
in your community? of your locker, or even tape it to the inside of a
planner or notebook.
• Do you have any SMART goals you can work
on with a friend or peer to achieve?

3  vision board is a motivational tool that

A
encourages you to stay on track with your goal.
It uses pictures and images to represent your
goals and should be on display in a place that
is highly visible to you. In the next part of this
activity, we will incorporate our SMART goals
into a vision board to help practice effective
goal setting.

4  ecide if you would rather work on this project

D
digitally or use the list of supplies to create a
physical poster board to display on the wall.
If you choose to create a digital image board,
decide on which platform you would like to use
before starting. PowerPoint, Canva, Prezi, and
Photoshop are a few programs to consider.

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board 4

 60 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Test Your Knowledge

See how much you learned about developing goals.

QUESTION 1 QUESTION 4
Setting a goal that has deadlines for completing A is a creative tool that helps you
tasks is an example of which SMART goal visualize your goals and how you will feel when
principle? you achieve them.
a. Specific a. SMART goal
b. Measurable b. Self-portrait
c. Attainable c. Mantra
d. Relevant d. Vision board
e. Time-bound
QUESTION 5
QUESTION 2 True or False? Vision boards are used to help
Which of these goals is considered a SMART goal? people explore future-oriented topics, such as
a. Read one fiction book each week of the year for career possibilities.
a total of 52 books in 2021. a. True
b. Exercise more often. b. False
c. Take a photography class.
d. Save enough money to buy a car.

QUESTION 3
Ask yourself, “Is this goal possible with the time
and resources I have available?” to make sure your
goal is .
a. Measurable
b. Time-bound
c. Attainable
d. Relevant

Reflection Questions
• How did making your goals SMART impact your confidence in being able to achieve them?

• What emotions do you feel when you look at your vision board?

• Why is it important to place your vision board in a location that you will see daily?

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board 5

 60 minutes | Grades: 6-12

Investigate & Explore

Take what you’ve learned to the next level to learn more
and explore the possibilities.

SMART goals and vision boards can help us meet Think about an organization, club, or team to
our personal goals for learning, relationships, which you belong. Do you know the goals of the
service, and wellness, but these tools are not just group and are they clearly defined? The next time
for use by individuals. Many organizations, such your group meets, ask if you can take time to talk
as businesses, schools, committees, and clubs about your SMART Goals and work together to
use SMART goals and vision boards to help carry create a vision board that will help the group to
out their missions and key values. Often these remember them.
goals can be found in the organizational mission
statement and key values.

Brought to you by:

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board 6

  o discover a wide selection of
T
4-H activities and experiences,
visit 4-H.org/4HatHome

Using the 4-H Pledge to Create SMART Goals

SMART Goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Using these principles
to set goals helps increase the likelihood that the goals will be achieved successfully.

The chart below describes each principle and outlines questions to ask to ensure your goal is SMART.

S Specific Define what you expect What action steps will be taken?
Provide details Who will do what?

M Measurable Define how you will measure success What data will we measure?
Quantify your desired result

A Attainable Make sure you have the resources, Is this goal possible in our
time, and people you need current situation?
Identify obstacles that are beyond
your control

R Relevant Identify if this goal will help you Does this goal help me achieve my
reach a larger overarching goal larger goals/align with my values?
Consider if this goal aligns with your
mission, vision, or values.

T Time-bound Detail a timeline for action items When does this goal need to
to be completed be met by?

Making your goals SMART can help you outline exactly what needs to be done to achieve success. Take
this goal for example: Read more this year. This goal is not a SMART goal, because there are too many
unanswered questions. Read what? How much is more? What is the timeline?

Here is what this goal might look like as a SMART Goal: Read one fiction book each week for a total of
52 book this year.

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board

  o discover a wide selection of
T
4-H activities and experiences,
visit 4-H.org/4HatHome

Making your goals SMART can help you outline exactly what needs to be done to achieve success.
Take this goal for example: Read more this year. This goal is not a SMART goal, because there are too
many unanswered questions. Read what? How much is more? What is the timeline?

Here is what this goal might look like as a SMART Goal:

Read one fiction book each week for a total of 52 book this year.

Specific — fiction books

Measurable — one per week for 52 weeks
Attainable — evaluate if your schedule will allow you to read this much
Relevant — if the mission or overarching goal is to read more or find ways to destress,
this goal is in alignment
Time-bound — one book per week, 52 weeks in the year

Use the following pages to help you use the 4-H Pledge to write four SMART Goals.

The 4-H Pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,

My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service,
And my health to better living,
For my club, my community,
My country, and my world.

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board

My HEAD to clearer thinking.
The first H is for HEAD. 4-H members across the country and world pledge their head to clearer
thinking. 4-Hers dedicate time to learning about topics that interest them and developing decision-
making and leadership skills. Write a SMART goal related to HEAD.

This goal could be:

• Something you’d like to learn
• A new skill you’d like to develop
• A way to use your leadership or communication skills

Examples:
Make the Honor Roll each quarter in high school and graduate with a GPA of at least 3.0.
Learn how to use my DSLR camera by completing the photography 4-H project and enrolling in the
Clover County Library’s basic photography class this June.

Begin by writing your goal here. It does not have to be SMART yet.

My HEAD Goal:

Now fill in the chart below to turn your goal into a SMART Goal by answering questions
for each SMART principle

S Specific What action steps will be taken?

Who will do what?

M Measurable What data will we measure?

A Attainable Is this goal possible in our

current situation?

R Relevant Does this goal help me achieve my

larger goals/align with my values?

T Time-bound When does this goal need to

be met by?

My HEAD SMART Goal:

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board

My HEART to greater loyalty.
The second H is for HEART for greater loyalty. Loyalty means being faithful to your commitments,
obligations, and relationships. Building relationships is an important part of the 4-H experience. You
may not have set a goal about relationships before but doing so can help you be more mindful and
intentional about building healthy relationships.

Your HEART SMART goal might be:

• A way you’d like to improve relationships
• Setting up quality time or experiences with family or friends
• Following through with your responsibilities
• Treating others that may be similar or different from you with respect and inclusiveness

Examples:
Dedicate one night a month to family game night, where our household spends the evening together
eating pizza and playing board games or cards.
Plan a trip with my 3 best friends to the amusement park in June this year.
Volunteer once a month at a community clean up or recreation center.

Begin by writing your goal here. It does not have to be SMART yet.

My HEART Goal:

Now fill in the chart below to turn your goal into a SMART Goal by answering questions
for each SMART principle

S Specific What action steps will be taken?

Who will do what?

M Measurable What data will we measure?

A Attainable Is this goal possible in our

current situation?

R Relevant Does this goal help me achieve my

larger goals/align with my values?

T Time-bound When does this goal need to

be met by?

My HEART SMART Goal:

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board

My HANDS to larger service.
The next H is HANDS to larger service. Serving others in our community is something that all 4-Hers
strive to do. Write a SMART goal related to HANDS.

This goal could be:

• How can you use your passions to better your community
• A community service project you’d like to complete
• How you can mentor someone younger
• Ways that you can show kindness every day

Examples:
Apply for to be a 4-H Camp Counselor for this summer and complete all required training by June 1st.
Complete one small act of kindness each day and record it in my kindness journal. Review the journal
each Sunday and reflect on how those acts of kindness impacted myself and others.

Begin by writing your goal here. It does not have to be SMART yet.

My HANDS Goal:

Now fill in the chart below to turn your goal into a SMART Goal by answering questions
for each SMART principle

S Specific What action steps will be taken?

Who will do what?

M Measurable What data will we measure?

A Attainable Is this goal possible in our

current situation?

R Relevant Does this goal help me achieve my

larger goals/align with my values?

T Time-bound When does this goal need to

be met by?

My HANDS SMART Goal:

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board

My HEALTH to clearer thinking.
The final H is for HEALTH. 4-Hers learn about how to live a healthy life. This includes topics such as
nutrition, exercise, mental health, and healthy decision-making.

SMART Goals related to health could be:

• A health habit you’d like to develop
• Exercise or nutrition goal
• Mindfulness practice

Examples:
Limit soda intake to one can per week.
Sign up and complete the Clover County 5K in June, utilizing the Couch to 5K training plan to prepare in
April and May.

Begin by writing your goal here. It does not have to be SMART yet.

My HEALTH Goal:

Now fill in the chart below to turn your goal into a SMART Goal by answering questions
for each SMART principle

S Specific What action steps will be taken?

Who will do what?

M Measurable What data will we measure?

A Attainable Is this goal possible in our

current situation?

R Relevant Does this goal help me achieve my

larger goals/align with my values?

T Time-bound When does this goal need to

be met by?

My HEALTH SMART Goal:

4-H at Home | Create Your Own Vision Board