Culture and Experience Shape Emotions · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Same Moment, Different Feelings

Personal & Social Development · Emotional Literacy · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Everyone always feels the exact same emotion about the exact same event.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Mia laughs at a scary part of a movie, but her friend Zoe covers her eyes. What could explain why they feel differently about the same movie?

    • Zoe is wrong to be scared
    • They have different past experiences
    • The movie was different for each of them

  3. In some families, singing loudly in front of others feels proud and fun. In other families, it can feel embarrassing. What usually causes this difference?

    • Different families and cultures value things differently
    • One family is right and one is wrong
    • Singing is embarrassing for everyone

  4. Ben gets nervous every time he sees a dog because a dog once chased him. His sister Amy loves dogs and always wants to pet them. What best explains their different feelings about dogs?

    • Ben is just a nervous person in general
    • Ben had a scary past experience with a dog
    • Amy has never met a dog before

  5. Look at the graph. Kids were asked how they felt about a fireworks show. How many more kids felt excited than scared?

    Scared2Excited6

    Answer: ______________

  6. In Reza's family, greeting an elder with a bow feels proud and respectful. Reza's friend from a different culture just says hi and shakes hands, and neither one has ever bowed before. Why might their feelings about greetings be different?

    • They were taught different customs by their cultures
    • One friend has better manners than the other
    • Bowing feels the same to everyone

  7. During a thunderstorm, Malik is terrified while his classmates think it's exciting. Which explanation shows the best understanding of why people react so differently to the same storm?

    • Malik is overreacting and should calm down
    • Storms are not really dangerous so there is nothing to feel
    • Malik might have had a frightening experience with storms before, so thunder means something different to him

  8. Anwar tells his friend, 'You're scared of dogs? That's silly, dogs are great!' What might Anwar be missing about his friend's reaction?

    • His friend probably had a different experience with dogs that shaped that fear
    • His friend is exaggerating for attention
    • Anwar is right, and his friend should not be scared
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Same Moment, Different Feelings W1-mt_nIl1kKZHsk-s1

  1. False · Backgrounds and experiences differ, so the same event can bring different feelings in different people.
  2. They have different past experiences · Past experiences shape how a moment feels, so the same scene can scare one person and not another.
  3. Different families and cultures value things differently · Culture shapes what feels proud or embarrassing, so families can see the same act very differently.
  4. Ben had a scary past experience with a dog · Ben's fear traces back to a specific frightening experience, which is why dogs feel different to him than to Amy.
  5. 4 · 6 kids felt excited and 2 felt scared, so 4 more kids felt excited.
  6. They were taught different customs by their cultures · Culture teaches different customs, so the same greeting can carry pride for one person and mean nothing special to another.
  7. Malik might have had a frightening experience with storms before, so thunder means something different to him · The storm is the same for everyone, but each person's past experience changes what it feels like to them.
  8. His friend probably had a different experience with dogs that shaped that fear · A fear usually comes from a real past experience, not silliness, so it helps to wonder about the story behind it.
Worksheet · LightMySky