What is Emotion Works?

The model of emotion (cog model) is a visual curriculum that scaffolds the emotion works teaching and learning programme. The model contains 7 different coloured cogs and each of them represent a different aspect of emotion to look at and learn about.

The 5 and 7 cog model

From Reception up to Year 4, the children will primarily learn about the 5-cog model. Focussing on the vocabulary, the body sensations, the behaviours, regulating and triggers. 

In year 5 and 6, the cog model is extended to include the intensity cog and the influences cog.

What does each cog represent? 

Orange Cog: When exploring the cog model, the orange cog is often the start. It provides the foundation to be able to discuss feelings. It strives to expand emotion word vocabulary. 

Red Cog: This cog explores how our body feels when we have a certain emotion. This might be a tingling sensation, butterflies in your stomach or a racing heart.

Grey Cog: This cog looks at how intense the feeling may be. We may have really strong feelings of love towards our family, however your love for chocolate may be slightly lower. Children are encouraged to notice and describe emotion intensity.

Yellow Cog: This cog explores the outside influences that are making us feel a certain emotion. This can be a result of friendship circles, certain lessons or even the weather. 

Green Cog: When we are experiencing an emotion, the green cog explores how this makes us behave - the actions that we take. This can be scratching our head when we are confused, slamming a door when we are angry or jumping for joy when scoring the winning goal. 

Blue Cog: This cog focuses on how we regulate our behaviours when we are feeling upset or experiencing a negative emotion. This can be breathing, meditating, drawing or doing any activity that enables us to adjust our behaviour.

Purple Cog: This cog focusses on how we react to emotional triggers. This can include people factors, social factors, past experiences, stress levels or reasons