Quick, fun, no-prep SEL lesson activities that are perfect for before and after breaks or any time you need an extra fun guidance lesson
SEL can help all young people and adults thrive personally and academically, develop and maintain positive relationships, become lifelong learners, and contribute to a more caring, just world.
One of the very best times to integrate social emotional learning practices into the day is first thing in the morning. It's a great way to help kids and teens start their day off feeling connected, respected, and valued. By putting social-emotional learning first, we have pave the way for kids and
This compliment book is a great end of the year activity or use it during the year as part of a social emotional lesson. Your students will love writing messages and sharing memories with each other. Print one for yourself and keep a memento of your class each year! Pages are formatted to be prin...
Are you on the lookout for engaging and fun ways to foster social-emotional learning (SEL) skills in your students? Well, you're in the right place! Whether you're a seasoned teacher or a fresh-faced educator, I've included a treasure trove of games that will transform your classroom into a hub of self-awareness, self-management, relationship building, social awareness, and responsible decision-making. These games are not only a breeze to implement, but are sure to have your students begging for more. These activities aren't just about learning; they're about making SEL skills an integral part of your classroom culture. So, let the games begin! Self-Awareness: Game 1: Empathy Chairs This game is similar to musical chairs, but it has a social-emotional learning twist. Start the music as students rotate around a circle of chairs with emotion cards on the seats. When the music stops, they'll need to grab a seat. Based on the card at their seats, students will share experiences that they have had related to that emotion. For ready-made cards and detailed directions, click here. Game 2: Feelings Charades Get ready to break the ice with a classic game of charades, but with a twist! Instead of acting out movie titles or animals, students will express various emotions using only their facial expressions and body language. This not only hones their emotional awareness but also creates a safe space for open communication about feelings. Game 3: Emotion Journaling Equip your students with journals and encourage them to express their daily emotions through words, drawings, or a combination of both. This simple yet effective exercise fosters self-awareness by helping students identify and reflect on their emotions. Bonus: It's a fantastic tool for tracking emotional trends over time. Find my favorite journal prompts for building self-awareness here. Self-Management: Game 4: Mindful Minute Challenge Kick off each class or session with a mindful minute challenge. Set a timer for 60 seconds and guide students through a brief mindfulness exercise, such as deep breathing or visualization. This routine cultivates self-management skills by teaching students to center themselves, promoting focus and emotional regulation. You can also practice mindfulness with these FREE finger labyrinths. Game 5: Goal-Setting Bingo Turn goal-setting into a game! Create bingo cards with various self-management goals (e.g., completing homework on time, staying organized, managing time effectively). As students achieve each goal, they mark it off their bingo card. The first to get a bingo enjoys a small reward. It's a playful way to instill discipline and responsibility. Or turn goal-setting into a group bulletin board. Grab the FREE goal-setting materials here. Game 6: Popcorn Game Play a game called "Popcorn." Have students get into a circle. Explain that the goal is for them to each take a turn popping into the air and clapping at the same time. The only catch is that they must go in a random order. If they "pop" up at the same time as a classmate, they should all start again. This is great way to promote impulse control. Grab detailed directions to play this game and four others here. Relationship Skills: Game 7: Collaborative Storytelling Fuel creativity and teamwork by having students work together to create a story. Each student contributes a sentence, building on the narrative created by their peers. This not only strengthens relationships but also enhances communication and cooperation skills. Plus, it's a blast to see where the story takes unexpected twists and turns! (These reading passages based on SEL learning skills are fun, too!) Game 8: Group Challenges Help students develop their relationship skills as they complete a series of fun challenges as a team. Have teams of students work together to solve 5 different challenges that focus on teamwork, collaboration, and leveraging individual strengths to emphasize the power of working together. Make planning these challenges easy with these ready-made stations. Game 9: Peer Appreciation Circle Form a circle and have students take turns expressing appreciation for the person on their right. This simple yet powerful exercise builds positive relationships within the class and reinforces the importance of acknowledging each other's strengths and contributions. Social Awareness: Game 10: Perspective Puzzles Print or draw pictures of various situations and scenarios. Have students work in pairs to discuss and understand the emotions and perspectives of the people in the pictures. This game sharpens social awareness by encouraging students to consider different viewpoints and practice empathy. I've created a set of cards for this game here. Game 11: Community Connections Scavenger Hunt Create a list of community-related items or tasks that students can complete outside of the classroom, fostering a sense of connection to the broader community. This activity enhances social awareness by encouraging students to explore and appreciate the world beyond their immediate surroundings. Responsible Decision-Making: Game 12: Decision Dilemmas Present students with real-life scenarios that require responsible decision-making. Engage them in thoughtful discussions about the potential outcomes of each choice. This game equips students with the skills to analyze situations, consider consequences, and make informed decisions—a crucial aspect of responsible decision-making. Need some scenario cards to share with students? Grab them here. Game 13: Consequence Connect Four Create a Connect Four game board with spaces featuring different consequences of actions. As students play, discuss the potential outcomes associated with each move. This visually engaging activity reinforces the concept that every decision has consequences and helps students develop a sense of responsibility. Game 14: Decision Making Prompts Get students thinking about how they might respond to situations with targeted writing prompts. Share prompts that challenges students to make a decision. Then, give them opportunity to write how they might respond. Let students share their responses with peers or small groups. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- And there you have it, a bunch of games designed to infuse your classroom with social-emotional learning! These activities are not just about learning; they're about creating an environment where students flourish emotionally, socially, and academically. So, why wait? Dive into the world of SEL games and watch your students grow into self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and socially adept individuals. Your classroom is about to become the epicenter of SEL success—game on! Wishing you lots of fun in your classroom, Mary Beth P.S. Find 15 MORE social-emotional learning activities HERE.
Social emotional learning is the foundation of a successful classroom by creating an environment of inclusion and respect.
Use these ten kindness games to teach kindness and kindness concepts in a fun, silly, hands-on way that kids will love to play.
This circle of control activity teaches students the difference between what is inside their control and what is outside of their control.
Social emotional learning (SEL) equips students with the necessary tools to navigate life’s challenges, build healthy relationships, and make a positive impact on their communities. But how c…
Read about this easy SEL activity to add into your daily routine. It's so simple to implement for any grade level!
This is a WORKSHEET- NOT A LESSON- that goes with the lesson: I AM HUMAN Empathy Kindness Caring Respect SEL LESSON + WORKSHEET w 6 Videos . The worksheet is included with the lesson, but some people prefer to have a separate file. It can also be utilized independently without the lesson. The lesson can be found here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-AM-HUMAN-Empathy-Kindness-Caring-Respect-SEL-LESSON-WORKSHEET-w-6-Videos-5722788 Description of the lesson: This is a READY TO USE (NO PREP) lesson & worksheet that addresses the ever-important social-emotional learning SEL / character education curriculum concepts of EMPATHY, KINDNESS, RESPECT, & CARING FOR OTHERS. It is based on the book, I Am Human by Susan Verde. It includes 22 slides, links to 6 videos to utilize with your lesson, one of which is of the book being read aloud. There is also a video introduction to the lesson by Izzy, The Wonder Dog which you can use or delete depending on your needs. This lesson is appropriate for use with both large and small groups or as an individual intervention to support your social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum. It is intended for the elementary level. Concepts included are: Definition of empathy How empathy helps us Development of empathy by practice Empathy increases our happiness & happiness of others As a bonus, you also will be getting a free unique PowerPoint template that you can utilize over and over! What a bargain! A pre-made lesson ready to teach with no prep AND a unique PPT template! And all for less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee!! This presentation has 22 slides and includes links to 6 different videos to support the social-emotional learning/character education curriculum concepts that are addressed. This is a rich variety of concepts that all need to be taught to our students to ensure their later success. I would schedule 30-45 minutes for this lesson depending upon the discussion that you lead with students and how many videos you utilize. It could easily be turned into a unit for small groups. This lesson is easily customizable for all levels of elementary depending on how you present it. This lesson can be edited to make it fit your exact needs. I have the slides arranged in the way that I feel will help me teach, but you may want to rearrange or even delete some. The beauty of being able to personalize this lesson for yourself is that it is easily adapted to teach different levels at the elementary level or even older. All of my lessons and forms are field-tested. I have used them myself and have been successful with them. The videos and support the social-emotional learning/character education curriculum concepts and help students to generalize them into their own lives and experiences. These videos are thought-provoking and entertaining ways to think about this very important concept and how it relates to being successful both now and in the future. I have found that videos are very effective in helping students to create an emotional link to the abstract concepts that character education involves. Coupled with discussions in which you can assist students to make the connection, it is an easy and effective way to teach these difficult concepts and assist students to internalize them into their own personalities. This presentation includes slides that have transitions and animations to help to hold your students' interest. It is easily personalized and customized and includes a master slide that you can copy and paste into the location where additional information or personalization is desired. Character education/SEL is vital to the success of our students. Employers report that the qualities for which they are looking when hiring include the 'soft skills that are character education. As educators, we are called to support learning in the character education and social skills areas in order to educate the whole child. Websites and videos are NOT embedded but are links. I do not own them or control them, so if there is a problem with a broken link or something else, please let me know so that I can repair, replace, or fix the presentation for you. Anytime you have technology incorporated, you risk having related issues. I appreciate communication so that I can provide the best possible service for you. In the event that a link does not work, please contact me via the 'QUESTIONS page or can email me directly at [email protected] , and I will do my best to remedy the situation for you!! I want to provide the best possible product for your use. **NOTE*** links do not work in editing mode in PowerPoint. They are only active in presentation mode. Please be aware of this. As always, if there is a lesson that you need to have created specifically for your needs, please let me know. I am happy to listen to your ideas to extend the coverage of all ASCA Counseling Standards & Benchmarks. Just let me know your ideas, and I will do the work for you! Please play fair. This is intended for single classroom use only and should not be distributed or published without written permission from Counselor Bev. Lesson Copyright 2020 & PowerPoint template Copyright 2020 Counselor Bev. You have purchased a single license for this resource. You may use this resource individually in your practice, classroom, or school in whatever manner you wish. However, re-distribution of this resource in any way or use of it by anyone who is not the license-holder is a violation of copyright. If others are interested in this resource, please purchase an additional license or direct them to my store.
One of the very best times to integrate social emotional learning practices into the day is first thing in the morning. It's a great way to help kids and teens start their day off feeling connected, respected, and valued. By putting social-emotional learning first, we have pave the way for kids and
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A teacher’s guide to teaching social-emotional learning in the classroom. This guide has articles, children's book suggestions, videos, and a program filled with lessons and activities.
Equipping students with the skills to succeed inside and outside the classroom has always been our goal as educators. As we go back to school in the fall or continue with distance learning, it has become increasingly necessary to address social-emotional learning (SEL). Read on for strategies on how
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If you want to build trust in your classroom, you need to see this video about a powerful activity where students give compliments in an unforgettable way.
Helping children understand and express their emotions is critical to their emotional development. By using fun and interactive activities, ...
Need ideas for teaching listening skills in the classroom? Try these whole body listening activities and books, class games, and daily practice ideas and a FREEBIE!
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) provides an educational framework focused on teaching students social and emotional skills at school.
This Social Emotional Learning Poster Bundle contains 10 unique SEL posters that are perfect for your classroom, school counseling office, school bulletin boards, or even home! Each poster offers visual supports to remind students of ways to practice self-regulation, coping tools, positive self-talk, growth mindset, conflict resolution, mindfulness, and more. The Poster Topics Included Are: ✔ How Are You Feelings Today? ✔ Trauma Sensitive Classroom Rules ✔ Strategies to Focus & Pay Attention In Class ✔ Mindfulness ✔ Conflict Resolution ✔ Stress Management ✔ Growth Mindset ✔ Anger Management ✔ Coping Statements ✔ Reframing Thoughts Each Poster Set Comes With: ☀️2-3 different printing options: color with frame, color without frame, and black and white. ☀️ Files sized for 8.5"X 11" and 18"X24" printing. ☀️ Make-Your-Own Collage Poster Art Activity (Feelings Poster comes with a Feelings Check-In Form)
Social emotional learning has gained a lot of attention lately. Some questions I've seen recently include: What is SEL? Why does it matter? Why are teachers teaching these skills in school? While most are on board with the idea of social-emotional supports in the classroom, there are some who are ra
Over the past few years, I’ve heard the same question come up over and over – “how do we help our middle and high school students self-regulate?” This blog helps to answer that question with several strategies.
Find resources to help students manage their emotions, resolve conflicts, and make responsible decisions—creating the healthiest school culture possible.
Of course, many popular movies deal with social and emotional issues, and these can be great for teaching SEL in our classrooms.
STEP by STEP SEL Curricula
Research article describing SEL implemention in music classrooms
In this digital download, you'll receive access to 10 check-in memes including topics like olympic events, television teachers, and haircuts. The PDF you'll receive contains links to the check-in memes. Click on each thumbnail to open a large-scale version.
Five simple steps for leading a morning meeting or circle time focused on social emotional learning in the classroom. Morning meeting is the ideal time to build relationships with students while also teaching critical SEL skills like empathy, self-awareness, and decision-making!
This simple brain worksheet PDF is designed to be an easily approachable visual teaching aid for all ages.
Motivation for Monday "Try to be kind to people just because. With all the rancor and bitterness and anger in our land, be a beacon of...
Incorporating SEL in middle and high school classes as needed provides a variety of benefits for students.
Social Emotional Workshop offers practical tools for social emotional learning and counseling.
Plus, some practical solutions for making it work.
