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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 teens to do their best for the rest of the day. That's a win for everyone involved.

In addition to that, school days are just busy. We will the days with rigorous academic expectations and activities. Sometimes, it's hard to find the time to integrate social-emotional learning practices. Again, this is just another reason why SEL practices first thing in the morning just make sense.

I've put together a list of fifteen of my favorite simple, engaging, and meaningful SEL practices to try. Of course, it's important to remember that no teacher can integrate all of these practices all of the time. It's best to choose a couple that resonate with you, put them into practice, and see how they work for your students over time.

Just another note that I made sure to add tags to resources that are free. Hopefully that helps you find what you works best for you at the moment!
Here are 15+ simple SEL practices to start the day:
1. Daily Greetings. Research shows that daily morning greetings reduce challenging behaviors and increase on-task time in the classroom. These are one of the simplest and most meaningful SEL techniques to put into place. Before each student walks in the room, greet them by name. You can even give students the choice for their daily greeting. They might choose a fist bump, wave, elbow bump, smile, or bow. Use this free daily morning greetings list to post outside the classroom and get started.

2. Emotions Check-In. An emotions check-in is a quick way to help kids and teens identify how they are feeling and what they might need to feel successful for the day. Make an emotions check-in part of a daily routine as students enter the room. Use these free emotions check-in pages as part of your daily routine.

3. SEL Check-In Journal. Try a daily do-now journal that integrate social-emotional skills with an emotions check-in, affirmations, and mindfulness all in one. This daily SEL Check-in Journal has prompts for the entire year. It's a simple, structured, and meaningful way to start each day with a SEL focus.

4. Morning Meeting. A daily morning meeting can be the ideal time to integrate social-emotional skills. Morning meeting is a semi-structured time of the day to greet each other, chat, and complete an activity or two before moving on with the rest of the day. You can choose on social-emotional skill each day to highlight and discuss. Use this free morning meeting rules and expectations poster to start. I have also developed a yearlong morning meeting set filled with SEL skills discussions and activities for the full year.

5. Positive Affirmations. Positive self-talk statements are an empowering way to help kids and teens start their day. Have students create their own positive affirmation lists. Then, they can read these phrases each day. Some students might benefit from guided practice with positive affirmations. For example, the educator can start with a phrase and have students repeat it back. There are multiple techniques for using positive affirmations as part of your daily routine.

6. SEL Question of the Day. Write a SEL question of the day on the board each morning. As students walk in, they can independently write about the question or share ideas with a partner. Then, give time for a quick class discussion. Use this free SEL question list to spark some ideas in your classroom.

7. Mindful Breathing. Relaxing breathing techniques can help learners feel calm, confident, and focused before starting the day. Some of my favorite fun and engaging breathing exercises include Bubble Breathing, Apple Pie Breathing, and Shape Breathing. Check out these mindful breathing cards!

8. Mindful Morning Check-In. Start the day with a simple and engaging 5-step mindful morning check-in. This activity is a countdown from 5. It includes taking 5 deep breaths, noticing 4 things around you, listing 3 things you are grateful for, saying 2 positive self-talk statements, and identifying 1 thing you are looking forward to.

9. SEL Journaling. Provide a SEL journal prompt each morning. Have students write their own answer and then share with a partner to discuss. Use targeted questions to highlight skills like empathy, decision-making, friendships, and more. You can choose a journal prompt that best meets the needs of your students that day, or use this yearlong SEL journal with prompts and pages ready-to-go for you.

10. SEL Class Discussions. Use targeted social-emotional questions to spark meaningful conversations. Focus on one question per day or add in as many as you have time for. Use these SEL Task Cards with questions ready for you.

11. Read Alouds. Use a short story to read. Choose any story of your choice, or use a picture book that focuses on a particular social-emotional skill. Use this free list of SEL read alouds to give it a try.

12. SEL Choice Boards. Use SEL choice boards as a "do now" activity in the morning. Have students choose on activity to complete each day or assign the ones that are most important to you.

13. Skill of the Day. Choose a SEL skill for the day to discuss. Ask students to share what it means to them and why it is important. Use this free list of SEL skills from A-Z to give it a try. Students can color in each skill as you discuss them. If you love the idea of teaching the ABCs of Social Emotional Learning, check out this interactive mini-lesson set for SEL skills here.

14. SEL Whiteboard Messages. Post a question on the whiteboard and give space for kids to respond right on the board each day. Students will love getting to write their answer, but they will also get to see others' responses as well. Use this SEL Whiteboard Question set to start.

15. Practicing Gratitude. Have students write down five things they are grateful for today. These can be big things, like family or friends. They can also be seemingly small things to be thankful for, such as a comfortable chair in school or the way the fall air smells. This free gratitude poster is in the free resource library.

16. SEL Quote of the Day. Use various quotes to highlight social-emotional skills. Use this free SEL Quotes list for some ideas, but you can even have students submit quotes for discussion!

17. SEL Curriculum. Start each day with lessons from a complete yearlong SEL Curriculum to teach skills for empathy, problem-solving, conflict resolution, friendships, decision-making and lots more. This curriculum is designed specifically for elementary students to learn SEL skills in a fun, meaningful, and interactive way.

I hope these ideas have been helpful for you! If you love them, be sure to share with colleagues to pass the importance of SEL on to others.

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15+ Simple SEL Practices to Start the Day

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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.

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Social Emotional Learning - SEL Standards

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Schools are becoming increasingly diverse, with more students integrating from various backgrounds each year.

Educators must provide students with the structure and support they need to succeed academically and in life. A strong SEL foundation offers precisely that.

Social-emotional development activities offer a safe and supportive environment for students to learn prosocial behavior. The games encourage healthy relationships that reinforce empathy, sharing, and compassion. Even incorporating one social-emotional activity into a lesson plan can make a meaningful difference in a child's life.

Preschool Activities (for ages 4-5)

1. Start with a Check-in

Begin the day with a friendly connection. Check in on each child with a simple greeting and ask how the student feels that day.

2. Finish with a Check-out

The same positive mentality applies at the end of school. Have students reflect on their day, discuss what went well, and set goals for tomorrow.

3. Reward Kids for Kindness

Take a page from Have You Filled a Bucket Today? The book encourages people to be kind to others. Write down messages of appreciation and compassion, put them in a bucket, and read them at the end of the week.

4. Encourage Show and Tell

Seeing is believing. Show and tell gives young students a way to learn about different cultures and backgrounds while realizing what they have in common.

5. Teach Appreciation

The Journal of Happiness found gratitude improves happiness in children before age five. Teaching kids to say thank you and rewarding hard work can boost their gratitude levels.

6. Teach Apologies

Apologies are essential at every age. Demonstrating how to give one ensures children have the tools to mend and repair relationships.

Kindergarten Activities (for ages 5-6)

7. Make Story Time a Teachable Moment

Reading aloud allows you to explore social and emotional moments with your class. Get started with a series of picture books for your social-emotional library.

8. Develop a Buddy System

A buddy system makes a school feel more inclusive. Pairing students for social-emotional learning activities for elementary events gives kids someone to call a friend and a sense of belonging.

9. Let Students Talk

Give children a chance to talk in structured social-emotional learning activities and unstructured environments. There are many ways to promote dialogue and boost their understanding and self-confidence.

10. Play Games

Playing promotes creativity as children improve their sense of imagination and physical skills. Social-emotional learning games maintain this healthy development.

11. Sing the Feelings Song

Help children connect their feelings with an emotion. A song about feelings lets them recognize sadness when they see tears and happiness when they notice smiles.

12. Promote Active Listening

Social-emotional activities require listening and cooperation. Use the SLANT strategy, where students sit up straight, listen, ask and answer questions, nod their heads, and track the speaker.

Elementary School Activities (for ages 5-10)

13. Work in Groups

Working in groups happens at all stages of life. Group activities develop students' leadership skills and help them uncover their strengths so that they can contribute to the teamwork.

14. Teach New Words

Learning new words provides a foundation for comprehension. Giving your class a word of the day allows them to express their ideas more eloquently.

15. Create a Peace Place

Everyone needs time to decompress. Create a dedicated Peace Place where students can go if they feel upset or someone hurts their feelings.

16. Build an Anchor Chart

Anchor charts capture the most important parts of a lesson. The visual aid reinforces central teaching points and creates a culture of literacy.

17. Role-Play

Role-playing lets children understand what it means to stand in someone else's shoes. The beneficial exercise also spurs their imagination and creativity.

18. Assign Responsibilities

According to researchers at Michigan State, giving kids age-appropriate responsibilities requires communication, role modeling, and choice offering, all three of which supplement social-emotional learning activities.

19. Have Daily Affirmations

Too often, we let negative thoughts undercut our mindset. Daily affirmations encourage mindfulness and validation of our values and self-worth.

20. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters

Social-emotional learning games do not start and end with the school day. Kids from disadvantaged backgrounds can join Big Brothers Big Sisters and have a year-round mentor.

Middle School Activities (for ages 11-13)

21. Turn Conflict into Resolution

Every conflict presents a learning opportunity. Once students recognize the need to mediate, they can work through these six distinct stages to establish an agreement.

22. Monitor Student Progress

Keep tabs on your class as each student progresses through the academic year. Reward the top achievers as they surpass their learning goals and milestones.

23. Hold Class Meetings

Regularly organizing class meetings lets students share their ideas and concerns. It also develops leadership and public speaking skills.

24. Write a Journal Entry

A journal entry creates a safe space for students to jot down thoughts and feelings. Spark kids' imaginations with different challenges, like writing lists or creative prompts.

25. Manage Stress

The American Institute of Stress reports that 77% of people experience stress that diminishes their physical well-being. Help people de-stress with a wheel of coping strategies.

26. Create a Vision Board

Impart purpose with this visual tool. Creating a vision board helps adolescents take accountability for their actions as they strive to achieve their daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals.

27. Read a Book

Transport your students into a different world through the power of reading. Some literary recommendations include In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner and Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo.

28. Celebrate Diversity

Our multicultural society has made celebrating diversity more important than ever. Have students share family stories or recipes that introduce others to unique lifestyles and heritages.

High School Activities (for ages 14-18)

29. Meditate

Meditation forces people to slow down and turn their attention inward. While it strays from traditional social-emotional learning activities, mediation allows students to acknowledge their community and self simultaneously.

30. Be a Mentor to Younger Kids

Teach students to think about others by becoming a mentor. High school students can partner with grade-schoolers who need a helping hand in academia and life.

31. Talk with Strangers

Talking with strangers opens us up to different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds. Challenge your students to speak with one new person per day. They'll quickly see we're not so different from one another.

32. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness includes internal and external awareness. Practicing it comes with a long list of benefits, like lower blood pressure, less chronic pain, and stress relief.

33. Share a Quote of the Day

Give students something to think about with a quote of the day. You can open up the classroom to discuss and have students share their thoughts on the quote's meaning and significance.

34. Have a Yay of the Day

The headwind/tailwind asymmetry supposes that people disproportionately focus on the negatives in life, instead of the positives. Turn that theory on its head by having kids write a "yay" moment they had every day.

35. Assign Interview Projects

Interview-based projects teach communication skills while fostering the exploration of different cultures. Bonus points if students interview people who do not share the same background.

36. Write a Poem from Another Person's Perspective

Let your class choose someone they don't know and write a poem from their perspective. The exercise provides a hands-on way to empathize with other people's experiences.

37. Encourage Artistic Expression

All social-emotional learning games do not require speaking or writing. Some students may benefit from expressing themselves through painting, sketching, or sculpting.

How to Use SEL Activities in Schools

Positive Actions provides teachers with the resources and tools they need to integrate social-emotional learning into the classroom. Our curriculum comes with actionable steps to promote prosocial skills and relationships. Best of all, it fits in any learning environment and only takes minutes to implement.

Positive Action has everything you need to get started. The comprehensive system makes it easier than ever to teach social-emotional learning games. Take the next steps by checking out different social-emotional learning curriculums and start seeing a positive impact on your students.

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37 Social-Emotional Learning Activities and Games for Teachers and Students

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Schools are becoming increasingly diverse, with more students integrating from various backgrounds each year.

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How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long

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How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long

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How to Maslow Before Bloom, All Day Long

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Morning meetings are a good place to start, but what you really need is a toolkit of strategies to meet your students’ social and emotional needs all day long.

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https://www.westminsterpublicschools.org/Page/11074

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Social Emotional Learning / Parent and Family Resources

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A resource for parents and educators about trending social media issues so that informed discussions can occur with our children. Visit their web site for more information. Example resources from their site:

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The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education from preschool through high school.

Learn about the Fundamentals of SEL Learn more about SEL

Getting started with systemic implementation

Our SEL is strategically placed as a universal strategy to build resilience, cultivate protective factors, like strong relationships with peers and adults, and reduce stigma around mental health help-seeking.

Dr. Susan Bunting
Former State Secretary of Education

We need to address inequities in education and we need better pathways to success... [which requires recognizing that students' social and emotional learning] is just as important as their academic growth.

Miguel Cardona
US Secretary of Education

Learning should be inherently joyous. It should be a joyous pursuit, enabling all students to have fun and find their passions. It's the purpose of learning.

Dr. D'Andre Weaver
Superindentant

Our platform is made possible by:

This site uses cookies to improve your experience and help CASEL understand how our site is being used. By continuing to use our site, you consent to the use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more information.

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Advancing Social and Emotional Learning - CASEL

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CASEL is helping make evidence-based social and emotional learning an integral part of education, preschool through high school.

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When implementing social-emotional learning (SEL), it can be helpful to narrow your focus to a few SEL competencies that are most relevant for the students and educators in your school community.

That's why many district and school leaders use the framework from CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). CASEL outlines five core social-emotional learning competencies that can be taught in many ways in any type of school or district community.

In this guide, you'll learn about the five core SEL competencies-complete with definitions and examples of what these competencies may look like and sound like in practice. For each core competency, we also share examples of low-lift SEL strategies, activities, and teaching practices that you can use right away in your school community to promote student SEL and adult SEL.

Keep reading or use the shortcuts below to access different sections of this guide.
I. What Is Social-Emotional Learning? II. The 5 Core SEL Competencies

1. Self-Awareness

2. Self-Management

3. Social Awareness

4. Relationship Skills

5. Responsible Decision-Making

III. Assessing the Core SEL Competencies

Download a packet of small-group SEL facilitation guides (perfect for SEL Coaches and SEL Coordinators!)
What Is Social-Emotional Learning?

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

*via CASEL's updated 2020 definition of SEL

In other words, social and emotional learning describes the skills that educators do not explicitly teach. It can be apparent when social-emotional skills are present or absent in students. A 2017 meta-analysis from CASEL involving students from kindergarten to high school showed that students exposed to SEL programs performed better academically (13 percentile points higher) than their non-SEL peers.

What Are Social-Emotional Competencies?

Social-emotional learning competencies are the specific skills, habits, and mindsets that fall under the umbrella of social-emotional learning. These skills are varied, and school communities may prioritize different SEL competencies based on identifiable student needs or the district's portrait of a graduate. However, many school districts focus on CASEL's five core SEL competencies as a starting point.

The Five Core SEL Competencies

1. Self-Awareness

2. Self-Management

3. Social Awareness

4. Relationship Skills

5. Responsible Decision-Making

Now that we've outlined the five core competencies, let's take a look at each competency in depth. We'll also look at specific activities for promoting students' social and emotional development of each competency.

Core Competency #1: Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one's strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.

Self-Awareness May Look Like:

Identifying emotions

Having an accurate self-perception

Recognizing strengths

Self-confidence

Self-efficacy

Self-Awareness May Sound Like:

How am I feeling and why?

When am I at my best?

When do I feel angry?

What kind of person do I want to be today?

What stresses me out?

Where do I fit into my family/community?

Self-Awareness Strategy: The Feelings Wheel

The Feelings Wheel (see the image to the right) helps students acknowledge their emotions and feelings so that they can move into action and respond constructively to those feelings.

How it works: Let's say you are feeling "fearful." Locate that feeling on the wheel, then move one ring out and identify another emotion. Keep moving to the last ring on the wheel. By accurately identifying your emotions, you can do something about it and handle these emotions in a productive way.

Application for the Feelings Wheel:

For You: Quiet time; meals, mornings, or before bed

For Students: Dedicated time during the day; daily/weekly check-ins; buddy system

Self-Awareness Strategy: Positive Pivot

The Positive Pivot Scale is a high school strategy from Move This World that helps students consider a range of ways to respond to a situation. The scale runs from negative 5 to positive 5.

Explore more high school activities for social-emotional learning aligned to the CASEL competencies.

How it works: Consider a challenge you are facing today. Identify where you are currently responding on the Positive Pivot Scale. Then, ask yourself: What would I need to do to move to a higher number on the Positive Pivot Scale?

Application for the Positive Pivot Scale:

For You: Quiet time; meals, mornings, or before bed

For Students: Dedicated time during the day; daily/weekly check-ins; buddy system

Core Competency #2: Self-Management

Self-management is the ability to manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation and agency to accomplish personal and collective goals.

Self-Management May Look Like:

Impulse control

Stress management

Self-discipline

Self-motivation

Goal-setting

Organizational skills

Self-Management May Sound Like:

I need a break right now

May I please have space? I am not ready to share.

I think I need help with _______.

I don't understand yet, but I will ________ to reach my goal.

Self-Management Strategy: Positive Self-Talk

Self-talk is "the act of practice of talking to oneself, either aloud or silently and mentally." Generally, negative self-talk makes us feel worse, but positive self-talk can make us feel better because it triggers problem-solving and helps remind ourselves that making mistakes is part of life.

Two examples of shifting from negative to positive self-talk include:

1. You are overwhelmed by the amount of tech it's going to take to teach your class.
"This is never going to work! I'm not tech-savvy" to "I can ask someone to help me, and it will become easier."

2. You have an important question for the teacher, but the teacher tells you that he/she doesn't have time to answer it. "I can't figure this out by myself!" to "It will take time, but I can learn this."

Application for Positive Self-Talk:

For You: Pay attention to your thoughts and words, and pivot as needed

For Students: Explicitly teach positive self-talk through mini-lessons and hold students accountable

Self-Management Strategy: WOOP Goal-Setting

The WOOP activity from Character Lab helps students find their wishes and develop an action plan to fulfill those wishes. WOOP is named for each step in the process: identifying your Wish, imagining the Outcome, anticipating the Obstacle, and developing a specific Plan.

W: What is an important wish that you want to accomplish? Your wish should be challenging but feasible.

O: What will be the best result from accomplishing your wish? How will you feel? Pause and really imagine the outcome.

O: What is the main obstacle inside you that might prevent you from accomplishing your wish? Pause and really imagine the obstacle.

P: What's an effective action to tackle the obstacle? Make a when-then plan.

Application for WOOP:

For You: Make time for goal-setting.

Google forms, For Students: Flipgrid (video recording), and monitor progress

Core Competency #3: Social Awareness

Social awareness is the ability to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Social Awareness May Look Like:

Perspective taking

Empathy

Appreciating diversity

Respect for others

Social Awareness May Sound Like:

I wonder how that made _______ feel?

How would I feel if I were in that situation?

What is ________ thinking?

They seem sad right now. Maybe I should _______.

Thanks for sharing! My family does it this way.

Social Awareness Strategy: The Listening Circle

The Listening Circle teaches empathy, provides an opportunity to hear (or read) different perspectives, and builds community. In a listening circle, students have a safe space to share their voices by responding to prompts. Example prompts include: "Who do you look up to the most, and why?" and "What advice would you give yourself today, and why?"

Application for the Listening Circle:

For You: Connect with friends and family via social media, phone, Zoom

For Students: Make time for it in the classroom or virtually ( Zoom breakout rooms, Flipgrid, Padlet)

Core Competency #4: Relationship Skills

Relationship skills are the ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed.

Relationship Skills May Look Like:

Communication

Social engagement

Relationship building

Teamwork

Relationship Skills May Sound Like:

When you ______ it made me feel _______.

Can you explain what you mean by that?

I disagree with you because _________.

What did you mean by _________?

Relationship Skills Strategy: Count Me Down

Count Me Down is a strategy from Move This World that helps students identify ways they are similar and different from others. The goals are to develop a stronger understanding of peers and to demonstrate respect for differences and exhibit empathy. An example prompt for Count Me Down is as follows:

3 unique things about your family

2 challenges you're currently facing

goal or dream you have1

Application for Count Me Down:

For You: Use the prompt to journal about things in your life

For Students: Make time for it in the classroom or virtually ( Zoom breakout rooms, Flipgrid, Padlet)

Relationship Skills Strategy: Rose, Bud, Thorn

Rose, Bud, Thorn is a strategy that helps students identify positive moments and areas where they need support. During this activity, students share a:

Rose: Something positive that happened this past week

Bud: Something you are looking forward to next week

Thorn: Something you need help with in the next week

To foster grit and growth mindset, students may also consider ways to turn thorns into roses.

Application for Rose, Bud, Thorn:

For You: Reflect on what went well and what you need help with; communicate when you need help turning thorns into roses

For Students: Make time for it in the classroom or virtually ( Zoom breakout rooms, Flipgrid, Padlet)

Core Competency #5: Responsible Decision-Making

Responsible decision-making is the ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.

Responsible Decision-Making May Look Like:

Identifying problems

Analyzing situations

Solving problems

Evaluating

Reflecting

Ethical responsibility

Responsible Decision-Making May Sound Like:

How will this impact others?

Is it worth it?

Why do I want to make this choice?

Was this a strong choice?

Will this help me?

Responsible Decision-Making Strategy: The POOCH Protocol

POOCH is a process for problem-solving that can help students thoughtfully generate solutions to problems by thinking through possible options and outcomes. The steps are as follows:

1. Identify the problem.

2. Explore different options to solve the problem.

3. Discuss an outcome for each option.

4. Choose an option.

5. Reflect on how things went.

Access the POOCH template as a Google Doc.

Application for the POOCH Protocol:

For You: Use it when faced with difficult decisions

For Students: Use as a tool to collectively solve problems

Assessing the Core SEL Competencies

Once your school or district has identified specific SEL competencies to focus on, the next step is to gather baseline data on how students are developing those skills, mindsets, and competencies. SEL data can help educators identify individual students' strengths and areas for growth related to specific competencies. At the school and district level, the data can help guide school climate improvement plans and tier one SEL instruction.

The Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Survey (open-source and available for download), aligned to the CASEL framework, is a great tool to get started measuring SEL. The survey, developed at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, contains more than 22 research-backed topics to help school districts gather valid and reliable social-emotional learning data from students.

Example of Panorama's SEL dashboards (mock data pictured)Access Panorama's Social-Emotional Learning Survey-with 30+ Survey Topics for Students and Adults

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A Guide to the Core SEL Competencies [+ Activities and Strategies]

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Explore the five core social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies and effective strategies for promoting each competency.

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7 Middle School SEL Activities to Support Growth and Transitions 

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7 Middle School SEL Activities to Support Growth and Transitions 

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Middle school is a time of transition. For many students, it can mean moving to a different school building for the first time in their academic career. For others, having a schedule and shifting between classrooms (each with a different teacher) throughout the day is a significant change. Not to mention, students are also moving from childhood into adolescence.

This is why middle school students need support from their educators-not just in academic learning, but in social and emotional learning as well. Building students' self-esteem and sense of self-efficacy (along with conflict resolution, responsible decision-making, and positive relationship skills) is especially important for middle schoolers. Competency in these areas will help them succeed now and in the future; SEL skills support academic performance and are strongly linked to improved well-being and mental health outcomes.

The following SEL activities for middle schoolers address each of CASEL's five core competencies of SEL.

For teachers, consider how you can use these SEL activities during the school day, whether within academic lessons or during morning meetings, advisory periods, homeroom, or transition times.

For school and district leaders, share these resources with your middle school teams and classroom teachers as inspiration for incorporating social-emotional learning throughout the school day.

1. How to Handle Bullying (Social Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making)

2. Compassionate Letter Writing (Self-Awareness, Self-Management)

3. Asking For Help (Self-Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making, Relationship Skills)

4. Planning to Persevere (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness)

5. Trusting My Inner Compass (Self Awareness, Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making)

6. Relationship Building Through Movement (Social Awareness, Relationship Skills)

7. SEL Competency-Building Toolkits (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills)

1. How To Handle Bullying
Courtesy of Everyday Speech
Overview: This interactive activity will guide students through a set of scenarios to help them understand how to approach bullying as an ally and up-stander. Students can work through a variety of scenarios and build responsible decision-making skills when it comes to navigating a bully.

Instructions for Implementation:

"It's important to know how to handle bullying, even when we aren't the ones getting bullied. We try to be an ally and an up-stander when we notice others getting bullied."
Click here to launch the "How to Handle Bullying" interactive lesson!

2. Compassionate Letter Writing

Courtesy of Camp Kindness Counts

Overview: Practicing compassion provides the opportunity to show kindness toward ourselves and others. This activity strives to show participants how different it feels when we use kind words and actions toward ourselves instead of using negative self-talk. Research suggests that practicing compassion towards ourselves can help cultivate compassion towards others. Through reflective letter writing, participants will build empathy skills and self-compassion to enhance self-management.

Instructions for Implementation:

Introduction: "Let's learn about compassion. What do you think compassion means? To some, compassion is showing kindness, patience, and understanding. How can you show compassion to yourself? One way could be to do something that helps you to feel special such as reminding yourself of things you are good at doing, or calming yourself down by taking a few slow, deep breaths! Can you think of other ideas? Today, we are going to practice compassion by writing a letter!"

Activity: Think about a friend or someone you care about. Imagine them having a hard time and think about what you could say or do to help them feel better. Write a letter to them to help them feel better.

Do you feel it is kind to help someone you care for when they may need help?

Do you think it is important to also help yourself when you need the help?

What types of things help you feel better if you are having a hard time?

Does it help to talk to someone, get a hug, play outside, read a book, or take some deep breaths?

Now let's practice showing compassion towards ourselves. Read the letter again but now with your own name instead of the person you wrote the letter to!

Reflect: How does the way you talk to a friend who is having a hard time compare to the way you talk to yourself? Do you usually take care of yourself the same way you take care of a friend? Are you a good friend to yourself? What are some ways you can be a better friend to yourself? Why is this important?
3. Asking for Help

Courtesy of inspireED
Overview: Asking for help can sometimes be difficult, but knowing where and how to get help is an important problem-solving skill. Creating a dedicated space with clear guidelines for how to ask for help shows your students that you care about their success and that your classroom is a safe space where they can get whatever help they need.
Instructions for Implementation:

1. Engage students in a conversation on the importance and difficulties of asking for help. How do you know when you need help?
How do you know who to ask for help?
What kinds of things do you typically ask for help on?

2. Explain that asking for help may be difficult, as we sometimes view it as a sign of weakness. But strategic requests for help are actually a sign of resourcefulness.

3. Explain that you want your classroom to be a space where students feel comfortable asking for help.

4. Ask students to identify a problem they could use help on right now, and someone who might be able to help. This might be an expert, a family member, a teacher, a friend, etc.

5. Ask students to craft a written request for help. The most effective requests for help are specific, measurable, actionable, results-focused, and time-bound.

6. Ask students to share their requests with the class, if they are comfortable. What was it like to write the requests? How do they feel now?

7. Have each student plan to deliver their request for help before the next class.

8. After some time has passed, check back with your students to ensure that they received the help they requested.

4. Planning to Persevere

Courtesy of Second Step

Overview: Goal-setting and creating simple plans are positive ways to handle disappointment and can help students develop a growth mindset. Students develop a goal and simple plan for a historical or contemporary figure who persevered in the face of disappointment.
Instructions for Implementation:

1. Tell students about prominent historical or contemporary figures who persevered in the wake of disappointment - such as Thomas Edison or Helen Keller.

2. Discuss how persevering and achieving their goals affected both the people individually and society as a whole. Consider what would have happened if they had simply given up!

3. As a class, in small groups, or individually, choose a well-known person to study in more depth. Find out what setbacks or disappointments the person had to overcome and how they did so.

4. Have students select one setback or disappointment and create a goal and simple plan the person could have used to help him or her persevere. Goals can follow the SMART goals model (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound) or be simple statements. Encourage students to make plans that are simple and follow an order that makes sense.

5. If students complete this activity individually or in small groups, invite students to share their goals and plans with the rest of the class.

5. Trusting My Inner Compass

Courtesy of Take 5! Institute

Overview: Integrating the wisdom of mind and body, students practice using their "inner compass" - a felt sense of what is right and true - learning how to access information that can help them to stay safe, set healthy boundaries, and make wise choices.

This capacity-building activity strengthens mindfulness, and the ability to tap into inner wisdom. It helps students to access the power of inner knowing, paying attention to the wisdom of the body, as well as the mind. And it helps them learn to trust their inner experiences.

Instructions for Implementation:

Use the following to guide your conversation:

We know that our bodies are full of energy - on a physical level, that's what "runs" us. But our bodies are also full of information. And that information can help us to stay safe, set healthy boundaries, and make better choices. Some people call this their "inner compass."

Think of a time when you "just knew" something. You might have had a gut feeling ... an actual "body feeling" that you paid attention to. Or you felt guided by your own "inner voice." You didn't really need to think about it; out of the blue, you realized that you knew just what to do.

How would you describe that "inner feeling?" Or that sense of "inner knowing?" How did you know to trust it?

Notice where you carry this feeling in your body, and how it feels inside you.

Describe a time that you noticed sensations in your body, or thoughts in your head, that helped you pay attention to what was happening around you, and when you knew just what to do.

Not all students may be able to describe a time when they experienced an inner felt-sense. But having a conversation, sharing experiences (yours, too) and thinking about nurturing this inner capacity will help students to pay attention next time they notice sensations in their body, or a sense of 'just knowing.'

6. Relationship Building Through Movement
Courtesy of CATCH SEL Journeys
Overview: In this lesson, students will explore a guiding question focused on teamwork and then engage in movement by learning a new dance and discovering its cultural origins. After engaging in movement, students work in small teams to create a new or revised sequence that expresses personality traits of the group. Dance provides students with an active way to engage in teamwork and explore how each group member brings different strengths and plays an important role. Collaborating on a dance also develops communication skills.

Instructions for Implementation:

Introduction: Being part of a team means being able to rely on each other to accomplish something together. That means you need to do your part because your teammates are relying on you.

Have you ever been let down by a member of a team? What can you learn from this when thinking about your own role on teams?

Today's challenge is to work with your group to create a movement sequence that expresses the personality traits of the members of your group.

Get Moving: To get warmed up, try out some new ways of moving with the SEL Journeys Dance of the Month. (You can sign-up for free by clicking on the "Activate Your Account" button on the right side of the screen.)

Respond and Connect: After engaging in movement, split students into teams of 2-4 students and revisit today's big idea with the following activity:

1. As a first step, think about how you would complete this sentence: "A positive word or phrase to describe me is ...." Now take a moment for each group member to share their answer.

2. Next, help each other come up with a gesture or pose that captures the personality trait each person shared.

3. Now, you can add these traits to the steps from today's dance, or you can make up your own steps. You can take another look at the steps to get some ideas. Think about how you can add personality traits to these moves, or decide if you want to make up entirely new moves.

4. Now work with your group to make a movement sequence that expresses the personality traits of each group member. Once you have a plan, rehearse it a few times together. If time permits, groups can volunteer to show their final sequence to the rest of the class and explain how the new dance expresses the personality traits of the group.

5. Final Student Reflection: How did it go with your team? Did you do your part to contribute ideas? Did you learn something new about your teammates?

7. SEL Competency-Building Toolkits
Courtesy of Transforming Education
Overview: These toolkits include professional development resources designed for educators seeking research-based strategies to help students build social awareness and self-efficacy.

Social Awareness:

TransformEd's social awareness toolkit provides educators with a variety of resources and strategies to support the development of students' social awareness.

The toolkit includes:

More information on what social awareness is and why it matter

A video in which students describe the importance of social awareness in their own lives

A range of strategies teachers can integrate into their practice at all grade levels

A facilitators guide (including an abbreviated guide for a 45-minute session)

Download the Toolkit!

Self-Efficacy:

TransformEd's self-efficacy toolkit provides educators with a variety of resources and strategies to support the development of students' self-efficacy.

The toolkit includes:

More information on what self-efficacy is and why it matters

An animated short video about self-efficacy that can be shared with students and parents

A video in which students describe what self-efficacy looks like in their everyday lives

A range of strategies teachers can integrate into their practice at all grade levels

A facilitator's guide (including an abbreviated guide for a 45-minute session)

Download the Toolkit!

Further Resources:

Get-to-Know-You Questions: Discover asset-based, inclusive questions that invite student conversation and connection.

Quick Check-in Questions: Use these questions to connect with students about their well-being and social, academic, and emotional needs.

The Two-Word Check-In: Enhance emotional awareness and builds community with this simple classroom exercise.

"Rose, Bud, Thorn" Activity and Worksheet : Support goal-setting and self-reflection with this exercise that prompts students to identify positive moments and pinpoint areas where they need support.

SEL for Elementary School: Bring SEL into your elementary school classroom with these 6 activities.

SEL for High School: Discover eight SEL activities for your high school students.

Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum Programs: Learn more about curriculum for elementary, middle, and high school students and how you can bring them into your school district.

Use these questions to check-in on student well-being and supports throughout the school year.

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7 Middle School SEL Activities to Support Growth and Transitions

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Middle school is a time of transition. For many students, it can mean moving to a different school building for the first time in their academic career. For others, having a schedule and shifting between classrooms (each with a different teacher) throughout the day is a significant change.

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In the transition back to school this fall, we have an opportunity to take a healing-centered approach to engaging students and to recapture a sense of community in our classrooms.

As we search for practices to help build safe and inclusive environments, we know that making time to rebuild connections and allow students to check-in with each other is key.

Hosting morning meetings-a structured daily ritual that provides a supportive transition for students as they enter into the classroom-is an engaging way to start the school day while fostering collaboration and kindness.

Continue reading to learn more about morning meetings and explore ways to implement this practice within your classroom community.

[Free Download] Small-Group SEL Facilitation Guides + 6 Activities

What is a Morning Meeting?

Morning meetings are a schoolwide classroom management practice used to address students' social-emotional learning needs on a daily basis.

Every morning, teachers gather their students in a circle (for 15 to 30 minutes) to interact with one another and kick-off the day. While these daily warm-ups will look different in different classrooms as educators adapt them to meet the unique needs of their students, the most widely used model of a morning meeting (developed by Responsive Classroom) includes four main elements:

1. Greeting (e.g., students and teachers greet one another by name, oftentimes at the door as they enter the classroom)

2. Sharing (e.g., students share information about events in their personal lives)

3. Activity (e.g., the class participates in a brief activity that cultivates connection and provides opportunities to practice SEL or academic skills)

4. Morning Message (e.g., students read a short message authored by their teacher to prime them for the work they'll engage in during the day)

Morning meetings are most commonly implemented in elementary schools as a class meeting at the beginning of each school day. Many elementary teachers use morning meetings for the entire year as a way to build community while ensuring that each student feels heard, valued, and respected. Morning meetings can be adapted for use with middle school and high school students, too-in fact, one of CASEL's three signature practices for supporting systemic SEL is to open each class period or meeting with a welcoming activity, ritual, or routine.

The overall goals of any morning meeting are to:

Provide students with opportunities to check-in with their emotional state by labeling or naming feelings

Establish psychological safety and trust among students and caring adults

Support social-emotional needs as the foundation for academic learning and engagement

Build a strong sense of connection and community

Set the tone for the day (and the overall classroom climate)

Encourage teamwork, a growth mindset, and collaboration

Sample Morning Meeting Greetings
Intentionally greeting students as they enter the classroom is an important aspect of any morning meeting. Review this list of sample morning meeting greetings and brainstorm ways to adapt them for your students.

The "Good Morning" Greeting: Greet each student at the door by making eye contact, saying, "good morning," and following up with a handshake or high five. Students can emulate this to greet each other.

Compliments: Each student greets a classmate and shares a compliment with them. Educators can model what this looks like and set parameters for how to express gratitude and appreciation.

Ball Toss Greetings:After students have entered the classroom and are seated (or standing) in a circle, roll or bounce a ball to one student. Ask them to greet a classmate (verbally) and gently roll or bounce the ball to them. That child can then choose someone new to greet and pass the ball to.

Morning Meeting Activity Ideas

In the Responsive Classroom morning meeting model, a core component is a brief (but interactive) activity that centers on a specific theme or social-emotional skill and that the entire class can participate in.

Consider these three morning meeting ideas to use with early and upper elementary students. These activities can be easily adapted for virtual delivery.

Superstar Ice Breaker Game: This simple, quick game (developed by PanoramaPlaybookpartnerPlayworks) helps students explore and deepen relationships. Icebreaker games promote respect, encourage playfulness, promote inclusion, and build community. Participation in these ice breakers also helps students feel more comfortable engaging in further games and activities, and are a great tool for new groups of students at the start of the year. Superstar Ice Breaker is a perfect fit as a first day of school get-to-know-you activity and can be adapted for use during a virtual morning meeting if your school is operating in a distance learning model at any point during the 2021-22 academic year.

The Warm Wind Blows: Before students enter the classroom, write the following statement on the whiteboard:"The warm wind blows for everyone who likes to ______."Then, instruct students stand in a circle in front of a clearly marked spot, such as their chair or desk. One child is selected to start in the middle of the circle and complete the statement on the board (e.g., "The warm wind blows for everyone who likes to watch movies.") Everyone who agrees with their statement needs to find a new spot in the circle, including the student standing in the middle. Whoever is left without a spot in the outer circle is then the next one to move into the middle and complete the statement.

Follow The Leader: This team building activity encourages students to practice active listening and build their observation skills. One students volunteers to be "it" and stand out in the hallway for a few minutes. Another student is selected to be the leader, whose role is to perform random physical movements (such as nodding their head or clapping their hands). The students need to watch closely and imitate his or her actions as they happen spontaneously. When the "it" person comes back into the classroom, they watch a few sets of movements and have three guesses to try and identify the leader.

Other Considerations for Designing Morning Meetings

Phase in morning meetings with scaffolding. In order to ensure that students feel safe and supported during morning meeting time throughout the school year, it's important to phase in the various structures of this group activity. At the beginning of the year, take a few days to introduce the idea to students and establish the time that morning meeting will happen in their classroom. Express your hopes for this ritual to students and gauge what their questions are. You can also consider seeking out colleagues at different grade-levels who are already implementing morning meetings in their classrooms and investigate the whats, hows, and whys of their ritual.

Include a check-in. Using a mood meter, feelings wheel, or another printable handout, provide students with an opportunity to label their emotions and share-out why they're feeling that way. This can give educators a daily opportunity to model self-regulation and help set the tone for the day with a safe and supportive discussion. The goal is to validate students' feelings, help them understand that their feelings are justified, and talk through how they might cope with their emotions.

Partner with families. Share details about your morning meetings with families and provide outlets for authentic two-way communication with caregivers. Explain the purpose of this group activity and outline ways in which morning meetings will help to build children's social-emotional skills. Consider inviting caregivers to join a morning meeting (in-person or virtually) to observe or participate.

Adapt your morning meetings to meet the unique needs of your students. While there is a specific structure and order to the components of a morning meeting, it is critical that educators feel empowered to adapt the practice to fit what's best for their students. For instance: if you notice that students are particularly energized as they enter the classroom, you might choose a more relaxing and calming activity to use during morning meeting.

Scale activities by grade-level. As a schoolwide practice, morning meetings should be scaled across grade levels to ensure that students in higher grades are building upon the social-emotional skills they've acquired at each previous grade-level. Incorporate new skills each year and give older students opportunities to exercise their agency by leading or planning morning meetings. Furthermore, within a given academic year, educators can scale activities or greetings to be more advanced once students are comfortably and successfully participating in morning meetings.

Additional Morning Meeting Resources

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Morning Meetings: Cultivating a Culture of Care and Safety

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In the transition back to school this fall, we have an opportunity to take a healing-centered approach to engaging students and to recapture a sense of community in our classrooms. As we search for practices to help build safe and inclusive environments, we know that making time to rebuild connections and allow students to check-in with each other is key.