Embedded Files
Connection refers to the ability to navigate norms in diverse social settings, understanding power dynamics, respect the perspectives of and listen to others. Connection helps students cultivate ways to create a positive community that values multiple perspectives, identities and experiences.
Discover a variety of lessons and exercises that strengthen CONNECTION skills by clicking on the links below.
Discover a variety of lessons and exercises that strengthen CONNECTION skills by clicking on the links below.
FREE // K-6TH GRADE
About: There are many effective ways to solve a problem. In this activity, students will imagine difficult situations and talk about strategies for making responsible, ethical, and healthy choices. Talking about these choices will help students make decisions in the future when problems arise.
Individual lessons are available for Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, and Sixth Grade.
FREE // K-6TH GRADE
About: Young children who can accurately read facial expressions and assign an appropriate emotion to a situation perform better academically, have fewer behavior problems, and demonstrate greater prosocial (kind, helpful) behavior. For this activity, in a group meeting students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
Individual lessons are available for Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, and Sixth Grade.
FREE // P-2ND GRADE
About: Kindness has been found to benefit students by increasing their well-being and peer acceptance, both of which lead to greater academic achievement, a stronger sense of belonging, and better relationships with peers and teachers. In this lesson, students think of ways they have acted with kindness towards others and then draw and write about it.
FREE // P-12TH GRADE
About: Students or staff sit in a circle, center themselves with a Mindfulness Moment, and use a talking piece to respectfully take turns answering a question about how they are doing. They close the Circle process by reflecting on the effectiveness of the process itself.
FREE // 3RD-8TH GRADE
About: In this exercise, students examine how they face everyday moral dilemmas and consider who and what influences their reactions when conflicts arise. These types of discussions can help students think in a more critical and sophisticated way about the social and ethical challenges they may face.
FREE // 3RD-5TH GRADE
About: A master math teacher in Anchorage, Alaska, establishes a cooperative-learning environment in an upper-elementary classroom.
Morning Meetings
Morning Meetings
FREE // P-5TH GRADE
About: At Symonds Elementary, teachers use morning meetings to develop valuable social-emotional skills, create a culture of respect and trust, and prepare students to learn.
FREE // 6TH-12TH GRADE
About: Students watch videos on prosocial (kind, helpful) action, complete self-reflection activities, and plan and record their prosocial acts over ten consecutive days. They finish with a reflection on the impact of their actions.
FREE & PAID // K-5TH GRADE
About: What is active listening, how do students do it, and why? This lesson answers these questions and provides ways for you to increase active listening in your classroom using fun games and exercises to reach all students.
FREE // 3RD-8TH GRADE
About: Communication games are a fun way for students to learn helpful methods through team interaction. This webpage includes 7 games you and your students can play to improve communication skills.
FREE // 6TH-12TH GRADE
About: This practice, inspired by the lectio divina method, asks students to read a text slowly and carefully and then reflect on it, helping to cultivate deeper awareness and understanding.
FREE // P-2ND GRADE
About: A quick and fun way to help your kid learn about how emotions make their body feel. This activity can be done in 10 miuntes.
FREE // 6TH-8TH GRADE
About: Students research, present to the class, and express gratitude to an historical figure whose actions have benefited society. Taking the time to think deeply about these persons’ motivations and sacrifices is a unique way to deepen students’ understanding and appreciation for the difference these people made.
FREE // 6TH-8TH GRADE
About: Students watch a video about an anonymous group of students’ “random acts of kindness,” and then they plan ways to perform their own acts of kindness.
ABOUT: Students learn about the three parts of the brain–the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex–involved with emotion regulation, attention, and learning to engage their interest and enhance their self-awareness.
Understanding these parts of the brain and how they work can help students get better at making good choices and learn better.
Through this activity, we introduce students to the concept that they can use their brain in ways that will help them focus their attention when needed, calm themselves in the face of anxiety, and be less reactive and more proactive in creating a more productive experience.
FREE // 9TH-12TH GRADE
About: Students apply a “growth mindset” lens to people who exclude others and/or are victims of exclusion, recognizing that people can change for the better.
FREE // 6TH-12TH GRADE
About: 30 Days of simple, at-home, mood-boosting activities & challenges from THE CORE PROJECT©.
FREE // 6TH-12TH GRADE
About: Students watch the film Earthrise and learn how the emotion of awe felt by the Apollo 8 astronauts and the world helped them to experience the world as a shared home.
FREE // 7TH-10TH GRADE
About: Self-efficacy is using success in an area of your life as a personal reference point for ability, leading to a sense of personal achievement and belief in yourself.
This lesson explores the concept of ‘self-efficacy’ and developing ‘self-belief’. These skills are important for students using a positive outlook to achieve goals and develop resilience.
FREE // 6TH-8TH GRADE
About: Respect and understanding ensue when students allow themselves to become more aware that everyone has a story. If they just look a little closer, they may see a whole new side to someone that they once only judged and/or dismissed. When we understand this reality and learn to look at others with compassion and understanding, people become real. It’s hard to treat someone poorly once you get to know them. The goal of this lesson is to help students to look closer at those around them and become more empathetic.
FREE // K-12TH GRADE
About: Novels and short stories are filled with emotions. The characters in them experience the ups and downs of the human condition, often in dramatic fashion. And as we read along, we feel things, too—about the characters and ourselves. For these reasons, literature offers a gateway to social-emotional learning (SEL) in your classroom.
FREE // PK-12TH GRADE
About: In this quick activity, students participate by sharing roses—something positive going on for a student that day—and thorns, which are negative, or at least less than positive. The rose and thorn check-in is a quick strategy for building community and developing student voice.
FREE // K-12TH GRADE
About: The 2021-2022 Kindness Calender for Schools is a perfect addition to the walls of any hallway, office, classroom or teacher’s lounge. You can even start your morning announcements with a kindness idea from the calendar!
FREE // P-12TH GRADE
About: A list of resources to help students build empathy created by Larry Ferlazzo. Includes readings, videos, and other related resources.
FREE // K-5TH GRADE
About: List of books encouraging and teaching kindness. Also, these books are cited as required materials throughout the Random Acts of Kindness curriculum.
FREE // K-3RD GRADE
About: Looking for ways to help your child with social-emotional learning (SEL)? Many schools have started teaching kids how to do things like cope with feelings, set goals, and get along with others. Here are a handful of social-emotional learning activities that can help children manage emotions and work on social skills — and have some fun with you along the way. These social-emotional learning games are very low-tech and all are designed to fit easily into daily routines.
FREE // K-8TH GRADE
About: Back to school is usually a little awkward after being away from each other all summer. This activity provides individual prompts that encourage others to share their personality and promote a kind and caring classroom. It also promotes student engagement and participation!
FREE // K-12TH GRADE
About: In this guide, you will find activities that are aligned to Sandy Hook Promise’s Start With Hello and Say Something programs. These activities also boost essential social and emotional skills needed during times of social distancing. The activities can be shared with students, used and modelled by trusted adults, and given as ‘Promise Challenges’ by educators. Each activity supports at least one of the five CASEL competencies.
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