Creative Community Building

Community Building: Skills Highlights

1. Who – This activity is designed for high school students in a performing arts class (drama/dance). This particular group is audition only and takes a few other courses together. With slight modification, this activity can be applied to other settings and groups.

2. What – During this activity, students will take turns identifying what they most value about the currently selected student’s performance abilities/traits.

3. UDL and/or SEL? This activity is designed with the SEL Competencies of Relationship Skills and Social Awareness. The intent of this activity I to foster community building in this class. Pointing out what others see as valuable traits/skills bring realization of value to each other.

4. Why – Chelsea’s main concern from our interview was the lack of noticeable and efficient community building through distance learning.

5. How – The students will take turns sharing what they value about each other’s performance abilities. During the activity, students will take note of what comments they receive. Once all students share their comments to each other, each will make an image highlighting those qualities. It is up to you, but I recommend allowing them the freedom to use the exact words in the image or symbols to represents those qualities. If they need help, I have included a handout that will allow them to place those qualities “onto themselves.” Once the students are finished, there are a few ideas for next steps:

   1. Group share: explaining how they represented the comments

   2. “Class quilt”: Students can scan/take a picture of their image and the class san choose how to piece them all together

   3. Reflection: Simply prompt the student that there are qualities others see as advantageous.

6. Materials –

   1. Something to write on: white boards, poster paper, zoom chat, etc.

   2. Something to write/color with

   3. Handout template