Conversations and Community
Social Awareness Activities
Virginia SEL Standards
Click the image to the right to access the standards for
Social Awareness →
Adult SEL Activities
CASEL Personal SEL Reflection
Here’s how to use this tool:
● Read each statement and think of related specific situations, then rate yourself on the statement by marking the appropriate box (very difficult, difficult, easy, or very easy for you to do).
● When you finish, search for patterns of strengths and challenges. This information is for you, so answer accurately without judging responses as “good” or “not as good.”
● Review your responses and take action in light of what you learn. Suggested writing prompts and actions can be found after the reflection statements.
Active Listening for School Staff
This activity allows school staff to build their active listening skills and therefore better relate to one another and students.
Self Reflection
Implicit Association Test
Psychologists at Harvard, the University of Virginia and the University of Washington created "Project Implicit" to develop Hidden Bias Tests—called Implicit Association Tests, or IATs, in the academic world—to measure unconscious bias.
Webinar: Implicit Bias
This Equity Matters webinar delves into implicit biases—the subconscious biases we all have that influence how we respond to others. To create equitable classrooms, educators must acknowledge their own biases and take steps to confront them.
Click the picture to watch this 47 minute webinar.
Student SEL Activities
Social Competence in Early Childhood
Feeling faces provide young children with an opportunity to understand their emotions and those of others.
Resources from Early Childhood Education- Virginia
Agree to Disagree
Map the Climate of Your School
Similarity and Difference Stars
Random Acts of Kindness
Materials: Our list of 93 random acts of kindness ideas!
Promote random acts of kindness in your classroom to build a positive school culture and help students develop empathy.
Some of our favorite ideas are:
Students will learn the value of being kind to others and build relationships in and outside of the classroom!
Conversations with Grandparents
A Simple Safe Service project from home: Interview a grandparent or elderly friend to find out what they did for fun when they were young, and how it is the same and different than you. Follow your phone or video interview with a card in the mail. Or make friendly door hangers to donate to a local home for senior residents.
Writing Reflection Prompts
Feelings and Perspectives of Others
Philosophical Chairs-Intro to Bias
This activity prompts young people to think and speak critically with their peers about a real-world topic. They consider how the topic applies to them and how it might impact others. During this activity, youth share their opinions, debate their positions, and sometimes even change sides as their opinions shift to accommodate new information or other viewpoints. This activity introduces young people to the concepts of bias and stereotypes by discussing how the judgments we make can be very damaging.
Listening Circles
To begin this activity that teaches active listening, separate your class into groups of four or five students. Have students take turns answering a get-to-know you question. If any student interrupts the person talking, remind them that everyone gets to a turn sharing their answer.
Here are a few question ideas:
At the end of the activity, come together for a class discussion about what they learned in their groups. To make sure every student feels included, try pairing students up and having them share one thing about their partner after the activity.
Developing Empathy (3-5)
6 or 9?
Developing Empathy (grades 6-8)
Literature Connections
Social Awareness Discussion Questions
https://childrenslibrarylady.com/social-awareness-activities/
SEL Learning Activity Calendar
CASEL’s Sample Teaching Activities