At AdoptAClassroom.org, we want to make sure that educators have the resources they need to support their students. We’ve seen more and more teachers spend their AdoptAClassroom.org donations on supplies for social emotional learning activities.
To help, we’ve assembled some resources below for educators who want to integrate more social emotional learning activities into their classroom, and some ideas on how to receive donations for those supplies through AdoptAClassroom.org.
What is social emotional learning? Why is it important?
Social emotional learning, also known as SEL, was a growing practice in education prior to COVID-19, but the isolation and trauma that students of all ages experienced during the pandemic has made it a central part of many school recovery plans.
Social emotional learning helps students build relationship and self-management skills so they’re able to cope in the present and prepare for their future adulthoods. You can learn more about social emotional learning, and how it intersects with the major issues of the modern era, here.
Social emotional learning activities
1. Painting
“Art helps me relax. It helps me to calm myself down when I’m feeling stressed.” – Fifth Grade Student, California
Fifth grade teacher Sarah G. applied for our 2021 Art Fund Grant because her students “need art to help control their emotions.” Since her students use art as a tool to mitigate their emotions and stay present in the classroom, Sarah used AdoptAClassroom.org to secure paint, paint brushes, high-quality paper, and other tools that her students need for social emotional learning.
“When I get angry, I start getting my paintbrushes and start painting. Art helps me when I get frustrated.” – Fifth Grade Student, California
Want to apply for the AdoptAClassroom.org Art Fund, or another classroom grant that you can utilize for social emotional learning activities in your classroom? Register your classroom here.
2. Yoga
According to EdWeek, physical education has the potential to lower student anxiety and stress. After a period of prolonged social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, making time for physical education can help students increase their physical activity levels, lower their stress, and learn how to interact with their peers in a relatively low-stakes environment.
Yoga is a great social emotional learning activity to get your students’ bodies moving. You can find a variety of free “Yoga for the classroom” videos on YouTube, including this quick routine from Yoga with Adriene.
Adriana T., a school counselor, created a Zen Den for her students to do calming activities. After receiving funds on AdoptAClassroom.org, she was able to purchase yoga mats for the Zen Den, an essential addition to help her students ground themselves.
Looking for funding to enhance your classroom’s learning resources? Check out our current funding opportunities here.
3. Start the day with a check-in
As an educator, check-ins help you know what your students are feeling that day, and how that might impact their learning. For students, check-ins help them identify their emotions and become more comfortable with themselves in a public setting.
Girls Leadership has 26 check-ins for both in-person and distance learning.
Strategies for high school students
For older students, social emotional learning is not less important or desired, but explicit SEL programs may not connect with older students. EdWeek has some strategies for introducing social emotional learning curriculum to high school students.
Need Supplies for your social emotional learning activities?
You can apply for donations for learning materials through AdoptAClassroom.org! To be eligible for classroom giveaways, grant opportunities, and donation matches, make sure you’re registered on AdoptAClassroom.org here.