Small-Group SEL Activities to Strengthen Belonging and Relationships
Social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction in small groups can be a great way to build student belonging and community—while also teaching key skills and competencies that students may need additional support with.
Small-group SEL activities (which can take place during homeroom, morning meetings, or advisory periods) are great Tier 1 or 2 interventions to focus on relationship-building as a precursor to academic learning.
This toolkit includes a set of 6 facilitation guides for small-group SEL activities—complete with “how to” instructions and differentiation tips for educators. These low-lift strategies are designed to help promote positive relationships while building students’ SEL skills.
This resource is perfect for:
- District Leaders: Share these facilitation guides with your school teams and consider ways to improve districtwide SEL implementation.
- School Leaders: Bring these small-group intervention ideas to PLCs, staff meetings, Student Support team meetings, or summer school programming sessions to ensure SEL is embedded into the fabric of your school.
- Teachers and Student Support Staff: Try these activities with your students during morning meetings, advisory, or homeroom to strengthen relationships and teach key social-emotional skills.
Example Interventions (Instructions Included!):
✔ Make a Face
✔ Lunch Bunch
✔ Two-Word Check-In
✔ WOOP
