Emotion Charades

Objective: Students will identify and express different emotions through movement and facial expressions, strengthening emotional vocabulary and empathy.

Materials: A set of emotion cue cards (e.g., happy, sad, angry, surprised, worried).

Time: 5 minutes

Instructions:

1. Invite students to stand or sit in a circle.
2. Hold up one Emotion Charades Game card without saying the emotion word.
3. Ask a volunteer to silently act out the emotion using only facial expressions and body language.
4. Have classmates guess the emotion and then share a brief example of when they’ve felt that way.
5. Repeat with 3–4 different emotions and volunteers.

Connection to Restorative Conversations:

• After the charades, highlight how recognizing feelings helps us understand friends during conflicts.
• Explain that being able to name emotions is the first step in saying sorry and fixing a friendship.

Circle of Repair

Objective: Guide students through a structured restorative conversation to acknowledge harm, express feelings, apologize, and propose ways to make amends.

Materials:

• A small talking piece (e.g., a soft ball or plush toy)
• Printed Script Cards (cut into individual cards): restorative questions and sentence starters
• Repair Action Prompts cards: ideas for making things right

Setup: Arrange students in a circle and place the talking piece in the center. Shuffle the Script Cards and Repair Action Prompts into two stacks.

Instructions:

1. Introduce the Circle (2 minutes)
   • Explain that when someone holds the talking piece, it’s their turn to speak and everyone else listens respectfully.
   • Review circle norms: speak kindly, listen quietly, and speak from the heart.
2. Present a Conflict Scenario (e.g., from Friendship Flash Slides) (1 minute)
   • Briefly recount what happened and who was hurt.
3. Pass the Talking Piece & Use Script Cards (12 minutes)
   • The teacher begins by holding the piece, drawing a Script Card, and modeling a response.
   • Questions and Sentence Starters on the Script Cards:
     • What happened?
     – “I noticed that…”
     – “Here’s what I saw…”
     • Who was affected?
     – “I felt… when…”
     – “My friend felt… because…”
     • How can we make it right?
     – “I am sorry for…”
     – “Next time I will…”
   • After modeling, pass the talking piece to a volunteer. That student draws the top Script Card, reads the question or starter, and completes the sentence. Continue around the circle until every student has had a turn or time is up.
4. Select Repair Actions (3 minutes)
   • Shuffle and spread out the Repair Action Prompts cards.
   • Invite 2–3 students to choose one prompt (e.g., “Offer to help fix it,” “Give a kind note,” “Share a turn”) and explain how they would do it.
5. Closing Circle (2 minutes)
   • Hold the talking piece and thank everyone for sharing.
   • Encourage students to carry out their repair action before the next recess or break.

Script Cards Examples:

• “I noticed my friend looked sad when I…”
• “I felt upset because…”
• “I am sorry for…”
• “Next time I will…”

Repair Action Prompts Examples:

• “Draw or write a kind note”
• “Help pick up supplies”
• “Share a toy or game”
• “Plan a special compliment”

Differentiation:

• Visual icons next to each sentence starter for emerging readers
• Pair students who need support so they can practice together before sharing

Assessment & Reflection:

• Observe comfort level with speaking and listening roles
• Note students who may need one-on-one coaching with “I feel…” statements
• Follow up in small groups for additional practice as needed

Secret Compliment Cards

Instructions: Write or draw a secret compliment for a classmate. Be kind and specific!

To: ______________________________
From (optional): ___________________

My compliment:

(Cut along the line and place cards in the Compliment Box.)