All About Me Bingo

Objective:
Help students get to know one another by finding peers who share similar interests, experiences, or traits in a fun, low-pressure format.

Audience:
5th–6th grade SEL Squad (2–5 students, including those with ADHD or communication impairments)

Time:
5 minutes

Materials:

• Printed “All About Me Bingo” cards (one per student)
• Pencils or markers

Preparation:

• Print enough bingo cards so each student has one
• Provide markers or pencils
• Optionally, display a large sample card on the board or screen

Instructions:

1. Distribute one All About Me Bingo Card and a pencil/marker to each student.
2. Explain: “You’ll have 5 minutes to mingle. Find peers who match the descriptions in the squares (e.g., ‘Has a pet cat,’ ‘Enjoys drawing,’ ‘Speaks more than one language’). When you find someone who fits, have them initial that square.”
3. Encourage students to circulate around the group until someone fills three squares in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal).
4. Once a student has three in a row, call them back together. Ask the student to share one interesting fact they learned about a peer.
5. Continue until time is up or each student has had a turn sharing.

Supports for ADHD and Communication Impairments:

• Provide a visual version of the bingo card with icons or pictures next to each prompt.
• Use color-coded sections on the card to group similar prompts (e.g., hobbies, family, favorites).
• Offer sentence starters on the board or printed on the cards, such as:
  • “My name is ____, and I _____.”
  • “I like ____ because ____.”
• Allow students to stay seated if movement is too distracting; they can call out and initial from their spot.
• Pair non-verbal students with a buddy who can scribe their responses or use picture exchange cards.

Reflection/Wrap-Up (2 minutes):
Gather back in a circle and ask:

• “What was one new thing you discovered about a classmate?”
• “How did it feel to share something about yourself?”

Close by reinforcing how learning about others helps build positive peer relationships and respect for differences.

Self-Reflection Worksheet

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

Take a few quiet moments to think about yourself. Write complete sentences for each prompt.

1. One thing I’m good at is…

1. One feeling I want to understand better is…

1. A time I felt proud of myself was when…

1. When I notice a strong emotion (like anger, sadness, or excitement), one thing I can do to help myself calm down is…

Emotion Charades

Objective:
Help students identify and express different emotions by acting them out and observing peers’ nonverbal cues.

Audience:
5th–6th grade SEL Squad (2–5 students, including those with ADHD or communication impairments)

Time:
5 minutes

Materials:

• Emotion Charades Cards
• A small container or hat to hold cards

Preparation:

• Print and cut out Emotion Charades Cards
• Fold cards and place them in the container
• Review each emotion yourself so you can model if needed

Instructions:

1. Gather students in a circle or semicircle.
2. Explain: “Each person will draw a card from the container, act out the emotion without using words, and the rest of us will guess what emotion it is.”
3. Demonstrate with one card (e.g., ‘surprised’): show how to focus on facial expression and body language.
4. Invite one student to pick a card, act it out for up to 30 seconds, then have peers call out guesses.
5. Once guessed, ask:
   • “What clues helped you guess that emotion?”
   • “How might someone look or sound if they felt that way?”
6. Continue until each student has at least one turn or time is up.

Supports for ADHD and Communication Impairments:

• Use clear, simple emotion cards with both words and pictures.
• Give each student a 10–15 second think time before acting.
• Allow nonverbal students to point to a feeling chart or use an emotion icon board.
• Offer sentence starters for guesses: “I think you feel ____ because ____.”

Reflection/Wrap-Up (2 minutes):

• Ask: “Which emotion was easiest or hardest to act out?”
• Reinforce that noticing nonverbal cues helps us understand how others feel.
• Close by reminding students these skills build empathy and better friendships.

Recognizing Feelings Discussion

Discussion Guidelines

• Listen respectfully; one person speaks at a time.
• Use “I” statements: “I feel…, when…”
• It’s okay to pass or share as much as you’re comfortable with.
• Notice and respect each other’s experiences and feelings.

Key Questions & Follow-Ups

1. How do you know when you’re feeling an emotion (like happiness, anger, or sadness)?
   • Follow-up: What physical cues (butterflies in your stomach, tight chest, racing heart) do you notice?
   • Follow-up: What thoughts or images pop into your head when you feel that way?
2. Think of a time you felt stressed or anxious. What triggered that feeling?
   • Follow-up: How did your body react first? (e.g., sweaty palms, tense muscles)
   • Follow-up: How did you respond to help yourself feel better?
3. Why is it helpful to give a name to an emotion (e.g., saying “I feel frustrated” instead of just acting out)?
   • Follow-up: How might naming your feeling help you slow down and choose a coping strategy?
4. When you see a friend showing signs of an emotion (for example, looking upset or excited), what clues do you use to understand how they feel?
   • Follow-up: How can you respond in a caring way once you recognize their emotion?
5. Why is it important to respect other people’s feelings, even if you don’t feel the same way?
   • Follow-up: How does showing respect build stronger friendships?

Connections to Other Activities

• Refer back to skills practiced in Emotion Charades when recognizing nonverbal cues.
• Relate naming feelings here to the self-awareness skills in the Self-Awareness Wheel Worksheet.

Reflection & Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

• Invite each student to share one new insight: “Today I learned that I….”
• Reinforce that recognizing and naming emotions is the first step toward healthy coping and strong peer relationships.