Scenario Practice Activity

Objective:

• Help students practice identifying warning signs of suicidal behavior in realistic scenarios and develop a supportive response plan.

Materials:

• Response Scenario Cards
• Response Strategy Worksheet

Group Size: 3–4 students per group
Time: 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Group Setup (1 minute)
   • Arrange students into groups of 3–4.
   • Give each group one deck of Response Scenario Cards and a Response Strategy Worksheet.
2. Identify Warning Signs (5 minutes)
   • In each group, take turns drawing a scenario card.
   • Read the scenario aloud and discuss: “Which verbal, emotional, or behavioral signs do you notice?”
   • On the worksheet, list each sign and classify it (verbal, emotional, behavioral).
3. Develop Response Plan (6 minutes)
   • Still in your group, role-play the interaction:
     1. One student plays the concerned friend, one plays the peer in crisis, others observe.
     2. Practice using empathetic language, open-ended questions, and planning to involve a trusted adult.
   • Record on your worksheet:
     • What you would say first
     • Key supportive phrases
     • Which adult or resource you’d contact and how
4. Share and Reflect (3 minutes)
   • Select one scenario to present to the class.
   • Briefly describe the warning signs you identified and demonstrate your response plan.
   • Classmates offer one piece of positive feedback and one suggestion for improvement.

Guiding Questions for Groups

• What details in the scenario tipped you off that your peer might be in crisis?
• How can you show empathy and keep your peer talking?
• Which trusted adult or resource would be best for this situation, and why?
• How might you follow up with your peer afterward?

Teacher Notes & Follow-Up

• Circulate to ensure all students participate and stay on task.
• Provide language supports or sentence starters for ELL students (e.g., “I’m worried because…”).
• If a group struggles to identify signs, prompt them with examples from the Warning Signs Poster Handout.
• After the activity, reinforce that it’s okay to seek help from a trusted adult and remind students of school resources.

Expected Outcome:
Students will confidently name at least two types of warning signs in each scenario and propose a clear, empathetic plan for supporting a peer and involving adult resources.

Spot the Signs Bingo

Objective:

• Reinforce students’ ability to identify warning signs of suicidal behavior in a fast-paced, engaging format.

Materials:

• Spot the Signs Bingo Cards (one per student)
• Caller’s list of warning signs (see Sample Warning Signs List below)
• Bingo markers (e.g., chips, beans, or pencils)
• Small prize or class recognition (optional)

Time: 10 minutes
Group Size: Whole class

Setup (2 minutes)

1. Distribute one bingo card and a set of markers to each student.
2. Explain that each square contains a different warning sign (verbal, emotional, or behavioral).
3. Let students know you will call out warning signs in random order.

How to Play (8 minutes)

1. Calling Signs:
   • Teacher (or student volunteer) draws or reads one warning sign at a time from the caller’s list.
   • Example call: “Expressing feelings of being trapped or in unbearable pain.”
2. Mark Your Card:
   • If a student’s card has that exact sign in any square, they place a marker on it.
3. Win Condition:
   • The first student to mark five squares in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) stands up and shouts “Support!”
4. Winner Share:
   • The winner reads two of the signs from their winning row and explains why they matter.
   • Classmates and teacher offer quick reinforcement or ask clarifying questions.
5. Continue Play (optional):
   • Reset markers for a new round or play until another student wins “Blackout” (fills the entire card).

Sample Warning Signs List (for Caller)

Use signs from the Warning Signs Poster Handout or these examples:

• Verbal: “I wish I wasn’t here.”
• Emotional: Sudden mood swings—happy one moment, tearful the next.
• Behavioral: Withdrawing from friends or activities.
• Verbal: Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
• Behavioral: Giving away prized possessions.
• Emotional: Displaying extreme anxiety or agitation.
• Behavioral: Changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or oversleeping).
• Verbal: “Everyone would be better off without me.”
• Emotional: Expressing rage or uncontrolled anger.
• Behavioral: Increased risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.
• Verbal: Talking about being a burden to others.
• Emotional: Loss of interest in things they used to enjoy.
• Behavioral: Neglecting personal hygiene or appearance.
• Verbal: “I just want the pain to stop.”
• Emotional: Persistent sadness or crying for no clear reason.

(Expand or tailor this list to match the signs on your bingo cards.)

Teacher Tips & Extensions

• Keep the pace lively—pause briefly after each call for students to find and mark their squares.
• If a student calls “Support!” too early, gently coach them to double-check their row.
• Encourage winners to link the signs they read back to one real-life example or why it matters.
• For mixed-ability or ELL support, project the list of signs on the board as you call them.
• Wrap up with a 1-minute debrief: “Which sign surprised you? How might recognizing this sign help you support a friend?”