Emotion Charades Cards

These cards feature basic emotions for students to act out and guess during the warm-up. Print and cut along the dotted lines.

Emotions:

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Scared
• Excited
• Frustrated
• Proud
• Nervous
• Calm

Ground Rules & Prompts Script

Teacher: “Alright everyone, let’s move our chairs into a circle so we can see and hear one another. Today we’re going to share stories and listen to each other. Before we begin, we need to agree on some ground rules to make sure everyone feels safe and respected.”

1. Confidentiality

Teacher: “Our first rule is confidentiality. That means what we share in this room stays in this room.”
Teacher (prompting): “Why do you think it’s important to keep what’s said here private?”
Pause for responses.
Teacher: “Exactly—confidentiality helps us trust each other and feel safe to open up.”

2. Respectful Listening

Teacher: “Our second rule is respectful listening. That means no interruptions, no side conversations, and no judging.”
Teacher (prompting): “What does respectful listening look like or sound like?”
Pause for responses.
Teacher: “Great ideas—looking at the speaker, waiting until they finish before asking questions, and keeping an open mind.”

3. Permission to Pass

Teacher: “Our third rule is permission to pass. If you’re not comfortable answering a prompt, you can always say ‘I’ll pass,’ and that’s completely okay.”
Teacher (prompting): “Why might someone choose to pass today?”
Pause for responses.
Teacher: “Right—sometimes it feels too hard or personal, and we respect that choice.”

Teacher: “Those are our three ground rules: Confidentiality, Respectful Listening, and Permission to Pass. Let’s keep these in mind as we share.”

Introducing the Prompts

Teacher: “I’m handing out our Guided Story Sharing Prompts. These prompts are here to help you think of something you’d like to share. When it’s your turn, pick one prompt that feels right.”

Teacher (holding up the sheet): “For example, one prompt says: ‘Describe a time you felt proud of yourself.’ Another says: ‘Share a moment when something unexpected happened.’ Each prompt gives you a starting point—feel free to answer it in whatever way makes sense to you.”

Teacher (prompting): “Can someone read the first prompt out loud for us?”
Pause until a student reads it.
Teacher: “Thank you! That prompt invites you to talk about a proud moment.”

Teacher: “Remember, each share will be up to two minutes long. When you’re sharing, everyone else listens quietly. If you decide to pass, that’s fine—your turn will simply move to the next person.”

Teacher: “Alright—those are our ground rules and how the prompts work. Does anyone have a quick question before we begin?”
Address any questions.

Teacher: “Great—let’s start our Guided Story Sharing!”

Guided Story Sharing Prompts

Choose one prompt that feels right to you. When it’s your turn, pick a prompt and share your story for up to two minutes. Remember, you can always say “I’ll pass.”

1. Describe a time you felt proud of yourself.
   
   
   

2. Share a moment when something unexpected happened and how you reacted.
   
   
   

3. Talk about a challenge you faced and one thing you did to cope.
   
   
   

4. Describe a time you felt safe and supported by someone.
   
   
   

5. Recall a moment when you were scared but found a way to feel brave.
   
   
   

6. Share an act of kindness you experienced or gave to someone else.
   
   
   

7. Describe a comforting memory that brings you peace.
   
   
   

8. Talk about a goal you set for yourself and how you worked toward it.
   
   
   

9. Share a time you felt understood by a friend or family member.
   
   
   

10. Describe how you take care of yourself when you feel stressed.
    
    
    

Active Listening Log Worksheet

In pairs, Partner A interviews Partner B using one story from the Guided Story Sharing Prompts. Record your notes below. After 5 minutes, switch roles and repeat on the back of this sheet.

Partner A (Listener) Name: ____________
Partner B (Speaker) Name: ____________
Date: ____________

1. Prompt chosen by Partner B:

2. Main idea of the story (one sentence):

3. Supporting details (list three things they said):
a. ____________________________________________________________




b. ____________________________________________________________




c. ____________________________________________________________

4. Emotions you noticed in Partner B as they shared:

5. Two clarifying questions you asked and Partner B’s responses:
a. Question 1: ____________________________________________


Response:




b. Question 2: ____________________________________________


Response:

6. Reflection:

• What did you learn about Partner B’s experience?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• How did it feel to listen actively and respectfully?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Switch roles now: Partner B becomes the listener and completes their own log on the back of this worksheet.