SEL Script for 6th Grade

Good morning, everyone! Today, we’re going to talk about something really important called Social and Emotional Learning, or SEL for short. SEL is all about understanding our feelings, knowing how to manage them, and how to get along better with our friends and classmates.

Introduction

Let's start by thinking about our day. Every day, we feel a lot of different emotions—happy, excited, maybe sometimes a bit frustrated or sad. Can anyone share one emotion they felt today and why?

[Pause for student responses and briefly comment on their ideas.]

Defining SEL

Now, SEL stands for Social and Emotional Learning. That means learning about ourselves and how we interact with others. It helps us:

• Understand our own feelings.

• Develop skills for managing our emotions.

• Build strong relationships with others.

Why do you think it’s important to know how to manage your feelings?






[Listen to responses and highlight examples that show thoughtfulness.]

Real Life Example

Imagine you’re playing a game and you lose. You might feel upset or disappointed. SEL teaches us to recognize these feelings, so instead of getting too angry or sad, we can take a moment to cool down, understand why we feel that way, and think about how to try again. This skill is very useful not just in games, but in school and life!

Key Points

Remember these key ideas about SEL:

• It helps us understand our own emotions.
  
• It teaches us to communicate better with our friends.
  
• It supports us in making positive choices even when we face challenges.
  
  
  

Engaging Question

Can anyone share a time when understanding your feelings helped you in a situation? What did you do?






[Encourage a few students to share their examples and validate their responses with positive feedback.]

Transition to Activity

Great sharing, everyone! Now that we understand what SEL is, we are going to do a fun activity to practice these ideas even more. Remember, today we’re learning how to be aware of our feelings and how to handle them in a positive way.

Teacher transitions to the next part of the lesson using the SEL Activity Instructions and Warm-Up/Cool Down resources outlined in our lesson plan. Continue with the group discussion and interactive activity as planned, and then close with a cool-down reflection.

Wrap-Up

Let's take a minute to think quietly about one thing you learned today about SEL. How can you use this idea in your daily life?






[Pause to allow student reflection and sharing.]

Thank you all for your wonderful participation today! Remember, learning about our emotions and how to get along with others is a powerful tool that will help you every day. See you next time!

SEL Discussion Guide for 6th Grade

This discussion guide is designed to help you lead a thoughtful conversation on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) with your students. Use the following guidelines and prompts to facilitate the discussion and encourage students to share personal experiences and thoughts about managing emotions and relationships.

Discussion Guidelines

1. Create a safe space: Begin by reminding students that every opinion and experience is valid. Encourage active listening and respect for everyone's ideas.
   
   
   
2. Encourage participation: Ask open-ended questions to invite responses from different students. Remind shy students that they can share as much or as little as they feel comfortable.
   
   
   
3. Stay on task: Guide the conversation back to the topic if it strays. Use prompts to reinforce the focus on SEL.
   
   
   
4. Reflect and summarize: Summarize key points from the discussion and tie them back to the importance of SEL in daily life.
   
   
   

Discussion Prompts and Questions

Opening Questions

• Warm-Up Prompt: "What is one emotion you felt today and what do you think caused it?"
  
  
  
• Initial Reflection: "Why do you think it’s important to understand our own feelings?"
  
  
  

Deepening the Conversation

• Experience Sharing: "Can anyone share a time when you felt overwhelmed by your emotions? What did you do to handle that feeling?"
  
  
  
• Problem Solving: "Think about a moment when a friend was upset. How did you help, or what could you have done differently?"
  
  
  
• Real-life Application: "Imagine you’re playing a game and you lose. How do you think you could use what we learned about SEL to react positively when you feel disappointed?"
  
  
  

Reflective Questions

• Self-awareness: "How does understanding your emotions make you feel more confident in handling challenges?"
  
  
  
• Empathy: "What are some ways we can show empathy towards our classmates when they are upset?
  
  
  
• Growth Mindset: "How can practicing SEL help us to become better friends and classmates?"
  
  
  

Closing Reflection

• Wrap-up Question: "What is one takeaway from today’s discussion that you think you can use in your daily life?"
  
  
  

Additional Tips for the Teacher

• If students seem reluctant to speak, consider using a think-pair-share strategy where they discuss their thoughts with a partner before sharing with the whole group.
  
  
  
• Use positive reinforcement like praising thoughtful responses and encouraging quieter students to participate.
  
  
  
• Keep track of recurring themes or issues students mention and revisit them in future lessons to build a consistent understanding of SEL.
  
  
  

By following this guide, you’ll help your students gain a deeper understanding of social and emotional skills. Have a great discussion session on SEL!

SEL Activity 6th Grade

Activity Overview

In this hands-on exercise, students will engage in role-playing scenarios that help them practice SEL skills. They will work in small groups, acting out different situations that require managing emotions, demonstrating empathy, and using positive communication skills.

Activity Instructions

1. Divide into Groups: Organize students into small groups of 3-4.
   
   
   

2. Scenario Cards: Provide each group with a set of scenario cards. Each card describes a situation where SEL skills (like managing anger, showing empathy, or communicating clearly) are needed. (Teacher can prepare these cards ahead of time or ask students to come up with scenarios.)
   
   
   

3. Role-Playing: Ask each group to select a card and perform a short role-play that demonstrates how to respond using SEL skills. Encourage creativity and ensure every group member participates either in acting or giving feedback.
   
   
   

4. Discussion: After each role-play, have the rest of the class share what SEL strategies they observed. Discussion questions might include:

   • "What specific actions showed empathy in this scenario?"
   • "How did the characters manage their emotions?"
   • "What could have been done differently?"

5. Reflection: Conclude the activity by asking each student to write down one key SEL skill they learned or a strategy they think will help them in the future. Use the SEL Warm-Up and Cool Down material to guide a brief reflective session.
   
   
   

Materials Needed

• Pre-made scenario cards (or whiteboard to jot down scenarios)
  
• Space for small group role-playing
  
• Reflection sheets or paper for each student
  
  
  

Teacher Tips

• Monitor each group to ensure active participation and respectful interaction.
  
• Prompt quieter students to contribute their thoughts during the discussion.
  
• Remind students that there are no 'wrong' responses and that every effort to use SEL skills is a step in the right direction.
  
  
  

This activity encourages practical application of SEL concepts and helps solidify understanding through experiential learning. Have fun exploring and practicing your SEL skills!

SEL Warm-Up and Cool Down for 6th Grade

Warm-Up Activity

Begin the class with a quick and engaging warm-up to introduce the concepts of SEL.

1. Emotion Check-In: Ask students to quickly share one emotion they've felt this morning and one reason why they think they felt that way. This can be done as a round-robin or with volunteers sharing with the class.
   
   
   

2. Mindful Moment: Have students close their eyes and take a few deep breaths. Invite them to focus on how they feel in the moment. Ask them to silently note one positive thought.
   
   
   

3. Quick Poll: Pose the question, "What's one thing that makes you feel happy at school?" and let a few students share their thoughts.
   
   
   

Cool Down and Reflection

At the end of the lesson, use this cool-down activity to help students reflect on what they learned about SEL.

1. Silent Reflection: Ask students to think about one SEL skill they practiced today, such as managing a feeling or showing empathy. Give them a moment of quiet time to reflect.
   
   
   

2. Drawing Emotions: Provide a space on their paper for students to draw or write briefly about their feelings at the end of class. This drawing can represent how they feel now compared to the start of the class.
   
   
   

3. Sharing Circle: Invite students to share one word or sentence about what they learned or one way they can use SEL skills in their daily life. Encourage sharing in a respectful, supportive manner.
   
   
   

This warm-up and cool down session is designed to bookend the lesson with opportunities for self-awareness, reflection, and mindfulness, reinforcing the key elements of Social and Emotional Learning.