Social Emotional Learning Teaching Resources
Are you on the hunt for social emotional learning activities, printable PDFs and more to bring SEL to life in your elementary lessons this school year? The list of academic benefits of SEL instruction is a mile long, and the Teach Starter teacher team has created a robust collection of social and emotional learning resources made with teachers – and your students — in mind.
We've made planning your social-emotional learning lessons simple with printable SEL worksheets and digital social and emotional activities designed specifically for the needs of elementary school students. Each resource in this collection has undergone rigorous review by the expert teachers on our team to make sure you'll be comfortable passing them out in the classroom or sending them home in a student's backpack.
Pardon us if we're sharing something you already know (feel free to skip right to the social emotional learning activities!), but if you're new to incorporating SEL into your classroom, you may need a quick refresher! Read on for a guide from our teacher team, including a handy definition of social emotional learning, and ways to implement the five core competencies of SEL.
What Is Social-Emotional Learning? A Simple Definition
The most common social-emotional learning — or social and emotional learning — definition describes SEL as "the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions."
What Are the Social Emotional Learning Core Competencies?
We know are definition is a bit of a mouthful, but essentially social and emotional learning covers the following five core competencies:
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Skills
- Responsible Decision Making
Where Did Social and Emotional Learning Come From?
Teachers have been teaching many of the skills that now fall under the social and emotional learning curriculum for centuries. It's always been our goal to help shape little minds to be caring, productive, and engaged citizens.
But the roots of what we now consider SEL can be traced back to a project in the New Haven, Connecticut schools where school administrators worked with Yale researchers, parents, mental health workers, and teachers to refocus not just the school's academic programs but their social ones too. The project started in the 1960s at two schools considered "underperforming," and by the 1980s, these same schools had academic scores that were at the top of the nation's rankings.
From there, the K-12 New Haven Social Development program was born, establishing a framework for incorporating social and emotional learning into the curriculum. Meanwhile, the non-profit Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) was born in 1994, helping to really bring the term "social and emotional learning" into the zeitgeist.
CASEL was born out of the New Haven projects and helped shape the official definition of SEL listed above in 1997. It now works to expand SEL in schools around the country.
Why Is Social-Emotional Learning Important?
Not sure you have time to fit all of this in alongside the state standards that you're preparing students to meet? A solid social and emotional learning curriculum will help students with everything from managing emotions and developing coping skills to setting positive goals, engaging in positive relationships, and solving problems effectively.
The importance of SEL is hard to overstate, but here are a few core benefits:
- Promote mental health and well-being — Teaching social and emotional lessons in the classroom can help students develop the skills they need to manage their emotions, build positive relationships, and cope with stress and challenges. It's a small step toward better mental health for all.
- Improve academic performance — There's strong research showing that students who have strong social and emotional skills are more likely to be engaged in learning and perform better academically.
- Create a positive classroom culture — Teaching social and emotional lessons can help create the kind of classroom culture where students feel safe, respected, and supported — exactly what we all strive for!
- Prepare students for life after school — Social and emotional skills are essential for success beyond the classroom, be it at home in the immediate future or in college or the workforce. Teaching these skills helps students be better equipped to handle the challenges they will face.
- Address specific social and emotional needs — Teaching social and emotional lessons can help address students' specific needs, such as building self-esteem, managing emotions, and developing empathy for others. This can also help to create a more inclusive and equitable classroom where all students feel respected and valued. It's also good for your overall classroom management.
How to Teach Social and Emotional Lessons
There's little question that there's value in social and emotional learning, but how do you actually teach it? There's no simple answer here, as the exact methodology will differ based on grade level, individual student needs, and even your classroom dynamics!
That said, here are some strategies from our teacher team to keep in mind as you consider how you're incorporating the components of SEL in your instruction:
- Modeling — This is likely no surprise — we are our students' role models in the classroom for so much. Don't underestimate the value of your own active listening, displays of empathy and self-regulation, and other skills that are essential for your students' social and emotional development.
- Classroom Culture — Establishing a safe and supportive learning environment where students feel respected, valued, and empowered goes a long way. Fostering a sense of community, promoting positive communication, and encouraging collaboration and teamwork are all helping kids build their SEL quotient!
- Integration — Of course, you can (and should) have explicit instruction on SEL, but you can also incorporate SEL concepts into your core subject lessons. Discuss emotions related to a character in a book or working on group projects that require collaboration and communication. If you're teaching math, emphasize the importance of perseverance and problem-solving skills. Teaching social studies? Discuss empathy and the ability to understand different perspectives. It all comes together!
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Chill Out – Classroom Break Passes
Give your students a work break to stop behavior problems before they start with our printable Chill Out Passes.
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Resilience Writing Prompts
Use this set of resilience writing prompts to help your students reflect upon times they have observed resilience in themselves and others.
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Self-Esteem Heart Activity
Help students boost their self-esteem with this lovely heart-themed activity
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Personal Qualities Word Search
Explore different personal qualities with your students with this printable personal qualities word search.
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Sloth Mindfulness Coloring Pages
Use these sloth-themed coloring pages to bring a bit of creative calm into the classroom.
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Diversity Craft Templates
Prepare for your diversity-themed lessons and more with 3 versatile black and white craft templates.
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Pattern Coloring - Flower
Use colors to create a pattern using this sheet.
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Analyzing Situations Sorting Activity
Use this sorting activity with your students to practice analyzing situations for their problems, consequences and possible solutions.
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Let's Be Grateful! - Thanksgiving Game for Kids
Roll, write, and share what youre thankful this year with a printable Thanksgiving game for kids.
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Classroom Routines for Independent Work Checklist
Give your students a checklist to remind them of classroom routines to follow when working independently.
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How To Be a Good Friend – Teaching Slides
Learn how to form healthy and long-lasting friendships with this set of teaching slides.
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Personal Space and Setting Boundaries Activity Set
Learn about personal space and appropriate boundaries with this activity pack.
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Cooperation Cause and Effect Worksheet
Discover the effects of uncooperative behavior with a cause-and-effect worksheet.
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Conflict Resolution Tips - Poster
Display some top tips for solving playground conflicts with this colorful and informative classroom poster.
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Mindfulness Activity Mats
A set of 10 mindfulness activity mats.
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Emotions in Spanish Anchor Chart
Help your bilingual students express their emotions in Spanish with a classroom poster.
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World Kindness Day Coloring Sheets
Use these World Kindness Day coloring pages as a fun art activity with your students.
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World Kindness Day Craft - Stick with Kindness
Discuss the importance of kindness and explore why we should ‘stick with kindness’ with this writing and craft activity.
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Mindful Breathing Exercises – Task Cards
Use these mindfulness breathing exercises to help students calm themselves down when they are feeling upset or anxious.
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Classroom Catastrophe Scale – Display
Help your students gauge the severity of everyday challenges with this wall display.
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Fox Mindful Coloring Sheet
A fox mindful coloring sheet.
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Coping With Change - Social Story Mini Book
A social story to develop coping skills for when there is a change in the routine.
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5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation Activity Task Cards for Kids
Bring 5-minute mindfulness meditation into the classroom and your social and emotional learning with these 17 printable activity cards for kids.
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Whole Body Listening Posters
A set of posters highlighting the characteristics of a good listener.
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Mindfulness Coloring Sheets - Portrait
A set of 3 mindfulness coloring sheets.
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Gender Inequality in Education Infographic Poster
An infographic displaying important facts and statistics about gender inequality in education.
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I Need a Break - Choice Boards
Help upset students regulate their emotions in the classroom with our printable ‘I Need a Break!’ choice boards.
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My Bowerbird Nest of Values Template
Help students understand what they value with this Bowerbird nest of values craft template.
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Reflecting on Choices Writing Prompt Pack
Encourage students to reflect on the choices they’ve made and their respective outcomes with this set of 8 writing prompts.
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Growth Mindset Bookmarks
Encourage your students to think about their growth mindset with this set of printable bookmarks.
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Choose Empathy Teaching Slides & Note Guide
Help your students understand the difference between empathy and sympathy while learning how to be empathetic with this set of teaching slides and note guide.
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Managing Big Emotions – Interactive Activity
Teach students how to manage emotions using healthy coping skills with this interactive scenario game for the early years classroom.
- Social Emotional Learning Templates
- Social Emotional Learning Posters
- Social Emotional Learning Worksheets
- Social Emotional Learning Games
- Social Emotional Learning for Pre-K
- Social Emotional Learning for Kindergarten
- Social Emotional Learning for 1st Grade
- Social Emotional Learning for 2nd Grade
- Social Emotional Learning for 3rd Grade
- Social Emotional Learning for 4th Grade
- Social Emotional Learning for 5th Grade
- Social Emotional Learning for 6th Grade