All Practices
To find what you need quickly, sort the practices by age level and duration.
A fun counting and clapping activity to build positive group energy and to say “thumbs up” to mistakes.
Build positive relationships with students in 2 minutes a day.
Develop students’ intellectual humility through concept mapping
A fun, fast way for students to develop close friendships
Ask and respond to a set of questions in pairs to get to know your colleagues better.
Foster a sense of belonging through peer interviews and by integrating the collected data into math instruction.
Students write a letter or poem to express their gratitude to something in the natural world.
Students learn how to comfort themselves during stressful times.
Foster well-being and inspiration through nature
Students identify the many ways that exist to express gratitude.
Students define gratitude and give an example of a time they felt grateful.
School staff connect with each other through empathy and understanding.
Students draw and write about ways they have acted with kindness towards others.
A quick reflection tool to help when you feel defensive or threatened
Expand students’ thinking through awe
Students learn to say “thank you” in American Sign Language and brainstorm non-verbal ways to express gratitude.
Students practice a mindful body scan and express gratitude for what their bodies allow them to do.
Experience awe through visual design.
Students feel the earth under their feet in this mindful movement practice.
Students go outside and experience mindfulness linked to elements of nature.
Students identify ways they can practice “random acts of kindness.”
Students express gratitude through singing.
Foster positive relationships by speaking kindly about someone “behind their back.”
Students imagine their lives at 40. (Purpose Challenge Practice #5)
Relax your body and calm your mind before you sleep.
Introduce students to “Focus Power,” or the ability to sustain attention and ignore distractions when needed.
Introduce students to “Remember Power,” or the ability to keep track of, update, and use information over short periods of time.
Introduce students to “Stop and Think Power,” or the ability to control impulses and to “think before you act.”
Students practice and build executive function skills in whole-class games.
Students redirect their attention to their breath each time their minds wander.
Take a few minutes to relax your body and calm your mind.
Staff members lessen their stress through an experience of awe.
Students co-create norms to foster a safe and welcoming class environment
Use drama as a way to motivate students to stick with boring or difficult tasks.
A reflection tool to help leaders cultivate a positive and ethical school climate
Students consider the intentions of characters in a story who are kind to others.
A cooperative learning technique that engages all students’ participation through movement, discussion, and communication of ideas.
Students will identify the stereotypes they hold and consider the impact those stereotypes have on the fair treatment of athletes.
Re-evaluate your thinking patterns to become more emotionally resilient at work.
Use the Circle process to encourage students to safely and respectfully share their level of understanding on an academic topic.
Use the Circle process to build a sense of connection among students and staff by sharing moods, feelings, and moments of joy and pain.
Teachers examine 13 specific beliefs about ethnically diverse students, reflect on those beliefs and outline action steps for better serving their students.
Students develop courage by evaluating an idea or proposition and taking a stance on it.
Students will identify their personal biases and consider how those biases influence their ability to treat others fairly.
Experience the vast interconnectedness of our world
Students read a text slowly and reflect on its personal meaning for them.
Students explore their thoughts, emotions, or ideas by freewriting on a topic of their choosing, an academic-related question, or an ethical dilemma.
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
A routine for celebrating each student in your class
Students design a tattoo that symbolizes the things that matter most to them. (Purpose Challenge Practice #6)
Students grow their self-understanding through a contemplative art process that uses their own “scrapbook” of meaningful images.
Experience music together to inspire awe, cultivate an awareness of emotions, and craft connection in the classroom.
Students brainstorm ideas for coping with anger as a first step to forgiveness.
A game involving balance and teamwork that helps build trust.
Help students (or staff) understand that mistakes are important for learning and growing our intelligence.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
A discussion that uses scenarios to explore character and citizenship.
Students provide input on changes that could be made to the classroom to subtly cue kind behavior.
Students shift their beliefs about people’s ability to change.
Reduce student anxiety by changing students’ beliefs about social challenges.
Teachers and students converse with each other through letter writing.
Teachers and students converse with each other through writing.
Teachers and students converse with each other through writing.
Teachers reflect on and discuss the various dimensions and impact of their identities on their relationships with students and their families.
Students identify their strengths to increase self-understanding. (Gratitude for Tweens and Teens Lesson 1)
Cultivate well-being and meaning through an experience of awe
Students reach out to trusted adults to ask what they think are students’ strengths and talents. (Purpose Challenge Practice #1)
A short but powerful number sense activity that shows students the visual nature of math, creativity in math, and that there are many different ways people see math.
Students experience drawing as a strategy that can help shift unpleasant emotions to calmer, more pleasant ones.
Students reflect on what it means to "bear witness" to something.
Students reflect on how the Earthrise photograph offered humans a new way to see the Earth: without borders or boundaries.
Students reflect on how the Earthrise photograph instills a sense of awe and wonder towards our planet.
Students reflect on how the Earthrise photograph instills a sense of reverence and awe, encouraging us to be stewards of the Earth.
Practice slowing down and bringing your full awareness to a sensory experience.
Key principles to help you forgive and achieve peace of mind.
A reflection tool to help school and teacher leaders cultivate qualities of moral leadership within themselves
Broaden students’ thinking about a topic or skill, sparking curiosity, creativity, humility, and open-mindedness
Teachers will foster students’ moral identity through selective use of language in the classroom.
Students engage in prosocial (kind, helpful) actions for ten days and reflect on the impact of their actions on themselves and others.
School leaders identify and reflect on three qualities that energize them at work.
Inspire students to practice intellectual humility by introducing them to what intellectual humility is, what it looks like, and why it is valuable.
Students explore and reflect on their values. (Purpose Challenge Practice #4)
Students reflect on why another person acted kindly towards them, and practice gratitude both verbally & in writing.
Students use writing as a tool to explore their emotions and challenges
Educators prepare to facilitate “bridging differences” discussions about justice and equity in the classroom.
Teachers and students create a safe space to develop strong relationships.
Think about a time when you felt close to another colleague to foster a personal sense of belonging at school.
Students think about a time when they felt close to someone in order to foster a sense of belonging and well-being.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
In a group meeting, students share their feelings while also building their feelings vocabulary and emotion knowledge.
Students identify emotions related to gratitude.
Sharing stories of kindness and courage to inspire awe, hope, and belonging in the classroom.
Engage, motivate, and calm students by cultivating awe through sensory experiences.
Spark creativity and curiosity in students through inspiring works of art.
Students discover what is meaningful to them and how it connects to their learning.
Tune into your sense of awe by slowing down and being receptive to your surroundings.
Students track their breathing as they trace up and down the fingers of one hand.
Students “finish” math problems by making connections between solutions to problems and everyday life.
Students practice turning complaints into gratitude statements.
In this circle activity, students practice mindful speaking and mindful listening.
A list of discussion questions to help cultivate students’ empathy.
A list of discussion questions to help cultivate students’ empathy.
An opening math activity that provides students the opportunity to appreciate different ways of achieving the same answer.
An interactive learning strategy that helps students clarify their own ideas and hear other perspectives—while getting them out of their seats.
A game to develop students' self-control by stopping themselves from moving or dancing when the music stops
Students think about the factors that encourage and discourage people to act when they confront suffering or injustice.
Students practice their social skills with each other while learning a new dance move
Spend quality time with people you care about.
Students define gratitude and name things they’re grateful for.
A simple way to build students’ academic mindset, trust, and positive identity.
Students cultivate moral reasoning skills and humility through a peer-feedback process focused on P.E. skills.
Students reflect on acts of kindness and how they often require intention and effort on the part of the person who does them.
A norm-setting activity to help create an environment for productive, positive, and equitable group work in math class
Students cultivate greater humility by practicing good listening skills.
Say “thank you” to other staff members for small favors or kindnesses.
Students interview an older person about gratitude, deepening their own understanding of gratitude.
Students write five things they’re grateful for once a day for two weeks.
Students write a letter of thanks and deliver it in person.
Students deepen their understanding of gratitude by “embodying” it.
Students take a mindful walk in nature, noting what they are grateful for, and create a collaborative art piece of their experience.
Students interpret and role-play a variety of quotes about gratitude.
Students express gratitude towards the many people whose efforts have brought them food.
Staff members express gratitude for others in the school community.
Students brainstorm ways to self-correct after saying or doing the wrong thing.
A game to cultivate students’ focus and attention by listening carefully and remembering the right motion
Strategies to encourage and help students practice honesty
A game to develop students' memory and attention by remembering what you're supposed to do while doing a different motion.
Learn to comfort yourself in the ways you would comfort good friends.
Acknowledge the faces of everyone in your classroom or meeting to deepen a sense of group connection.
A game to build students’ focus and attention by practicing careful looking to find the object that another person is thinking of
School staff highlight which SEL skills were used during a meeting and share with others.
Mentally cultivate kindness toward yourself and consider how you might be of service to others
Play sound in a circle to synchronize and create a harmonious vibe among students
Broaden students’ thinking and connection to something larger than themselves.
Use language that sparks helpfulness in students.
Students reflect on examples of the goodness of humanity.
Students explore what forgiveness is and what it is not.
Students hear and share inspiring stories compassionate risk-takers and then develop their own service project.
Foster pride and respect in and between students by dismantling assumptions.
Making art about kindness inspires students to be caring and generous.
Students get a secret kindness buddy to do a kind act for during the week.
Students learn about forgiveness from book characters.
Improve relationships among staff members through a simple five-minute practice.
Students connect with each other through awe-eliciting music experiences.
Foster our shared humanity by reflecting on the human life cycle.
Develop listening and questioning skills to build accountability to your community
Students listen to a song or piece of music and observe their responses.
Students bridge differences through deep listening skills.
Use stories to encourage students’ courageous behavior in school and at home
Foster students’ sense of interconnectedness through awe
Students walk silently around school, noticing people they are grateful for and telling them so.
Students extend kindness to themselves and others.
Mentally cultivate kindness toward yourself and others.
Students mentally send good wishes to someone who is important to them.
A magical game of tag that promotes inclusion and teamwork.
Students describe their ideal world and how they might contribute to creating that world. (Purpose Challenge Practice #2)
Students establish and build friendships with classmates in a safe way.
Simple ways for teachers, principals, and staff members to help families of all backgrounds feel welcome in the school community
Staff modify school spaces to subtly induce kindness, particularly in students.
Students reflect on how their science learning is relevant to their lives.
A values-informed process to help staff make the best possible ethical choices for school stakeholders
Students learn that when someone does something kind, it takes time and effort.
Students reflect on a Viktor Frankl quote about why meaning in life is important. (Purpose Challenge Practice #3)
Students use photography or drawing to explore purpose and meaning in their lives.
Become aware of the movement of your breath through your body.
Students learn to notice sounds, their beginnings and endings, and the silent spaces between each sound.
Students learn to notice body sensations and release sources of physical tension.
A daily mindfulness and music appreciation practice for the whole school or a single classroom
A daily mindfulness and poetry appreciation practice for the whole school or a single classroom
Teachers engage in a mindful reflection process that creates space for checking their assumptions about student behavior.
Students pay close attention to the experience of seeing while observing an object.
Connect with your natural capacity to care for yourself
A practice to cultivate calmness, connectedness, and physical awareness.
A short practice for mindfully exploring your emotional experience when you help a student
Students experience awe and create meaning when mindfully focusing their attention on nature.
Boost students’ growth mindset in math through a short video and discussion.
Staff members brainstorm how they will intentionally model SEL in their interactions with students.
Make music together to encourage generosity and helping behavior in young children.
A game to build students' focus and attention by remembering when to use motions instead of words.
Students learn how their thoughts can affect them.
Grades K-3 students learn about the three parts of the brain that are involved with emotion regulation, attention, and learning.
Inspire awe when reflecting on your life journey
A game to develop student's memory and attention by remembering what each person has said and repeating it in the correct order
Students learn to manage their emotions before, during, and after difficult conversations.
A research-backed process for letting go of a grudge
Students collaborate on the development of classroom norms.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students take time to reflect on positive experiences, attributes, and/or aspirations.
Students identify ways that they have acted with kindness towards others.
A brief learning activity that demonstrates the many different ways people see math and builds students’ flexibility with numbers.
Tap into students’ questions and and encourage them to wonder about the world around them.
Students explore ways to overcome what keeps us from expressing our thanks.
School staff discuss what opens and closes their hearts in the classroom using Focused Listening and Speaking with each other.
Challenge students to see every human’s potential for growth and change.
Students express gratitude to people whose actions have benefited society.
A tool to help school staff reflect on their own SEL strengths and areas for growth
Help students plan enjoyable activities as a form of self-care
Build your well-being by keeping a journal of your pleasant feelings throughout the day
Review and expand your classroom or school library with books that represent diverse backgrounds.
A reflection tool to help leaders develop positive schools and staff
A process for helping students generate purposeful projects or endeavors
Students choose a quote about purpose and reflect on why it resonates with them. (Purpose Challenge Practice #7)
Create class community by brainstorming ways to stop put-downs.
Build trust and understanding among students by exploring questions of wonder.
Observe how time and contemplation can influence your ability to gain important insights about your work.
Students practice kindness to increase their happiness
Lead a brief choral reading practice that fosters community and connection.
Help students calm themselves through a short coloring exercise.
Students cultivate practical wisdom by working through a moral dilemma and deciding on a course of action.
Students discuss the SEL skills touched upon during the activity in which they have just participated.
Foster students’ moral identity through story writing.
Key steps for discussing issues collaboratively.
Students share their opinions and disagreements in healthy ways.
Students explore how our beliefs about differences influence the ways in which we see and choose to interact with each other.
Students practice noticing body sensations and relaxing body parts.
Students learn to relax their bodies and quiet their minds.
Students briefly check-in with themselves and focus their attention on their breath.
Use language to help orient students toward cooperation.
Students practice appreciating the body’s processes in a deeply mindful way.
Students recognize the costs and benefits involved in a kind act. (Gratitude for Tweens and Teens Lesson 2)
Students look for the good in others by acknowledging each other’s strengths. (Gratitude for Tweens and Teens Lesson 3)
Students and staff lessen their stress by changing their outlook on a negative event.
Foster well-being and connection by contemplating the magnitude of the universe.
A values-informed process to help you make the best possible ethical choices for yourself, your students, or your staff
Educators reflect upon their SEL teaching practices and their own social-emotional competencies for implementing those teaching practices.
Use the Circle process to encourage self-care among staff and students in all dimensions.
Learn how to comfort yourself during stressful times.
Practice understanding and acceptance for yourself rather than self-criticism.
Students write about making long-term goals a reality. (Purpose Challenge Practice #8)
Students observe their breath while relaxing and tensing their bodies, and then practice shaking and freezing their bodies.
Get a quick dose of joy by listening to laughter.
Students share stories about a time they felt grateful.
A game to develop students' memory and attention by remembering what motions accompany each phrase, and doing them correctly quickly
A game to develop students' self-control by doing the correct (silly) motion instead of the automatic one
A game to develop students' self-control by listening for a key phrase before doing an action
A game to develop students' self-control by managing how they sing a familiar song
Using awe to encourage wonder about all topics and openness to each other’s thoughts and ideas.
A way to foster feelings of safety, consistency, and joy amongst school staff.
Students explore real-world examples to help them identify peaceful ways to respond to discrimination.
Ideas for promoting family involvement through the joy of dance
Inspire awe and build a positive school culture by acknowledging acts of moral beauty
A list of strategies for making explicit connections to SEL skills throughout the day in order to reinforce students’ practice of skills
Ways to use SEL for cultivating youth agency and civic engagement
Faculty and staff will foster practical wisdom by setting three goals based on the topic discussed during a faculty and staff meeting.
A values-informed process to help students make the best possible ethical choices
Students build trust and inclusion through a quick and fun game that reveals their commonalities.
Discussion prompts that guide teachers to reflect and collaborate on effective SEL implementation.
Staff members explore the connection between healthy boundaries and an open heart in order to maintain caring relationships.
Strategies for parents and caregivers to show their children they love them by helping them to process their emotions
Notice and experience challenging emotions and related bodily sensations as they arise.
Build trust with your teens at home.
Students spend a day or two doing a variety of meaningful activities.
Strategies for parents and caregivers that teach their children how to practice to help them achieve their goals
Grow teens’ understanding and sense of comfort with diverse cultural identities, helping to foster a sense of civil courage
Discussion questions for families to deepen their child’s experience of gratitude
Help teens consider a mindset that people can change their attitudes about others for the better.
Strategies for parents and caregivers to help teens understand and practice being humble
Create a warm, non-judgmental space for teens to talk about challenges.
Help parents/caregivers and teens develop compassionate listening skills and strengthen their relationship.
Strategies for parents and caregivers to help their children consider offering reparations as part of their apologies
A list of strategies for parents and caregivers that encourage their children to explore the world around them
A practice for parents and caregivers to help their child or teen plan enjoyable activities as a form of self-care
Reflect on caring memories with your child to feel closer.
Help kids rethink prejudice and connect across differences.
Help adolescents understand unfairness and learn how to reflect and take action to do something about it.
Help teens explore different dimensions of their cultural identities.
Students forge intergenerational relationships while strengthening their digital citizenship and troubleshooting skills.
Students learn how to think gratefully. (Gratitude for Tweens and Teens Lesson 4)
Increase cooperation and teamwork by “moving in unison.”
Students learn how the positive emotions from gratitude create a cycle of giving.
Students use mindful breathing to regulate their emotions.
Students learn to manage their emotions in a healthy way by identifying the people and places that influence changes in their emotions.
A tool for fostering a supportive and equitable classroom and school environment and for promoting SEL.
Students define and practice “good sense,” or the will and know-how to do the right thing.
Students use dance to learn about the world and celebrate diversity.
Students record three good things that happened to them each day for a week.
A brief mindfulness exercise to help ground you during a stressful moment or day
Students cultivate courage, empathy, and compassion by sharing and listening to others comment on how others see them versus who they really are.
Use awe to inspire solutions to challenges.
Students cultivate courage by making a commitment to engage in a courageous act.
Develop students’ intellectual humility by helping them to ask questions while thoughtfully evaluating evidence.
Students explore how every person has dignity and worth—even those who hurt us.
Teachers unearth stereotypes and examine privilege while reflecting on the impact of systemic discrimination.
Students identify others' assumptions about them and then describe who they really are on the inside.
