Additional Resilience Activities
Book of Good Things
Students create an online slide presentation or foldable book that shows things they do that makes them happy. For example: playing outside, talking to their mom, or swinging really high. Teachers explain to students that when they are feeling negative, they can do one of the activities from the book to make themselves feel better and be happier.
Student Shout-Outs to Build Community
Create a method for students to recognize other students in the classroom. Create a shout-out bulletin board either in the classroom or online where students place written shout-outs for their classmates.
Cup Challenge
A great activity to practice team building activities is the cup challenge. Students must work together to stack 10 cups upside down. They must only use a rubber band and string to move and stack the cups. This site and many others have the step-by-step instructions
Debrief as a Tribe
When students are completing a large project, the teachers should set aside time to allow students to debrief with each other about the projects and the journey. This allows students to see each of the other students in the room as possible resources, and thus the tribe becomes stronger. During the debrief activity students sit in a circle or at a large table. Students take turns discussing success, mistakes, and challenges while working on the project. Students listen and take notes, once a person shares what they struggled with or learned, at least 2 other students should chime in and share possible solutions, or insights based on their own experiences with the project. This is a student-led activity. The teacher is primarily listening and only prompting or clarifying when necessary. The activity promotes autonomous learning and allows students to see others struggle and be resilient.
Students create an online slide presentation or foldable book that shows things they do that makes them happy. For example: playing outside, talking to their mom, or swinging really high. Teachers explain to students that when they are feeling negative, they can do one of the activities from the book to make themselves feel better and be happier.
Student Shout-Outs to Build Community
Create a method for students to recognize other students in the classroom. Create a shout-out bulletin board either in the classroom or online where students place written shout-outs for their classmates.
Cup Challenge
A great activity to practice team building activities is the cup challenge. Students must work together to stack 10 cups upside down. They must only use a rubber band and string to move and stack the cups. This site and many others have the step-by-step instructions
Debrief as a Tribe
When students are completing a large project, the teachers should set aside time to allow students to debrief with each other about the projects and the journey. This allows students to see each of the other students in the room as possible resources, and thus the tribe becomes stronger. During the debrief activity students sit in a circle or at a large table. Students take turns discussing success, mistakes, and challenges while working on the project. Students listen and take notes, once a person shares what they struggled with or learned, at least 2 other students should chime in and share possible solutions, or insights based on their own experiences with the project. This is a student-led activity. The teacher is primarily listening and only prompting or clarifying when necessary. The activity promotes autonomous learning and allows students to see others struggle and be resilient.