Social Emotional Learning Activities for High School Students

These days there is a lot of talk about social emotional learning activities. Do you know what are they? 

High school students learn different kinds of subjects from maths to social science. But have you heard about this subject? 

If not in this blog we will discuss social emotional learning, SEL activities and tips incorporate social emotional behaviour effectively. 

What is Social Emotional Learning?

Social emotional learning also known as SEL, is a process in which students learn about social and emotional skills. 

In other words, social media learning helps students to develop skills such as managing emotions, building positive relationships, and making responsible decisions. 

Social emotional learning is an important part of study just like other subjects for example maths or learning. 

Social emotional learning includes emotional intelligence, real life skills and some sparkle of self awareness in it. 

How to Incorporate SEL Into High School Students’ Life? 

Understanding social emotional learning or SEL isn’t just a session or workshop. It is a daily routine of students. 

This can be done during classroom work, extracurricular activities, or conversation with classmates. 

Here we will go through how various online schools such as 21k school can bring social emotional learning activities into real life. 

• Faculties make social emotional learning as a part of daily curriculum showcase its importance in life. 
• By creating a safe and secure place educators provide the right environment to high school students. 
• To go a long way in social emotional learning activities educators make structure to go with. 
• Understanding a subject is not enough; having discussions and open commission in social emotional learning is crucial. 
• Mistakes are part of SEL in education. Connect with the right people to get enough knowledge. 

You can also understand the Benefits of social emotional learning in kids life. 

Top 17 Social Emotional Learning Activities for High School Students

Social emotional learning activities include a lot of physical and emotional abilities. It’s not just helpful for high school students but also fun, creative, and super effective. 

By helping out in social and emotional situations SEL supports high school students to get a successful life. 

Social emotional learning activities are based on five key areas such as: 

• Self-Awareness & Mindfulness. 
• Social Awareness & Relationship Skills. 
• Responsible Decision-Making & Goal Setting. 
• Collaborative & Communication Activities. 
• Real-Life Application Projects. 

And here we will understand each one in detail through the 17 social emotional learning activities for high school students. 

1. Emotion Wheel Check-ins

Emotion wheel check-ins are the social emotional activity which helps high school students to understand their emotions. 

Students are free to choose the right emotions and if comfortable to share with others. This helps in emotional vocabulary, self-awareness, and empathy as students. 

• Material Needed: Digital emotion wheel
• How to Do it: Before or after class ask other students to find and share their emotions through wheel. 
• Tip: Use it on a daily basis to enhance the emotional vocabulary. 

2. Personal Strengths Journal

Daily Journaling means students can write notes of everything they thought of. From strength, weakness, proud moments, fear, goals and many more. 

This will help students to build self-esteem, and recognize themselves and form a positive self image. 

• Material Needed: Digital notebook or journal. 
• How to Do it: Write daily or weekly about your achievements and strengths. 
• Tip: Ask yourself questions like what is the proudest moment of this week? 

3. Mindful Minutes with Self

Spending mindful minutes with yourself refers to taking a few moments to focus on what’s happening right now, without judging the upcoming thoughts or feelings. It’s about being present and aware in the moment.

Before going classroom or after the class remember to give short mindfulness time. Having 2 to 5 minutes of meditation or focus are effective. 

Educators in online schools like 21k school provide enough time and space to redirect your self attention from distractions. 

This process helps high school students to relax themselves in critical situations and become more aware of their emotions. 

• Material Needed: Relax and quiet for meditation. 
• How to Do it: Take a deep breath and feel your senses and refresh yourself. 
• Tip: Choosing calming music like white noise can be beneficial. 

4. Goal-Setting Vision Boards

Vision board in social emotional learning is a visual representation of objectives which reminds you what to do, when to do etc. 

Setting up goals is ideal to achieve the future vision. As a high school student one should create a vision board through digital tools. 

These goals can be for short-term or long-term which help in motivation, personal growth and visualize a better future. 

• Material Needed: Poster, glue scissor or digital options like Google slides. 
• How to Do it: Visualize your needs and set personal, academic and career goals. 
• Tip: Track and adjust your vision board. 

5. Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes

“Walking in someone else’s shoes” means making an effort to see the world from another person’s point of view. This happened especially to understand their emotions, empathy, challenges, and reasons behind their actions. 

Empathy-building exercises like teamwork, circle discussion, and empathy bingo are ideal for high school students. This helps develop compassion, understanding, and respect for diversity.

• Material Needed: Scenario cards or real-life stories. 
• How to Do it: Ask other students to share their stories or journals. 
• Tip: Use current and historical events to anchor the activities of life empathy. 

6. Classroom Circle Activity

Classroom circle activity means to talk in a good environment to express the true emotions. Remember to give a chance to each individual to start discussion. 

This helps in working in a secure and respectful space to communicate and build strong communities. 

• Material Needed: Sit within a classmate circle. 
• How to Do it: Use a particular topic to start the conversation. It is an ideal place to talk in private chats. 
• Tip: Always be respectful, confident and think before speaking. 

7. Cultural Showcase Day

Cultural showcase day in social emotional learning is one of the popular ones in which a day is dedicated to the high school students. They present their culture with happiness. 

This can be done through music, art, traditions, or personal stories. It’s time to take pride in the diverse culture and celebrate together. 

• Material Needed: Presentation tools (music player, craft items or slideshow setup) 
• How to Do it: Present the cultural task with creativity. 
• Tip: Connect with people and encourage questions for better interaction.

8. Conflict Resolution 

Resolving conflicts through creating a group is ideal to reduce misunderstanding, classmates behavior, and disagreeing on something. 

This can be resolved in classrooms itself with peace. It teaches students, understanding and managing things, problem solving techniques, active listening, role-playing, understanding perspectives, and practicing responsible decision-making. 

• Material Needed: Conflict situation
• How to Do it: Mimic conflict in the classroom and find the way to resolve it. 
• Tip: Listen, understand and think of the best solution to resolve. 

9. Team-Building Escape Room  

Team-building escape room is a fun and engaging activity which is designed to strengthen teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.

With a series of puzzles, it also improves communication, collaboration, trust, and group problem-solving skills in high school students.

• Material Needed: Simple to complex puzzle, locks and clues. 
• How to Do it: Create a challenge to resolve complex puzzles easily. 
• Tip: Make the difficulty level ideal for each team member. 

10. Speed Friending in Classrooms

Do you know what speed friendship in the classroom is? It means high school students can have friendly conversations with classmates without any limitations.  

In other words it facilitates quick and easy connections for potential friendships in high school students. 

Students can chat whenever you are free in between two lectures. This builds connections, solves doubts and reduces anxiety. 

• Material Needed: None
• How to Do it: Connect with the classmates to have quick conversations. 
• Tip: One can ask questions like what is your dream job?

11. Art and craft Activities

Art and craft activities are fun loving social emotional activities best for those who are creative and make useful products like cards, home decor hangings etc through imagination. 

This encourages high school students to know their inner self. Art is a representation of different kinds of emotions. It allows freedom for students to create anything. 

• Material Needed: Paint brush colors, table setup, tissue paper etc. 
• How to Do it: Draw in an open ended theme to get relaxation. 
• Tip: Focus on fun and creativity to enhance skills. 

12. Group Discussions or Decision-Making Tree

Group discussion or decision making tree is a conversation in which exchange of ideas and opinion is done by a group of students. It helps them to know the pros and cons of a particular situation. 

Connecting with each other and talking on different topics will guide in social learning, critical thinking and correct decision making. 

• Material Needed: Paper for tree diagram
• How to Do it: As a team work with each other to conclude a discussion.
• Tip: Work on current situations or school based activities. 

13. Real-Life Dilemmas Debate

Real-life dilemmas debate is social emotional learning technique, presenting hypothetical situations that reflect ethical challenges which are resolved by students by making difficult choices. 

Debates on real life situations are the only way to resolve bigger problems. By this way students learn healthy arguments, listen carefully, and speak accurately. 

• Material Needed: Choose debate topic. 
• How to Do it: Split team into two for debate. Topics related to school can be best for listening students. 
• Tip: Encourage listeners to take part or share their opinion. 

14. Financial Literacy Role-Plays

In financial literacy role-plays  simulate real-life financial conditions like budgeting, borrowing etc to learn about the concept and make the right decision. 

Giving financial responsibilities such as a job, Internship or part-time work is an ideal option. Through this they will understand the importance of finances, how to spend and save in the limited amount. 

• Material Needed: Budget sheet, whiteboard. 
• How to Do it: With the help of a frictional income list, discuss how to manage resources. 
• Tip: Make it engaging and real. 

15. Service Learning Projects

Service learning projects are community service with educational objectives which enable high school students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. While this makes a meaningful difference in their communities. 

The situation teaches students various things. From empathy, leadership, to the importance of contributing to society.

• Material Needed: Material related to project. 
• How to Do it: By helping stray animals, cleaning nearby areas, fundraising and providing shelters are some common areas. 
• Tip: Choose service based on the high school subject. 

16. Gratitude Wall or Journal

A gratitude wall or journal is a visual or written note to express and acknowledge appreciation for the positive aspects of life, both personal and interpersonal. 

This is a thankful journal which reminds me of the good things going on in life. It is a kind of self appreciation, gives positivity and reduces tension. 

• Material Needed: sticky note or poster for wall. 
• How to Do it: Skick the note in the wall of the classroom so students can write about their grateful opinion on a weekly or monthly basis. 
• Tip: Encourage everyone to do the same to improve their social emotional skills. 

17. Classroom Agreements Workshop

A Classroom Agreements Workshop in social emotional learning when students and the educator work together to set rules. Rules for how they’ll treat each other and learn together. 

It helps everyone feel included,  responsible for keeping the classroom positive and inclusive learning environment. 

This democratic process fosters accountability, respect, and a sense of shared responsibility. It makes this more likely that students uphold the norms.

• Material Needed: White paper, board, marker etc. 
• How to Do it: Begin with discussion and write valuable points. Research some common ideas and make a poster to display in the classroom. 
• Tip: Review and allow students to revise. 

Solutions for Making Social Emotional Learning Activities Successful

• Social emotional learning activities for high school students is not a one time session, one needs to be consistent. 
• Be real and with all your social and emotional behavior. 
• Give time after each activity to debrief. 
• Each high school student is different and connects in different ways. Adapt with your group. 
• Social learning has its own benefits considering it can make students’ lives easier. 

Also Read: benefits of social learning

Final Reminder: Social Emotional Learning Activities for Better Future

SEL or social emotional learning activities for high school students is an ideal approach. To get success it’s nice to have these skills. 

These social emotional learning skills not only help in college work but also in real life such as relationships, jobs, and everything in between. 

It’s time to prioritize SEL skills in life no matter if you are starting at a small age or in high school. 

Skills