Introduction:

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is an essential aspect of education, especially for middle school students. One engaging way to introduce students to SEL concepts is through a fun game called Emotions Bingo. This activity helps students recognize and understand emotions by observing how people are feeling in different scenarios. In this blog post, we will discuss the activity, provide discussion questions, mention related skills, and guide you through the next steps to incorporate Emotions Bingo into your classroom.

No-Prep Activity: Emotions Bingo

Emotions Bingo is a simple and enjoyable activity that requires no preparation or materials from the educator. To play, students watch a video or listen to a scenario involving different characters expressing emotions. As they identify the emotions, students mark them on their bingo boards. The first student to get four emotions in a row (up, down, across, or diagonal) says “bingo!” and wins the game.

For example, students might watch a video clip in which Christine is feeling nervous about her class presentation. After discussing why Christine is nervous, students would find “Nervous” on their bingo boards and mark it. The game continues with different scenarios and emotions until a student gets bingo.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can recognizing emotions in others help us better understand their feelings and needs?
2. What are some ways to cope with or manage the emotions we identified during the game?
3. Why is it important to be aware of our own emotions as well as those of others?
4. How might understanding emotions contribute to creating a more inclusive and supportive classroom environment?
5. Can you think of any real-life situations in which recognizing emotions might be helpful or important?

Related Skills:

In addition to recognizing emotions, there are several other essential SEL skills that middle school students can benefit from:

• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Active Listening: Focusing on what others are saying and responding thoughtfully.
• Communication: Effectively expressing oneself and understanding others.
• Conflict Resolution: Resolving disagreements in a constructive and respectful manner.
• Self-Awareness: Recognizing one’s own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses.

Next Steps:

Now that you’re familiar with Emotions Bingo and related SEL skills, you’re ready to incorporate this engaging activity into your classroom. To help you get started, we invite you to sign up for free samples of this and other SEL activities at Everyday Speech. By incorporating Emotions Bingo and other SEL activities into your curriculum, you can foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment for your middle school students.