Introduction

Flexibility is a crucial life skill that allows individuals to adapt to changes and handle unexpected situations with ease. In the context of social-emotional learning, teaching flexibility to elementary students helps them understand the importance of being open to change and managing their emotions when faced with new or challenging situations. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity that educators can use to demonstrate the difference between being rigid and being flexible, followed by discussion questions and related skills.

No-Prep Activity: The Movie Change

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be easily carried out in a classroom setting. The objective of this activity is to demonstrate the difference between being rigid and being flexible when plans change.

1. Divide students into small groups of three or four.
2. Explain the scenario: The group has planned to watch a specific movie together, but one of the group members wants to change the movie choice at the last minute.
3. Ask each group to act out two different responses to the scenario. In the first response, one of the group members should be rigid and get upset when the movie choice changes. In the second response, the same group member should be flexible and calmly handle the change in plans.
4. After each group has performed both responses, have a class discussion about the differences between being rigid and being flexible, and how each response made the group members feel.

Discussion Questions

1. How did the group members feel when the person was being rigid? How did it affect the overall mood of the group?
2. How did the group members feel when the person was being flexible? How did it change the group’s dynamics?
3. Why is it important to be flexible in different situations, not just when plans change?
4. Can you think of a time when you were rigid and it caused problems? How could you have acted differently?
5. What are some strategies to help you become more flexible in your thinking and actions?

Related Skills

Along with flexibility, there are several other essential skills that can help students navigate life more effectively. These include:

• Problem-solving: Being able to think critically and find solutions to challenges.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others to create positive relationships.
• Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s emotions and understanding how they impact behavior.
• Communication: Effectively expressing thoughts and feelings to others in a clear and respectful manner.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the importance of teaching flexibility to elementary students and have an engaging activity to use in your classroom, it’s time to explore more resources to support your students’ social-emotional learning journey. To access free sample materials and discover other valuable skills to teach, visit Everyday Speech’s sample materials and sign up today.