Introduction

Lining up is a fundamental skill that elementary students need to learn for a smooth and organized classroom environment. But beyond its practicality, lining up also presents an opportunity to teach important social-emotional learning (SEL) concepts, such as empathy, cooperation, and self-regulation. In this blog post, we will discuss an easy, no-prep activity to teach lining up skills and explore discussion questions that promote SEL among students.

No-Prep Activity

To teach lining up skills and SEL concepts without requiring any preparation or materials from the educator, try the following activity:

1. Ask the students to stand in a scattered formation in the classroom.
2. Explain that the goal is to line up in alphabetical order by their first names, without talking or making any noise.
3. Encourage students to use non-verbal communication, such as gestures, eye contact, and body language, to cooperate and figure out the correct order.
4. Once the students have lined up, ask them to check if they are in the correct order by saying their names out loud one by one.
5. Discuss the experience with the students, focusing on the importance of cooperation, patience, and empathy during the activity.

Discussion Questions

After completing the no-prep activity, engage the students with these discussion questions:

1. How did it feel to line up without using your voice? What challenges did you face?
2. What strategies did you use to communicate with your classmates without talking?
3. How did you show patience and cooperation during the activity?
4. Why is it important to consider the feelings of others when lining up or taking turns?
5. How can we apply the skills we learned in this activity to other situations in school or daily life?

Related Skills

Along with lining up skills and SEL concepts, the no-prep activity and discussion questions can help students develop other relevant skills, such as:

• Active listening
• Non-verbal communication
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Conflict resolution

Next Steps

If you found this activity and discussion helpful, we invite you to explore more resources for teaching SEL concepts and practical skills to elementary students. Sign up for free samples at Everyday Speech to access a wide range of materials designed to support educators in fostering social-emotional learning among their students.