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Amplify Youth Voice with Social-Emotional Learning!

Amplify Youth Voice with SEL

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

15 Activities

Amplify Youth Voice with SEL

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 12

1 Hour 30 Minutes

Empower youth, amplify student voice, and make learning an adventure! The activities in this playlist are designed to spark creativity, foster teamwork, and encourage self-discovery, making learning an adventure that students look forward to each day. This playlist is packed with engaging activities in the arts, career exploration, and social and emotional learning — that foster self-awareness, creativity, connection, and belonging. Each lesson plan equips you to engage students to become more active participants in their own journey.

"The most memorable lessons often come from the journey, not the destination — enjoy the messiness of learning, it's here that the real magic happens." — Lauren B. González

This Playlist was curated by Lauren B. González, in collaboration with Mizzen Education. Lauren has more than 15 years in the educational field and is a doctoral candidate for Applied Learning Sciences at The University of Miami. A first-generation Latina and daughter of Cuban exiles, Lauren describes her approach to learning as "holistic, respectful of student cultures, and deeply rooted in resilience and empathy."

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Ready to supercharge your teaching toolkit? Dive into our “Amplify Youth Voice with SEL” playlist, where creativity meets purpose.

This playlist is packed with engaging activities in the arts, career exploration, and social and emotional learning — that foster self-awareness, creativity, connection, and leadership. Each learning experience is designed to help young people (grades K-12) discover their unique voice while developing vital emotional skills.

Let’s inspire the next generation of thoughtful and empathetic leaders!

Explore these 15 activities now!

The Puppet Version of Me

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

The Puppet Version of Me

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, students use a variety of materials to create paper-bag puppets that represent their looks and interests. Then they use their puppets to give a presentation about themselves to the group, puppet-show style.

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Body Language

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Body Language

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Explore the power of body language in interviews! In this exciting lesson, students dive into the world of non-verbal communication. They play interactive games, watch videos, and create Body Language Stories to master the art of body language. By the end, they're equipped with the skills to convey messages beyond words.

This is lesson 14 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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Creating the Best Place

Belonging and Community, We The People

Creating the Best Place

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Build on students' sense of place by having students work together to plan and consider ideas for improving a neighborhood. In this activity, they share drawings or other models, and then recognize that people may have different ideas for the neighborhoods in which they want to live.

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Respecting Others

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Respecting Others

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, students learn that everyone has traits that make them unique and play a game to explore their similarities and differences.

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Meet the Me Puppet

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

Meet the Me Puppet

3 - 5

45 Minutes

In this activity, students make a sock puppet to represent themselves. Then the group uses their puppets to have conversations with one another. The activity aims to provide students with an outlet for speaking up in their own voice. Another benefit of the activity is that it allows students to define the elements of their essential selves.

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Decisions… Decisions…

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Decisions… Decisions…

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Every day we face choices. Making a choice when there is no obvious right answer can be difficult. Sometimes we can come to a compromise, and other times we must go with our gut. Today, students get a prompt to create a skit with 2 actors' present choices, with no obvious right answer, to a third actor, who must decide.

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Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 3-5)

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students play Bingo with a difference: Numbers have been replaced with personality traits and fun facts. By the end of the game, group members will know one another a little better.

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“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

3 - 5

45 Minutes

In this activity, students make a game similar to the classic Go Fish, using index cards that state synonyms for various feelings. They play the game in small groups and then discuss their emotions and experiences.

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The Puppet Version of Me

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

The Puppet Version of Me

K - 2

45 Minutes

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Body Language

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Body Language

3 - 5

45 Minutes

This is lesson 14 in “Building a News Hour,” the second module from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs’ module series.

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Creating the Best Place

Belonging and Community, We The People

Creating the Best Place

3 - 5

45 Minutes

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Respecting Others

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Respecting Others

K - 2

45 Minutes

In this activity, students learn that everyone has traits that make them unique and play a game to explore their similarities and differences.

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Meet the Me Puppet

Arts in Action, Belonging and Community

Meet the Me Puppet

3 - 5

45 Minutes

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Decisions… Decisions…

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Decisions… Decisions…

3 - 5

45 Minutes

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Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 3-5)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 3-5)

3 - 5

45 Minutes

Students play Bingo with a difference: Numbers have been replaced with personality traits and fun facts. By the end of the game, group members will know one another a little better.

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“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

3 - 5

45 Minutes

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Whom Do You Hire? (Grades 6-8)

Leadership and Teamwork, Future Ready: Learning and Earning, Stories and Perspectives

Whom Do You Hire? (Grades 6-8)

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students role-play a job interview by taking on the role of either the applicant or the hiring committee. Students will develop key critical-thinking and analysis skills, as well as collaboration skills.

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Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 6-8)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Get to Know You Bingo (Grades 6-8)

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students complete a Bingo card about themselves and then play a collaborative Bingo game, learning personality traits and fun facts about one another along the way.

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Built with practitioners, our digital platform of curated learning resources offers thousands of K-12 activities that spark curiosity, joy, and a love of learning for young people everywhere – for free. From STEM, art, and youth voice to digital and media literacy, find it all on Mizzen Education.

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422 Activities

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214 Activities

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106 Activities

Whole Body, Whole Self

281 Activities

Arts in Action

546 Activities

Stories and Perspectives

214 Activities

We The People

262 Activities

The Natural World

305 Activities

Belonging and Community

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From bite-sized activities to full-length modules, explore free, standards-aligned content created with collaborators like the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, Nickelodeon, Pulitzer Center, The Nature Conservancy, VentureLab, PowerUp Fitness, !Mpact Players, and more.