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Belonging and Community

305 Activities

Belonging and Community

Build emotional intelligence, empathy, and a strong sense of self. Through social-emotional learning and community-building activities, learners develop confidence and connection by exploring relationships, identity, and leadership.

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Activities

Ready, Set, Goals! (Grades K-2)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Ready, Set, Goals! (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Setting goals in different areas of our lives is an important part of growing as a person. In this activity, children set goals for 3 different areas of their lives: school, family, and self.

Discover Activity

One Minute Speeches

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

One Minute Speeches

After-School All-Stars

6 - 12

10 Minutes

Develop public speaking fluency, spontaneity, and confidence with this game.

Discover Activity

The 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

The 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students explore the 8 limbs of yoga philosophy. They discuss how these ethical and personal practices can help guide them in their daily lives.

Discover Activity

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Mizzen Education, Inc.

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.

Discover Activity

The Focus Experiment

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

The Focus Experiment

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

High school students often struggle to focus on completing homework and other academic tasks, especially when they feel stressed by the volume of demands on their time and attention. In this activity, students will conduct an experiment to show how their study environments and focus strategies affect their ability to complete an academic task.

Discover Activity

Survey Our Lot

The Natural World, Belonging and Community, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Survey Our Lot

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

1 Hour 15 Minutes

In this lesson, students will survey vacant lots in their area and consider how they may be transformed into a space that supports resistant and migratory wildlife and the needs of their community.


Green space is a necessary part of any community, especially in urban areas where plants are often thought of as ornamental. Thoughtful design of green space can help support native and migratory biodiversity, address food insecurity, benefit our mental and physical health, and create spaces for recreation and learning.


This is activity 2 of 3 in the "Design a Park" module from City Parks Foundation.

Discover Activity

In the Shape of ...

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

In the Shape of ...

kid-grit

K - 2

20 Minutes

In this closing, reflection activity, students will select an animal they relate to or feel connected with and then act out the animal to help calm their energy. This fun and engaging activity encourages students to connect with their emotions and recognize their positive qualities in a playful and meaningful way.

Discover Activity

Dress Code Debate

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Dress Code Debate

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students discuss the merits and disadvantages of a school dress code and debate whether or not it is too strict.

Discover Activity

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind

kid-grit

3 - 12

1 Hour

When traumatic events occur, students benefit from knowing how to manage stress. In this activity students learn stress management techniques by gathering information and building knowledge about current events.

This activity is relevant for any crisis. Use it any time and replace the COVID-19 reference with existing events in your community, national news, or global happening.

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind can be complete on its own or as a starter activity for the kid-grit module. All activities in the kid-grit module have been designed to engage students in areas of personal development, social-emotional learning, character education, 21st century skill-based inquiry, and global consciousness. These activities are built to have students think critically and share perspectives — focusing on topics such as: tolerance, personal development, crisis situations, building positive communities, self-regulation, empathy, using breathing as a form of stress release. Students will be challenged to think outside the box and drive their own learning — they will learn by doing. They will take on new ways of problem solving and, in the process, create their own prescription for healthier mindsets, building resilience, and grit.


Discover Activity

Tricky Conversations (Grades 6-8)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Tricky Conversations (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students in middle school may struggle to talk about the conflicts in their lives or about new emotions and experiences. In this activity, students role-play a variety of conversations and then evaluate and discuss their performances. (Note that the activity incorporates subjects such as honesty, friendship, academic achievement, and general health and wellness. However, it excludes controversial and emotionally sensitive subjects, such as sexuality and gender identity.)

Discover Activity

U.S. Government: Who Writes Laws for People to Follow?

We The People, Belonging and Community

U.S. Government: Who Writes Laws for People to Follow?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Young children may know who the President is, but they may not understand the role of the President and Congress in passing laws. In this activity, children explore and model the legislative process.

Discover Activity

Writer's Block (Team Building) Game

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Writer's Block (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

10 Minutes

Test your skills by completing a simple task under not-so-ordinary and hilarious conditions!

Discover Activity

Ready, Set, Goals! (Grades K-2)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Ready, Set, Goals! (Grades K-2)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Setting goals in different areas of our lives is an important part of growing as a person. In this activity, children set goals for 3 different areas of their lives: school, family, and self.

Discover Activity

One Minute Speeches

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

One Minute Speeches

After-School All-Stars

6 - 12

10 Minutes

Develop public speaking fluency, spontaneity, and confidence with this game.

Discover Activity

The 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

The 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

Students explore the 8 limbs of yoga philosophy. They discuss how these ethical and personal practices can help guide them in their daily lives.

Discover Activity

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

“Go Feel!”: An Emotion Word Game

Mizzen Education, Inc.

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.

Discover Activity

The Focus Experiment

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

The Focus Experiment

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

High school students often struggle to focus on completing homework and other academic tasks, especially when they feel stressed by the volume of demands on their time and attention. In this activity, students will conduct an experiment to show how their study environments and focus strategies affect their ability to complete an academic task.

Discover Activity

Survey Our Lot

The Natural World, Belonging and Community, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore

Survey Our Lot

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

1 Hour 15 Minutes

In this lesson, students will survey vacant lots in their area and consider how they may be transformed into a space that supports resistant and migratory wildlife and the needs of their community.


Green space is a necessary part of any community, especially in urban areas where plants are often thought of as ornamental. Thoughtful design of green space can help support native and migratory biodiversity, address food insecurity, benefit our mental and physical health, and create spaces for recreation and learning.


This is activity 2 of 3 in the "Design a Park" module from City Parks Foundation.

Discover Activity

In the Shape of ...

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

In the Shape of ...

kid-grit

K - 2

20 Minutes

In this closing, reflection activity, students will select an animal they relate to or feel connected with and then act out the animal to help calm their energy. This fun and engaging activity encourages students to connect with their emotions and recognize their positive qualities in a playful and meaningful way.

Discover Activity

Dress Code Debate

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Dress Code Debate

Mizzen Education, Inc.

9 - 12

45 Minutes

In this activity, students discuss the merits and disadvantages of a school dress code and debate whether or not it is too strict.

Discover Activity

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind

Belonging and Community, Whole Body, Whole Self

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind

kid-grit

3 - 12

1 Hour

When traumatic events occur, students benefit from knowing how to manage stress. In this activity students learn stress management techniques by gathering information and building knowledge about current events.

This activity is relevant for any crisis. Use it any time and replace the COVID-19 reference with existing events in your community, national news, or global happening.

Educating Myself for Peace of Mind can be complete on its own or as a starter activity for the kid-grit module. All activities in the kid-grit module have been designed to engage students in areas of personal development, social-emotional learning, character education, 21st century skill-based inquiry, and global consciousness. These activities are built to have students think critically and share perspectives — focusing on topics such as: tolerance, personal development, crisis situations, building positive communities, self-regulation, empathy, using breathing as a form of stress release. Students will be challenged to think outside the box and drive their own learning — they will learn by doing. They will take on new ways of problem solving and, in the process, create their own prescription for healthier mindsets, building resilience, and grit.


Discover Activity

Tricky Conversations (Grades 6-8)

Belonging and Community, Stories and Perspectives

Tricky Conversations (Grades 6-8)

Mizzen Education, Inc.

6 - 8

45 Minutes

Students in middle school may struggle to talk about the conflicts in their lives or about new emotions and experiences. In this activity, students role-play a variety of conversations and then evaluate and discuss their performances. (Note that the activity incorporates subjects such as honesty, friendship, academic achievement, and general health and wellness. However, it excludes controversial and emotionally sensitive subjects, such as sexuality and gender identity.)

Discover Activity

U.S. Government: Who Writes Laws for People to Follow?

We The People, Belonging and Community

U.S. Government: Who Writes Laws for People to Follow?

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 2

45 Minutes

Young children may know who the President is, but they may not understand the role of the President and Congress in passing laws. In this activity, children explore and model the legislative process.

Discover Activity

Writer's Block (Team Building) Game

Belonging and Community, Leadership and Teamwork

Writer's Block (Team Building) Game

!Mpact Players

3 - 12

10 Minutes

Test your skills by completing a simple task under not-so-ordinary and hilarious conditions!

Discover Activity

Collections

Caring for Urban Forests

Belonging and Community, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

3 Activities

Caring for Urban Forests

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

2 Hours

Our local ecosystems provide many ecosystem services that endow us with resources, opportunities for recreation and cultural expression, and support the safety quality of life for all living things, including humans. Street trees perform a number of ecosystem services for both humans and wildlife. They filter our air, provide passive cooling and heating, capture carbon, take up storm water (a vital aspect in cities prone to flooding due to climate change— see our Sustainable Cities module for more information on this topic), reduce noise, provide food, shelter, and provide abundant beauty.

In this module, students will learn about each type of ecosystem service: Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural, and Supporting, and research the ways they are being threatened in their local communities. They will also participate in air temperature to better understand the ecosystem services trees provide which are especially important in urban environments. This research will conclude with a service learning opportunity in which students will restore tree beds.

Discover Collection

Indicator Species

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Belonging and Community, The Natural World

3 Activities

Indicator Species

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

2 Hours

Indicator species are integral to evaluating the health of ecosystems. They are early indicators of changing environmental conditions that may prove detrimental to other species in the same region. Insects, including dragonflies, are climate sensitive species since much of their growth and development depends on temperature.

In this lesson, students will learn about dragonflies as indicators of climate change. They will become familiar with the life cycle of a dragonfly, learn to identify different species of dragonflies, and assess dragonfly biodiversity. At each of these learning milestones, students will engage in a discussion about how rapid changes in climate conditions can be detrimental not only to dragonflies but to the success and survival of wildlife around the world.

Discover Collection

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

kid-grit

3 - 5

2 Hours

This collection of opening and closing activities encourages students to explore their thoughts, feelings, and choices while building habits that support reflection and growth. Opening activities use emojis, discussion prompts, and movement to help students connect with their emotions and set a tone of respect, curiosity, and readiness for learning. Closing activities invite students to slow down, look inward, and practice calming techniques as they reflect on their experiences and explore ways to shift habits and mindsets. Together, these moments bookend the day with purpose and self-awareness!

Discover Collection

The kid-grit Pandemic Crisis Guide: Wellness for Students, Educators, and Families

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

6 Activities

The kid-grit Pandemic Crisis Guide: Wellness for Students, Educators, and Families

kid-grit

3 - 12

6 Hours 15 Minutes

Welcome to kid-grit's SEL activities! Based on our partners’ request we have created a soulful guide filled with lessons, reflections, questions, and extended activities in response to the pandemic crisis that is happening around the world. We developed these activities in hope that its content will provide relief and support for our students and their families, educators, staff, and administrators.

All the activities have been designed to engage students in areas of personal development, social-emotional learning, character education, 21st-century skill-based inquiry, and global consciousness. These activities are built to have students think critically and share perspectives — focusing on topics such as tolerance, personal development, crisis situations, building positive communities, self-regulation, empathy, using breathing as a form of stress release. Students will be challenged to think outside the box and drive their own learning — they will learn by doing. Students will take on new ways of problem-solving and, in the process, create their own prescription for healthier mindsets, building resilience and grit.

You can use these activities in any order that works for your program or school environment. However, we recommend beginning with the activity, “Educating Myself for Peace of Mind,” as a starter activity to set the stage for the activities to follow.

Lastly, the following three activities are relevant for any crisis, “Educating Myself for Peace of Mind, Stop the Madness! and Fight or Flight.” Feel free to utilize them anytime and replace any COVID-19 reference to the existing event in your community, or national news or global occurrence.

NOTE: If your students are enjoying a lesson and you want to extend the time, please feel free, dive into deeper learning and enjoy!


Discover Collection

Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning with Johnny Crowder

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

12 Activities

Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning with Johnny Crowder

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 12

Like learning algebra or how to ride a bike, social and emotional learning (SEL) calls for patience, compassion, and everyday practice. That’s what brain science and experience say, and it’s at the core of this playlist. Through activities that teach mindfulness meditation, how to identify your strengths and talents, and cultivating compassion through service, you’ll find practical experiences, resources, and tips for empowering youth while helping them navigate stress and build healthy relationships.

“I often wonder how much different my life would look if I was offered support earlier. Before I was struggling, before I withdrew, before I exhibited all sorts of behavioral health issues. The power of prevention is something we can’t waste. We need to use our own hindsight into what would have helped us when we were young to set this next generation up for the success we never had.” — Johnny Crowder

Johnny Crowder is a suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to youth and adults in nearly 100 countries around the world.

Discover Collection

Back to School: Community Building Activities

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Back to School: Community Building Activities

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 12

Build community at the start of any program with this collection of activities that give children and youth fun ways to get to know each other!

Discover Collection

Opening and Closing Activities for K-2

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Opening and Closing Activities for K-2

kid-grit

K - 2

2 Hours

This playlist of opening and closing activities encourages youth to explore their big and small emotions while sharing positive thoughts about themselves and their friends. The opening activities offer simple strategies to help them feel calm and prepared for the day, gently setting the stage for a strong and centered start. Closing activities invite students to reflect on moments of kindness, connection, and courage through song, movement, gratitude, and reflection. Whether mimicking animals, writing thank-you notes, or sharing songs from home, they’ll consider what made them feel seen, strong, or calm. Each experience helps them carry something positive forward until they gather again next time!

Discover Collection

10 Activities Exploring Black History Month

Belonging and Community, We The People

8 Activities

10 Activities Exploring Black History Month

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 8

7 Hours 30 Minutes

Explore our curated playlist of activities for Black History month in Mizzen. These activities span the topics of social justice, civil rights, the civil war, abolitionist leaders and more. Allow Mizzen to help with planning Black History Month for students and get started with these activities today.

Discover Collection

Social and Emotional Learning Activities for 3rd-5th Grade at Home

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Social and Emotional Learning Activities for 3rd-5th Grade at Home

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

7 Hours 15 Minutes

This Playlist provides younger students various activities that teaches them the importance of understanding the emotions of their peers.

Discover Collection

Caring for Urban Forests

Belonging and Community, STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, The Natural World

3 Activities

Caring for Urban Forests

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

2 Hours

Our local ecosystems provide many ecosystem services that endow us with resources, opportunities for recreation and cultural expression, and support the safety quality of life for all living things, including humans. Street trees perform a number of ecosystem services for both humans and wildlife. They filter our air, provide passive cooling and heating, capture carbon, take up storm water (a vital aspect in cities prone to flooding due to climate change— see our Sustainable Cities module for more information on this topic), reduce noise, provide food, shelter, and provide abundant beauty.

In this module, students will learn about each type of ecosystem service: Provisioning, Regulating, Cultural, and Supporting, and research the ways they are being threatened in their local communities. They will also participate in air temperature to better understand the ecosystem services trees provide which are especially important in urban environments. This research will conclude with a service learning opportunity in which students will restore tree beds.

Discover Collection

Indicator Species

STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore, Belonging and Community, The Natural World

3 Activities

Indicator Species

City Parks Foundation

6 - 8

2 Hours

Indicator species are integral to evaluating the health of ecosystems. They are early indicators of changing environmental conditions that may prove detrimental to other species in the same region. Insects, including dragonflies, are climate sensitive species since much of their growth and development depends on temperature.

In this lesson, students will learn about dragonflies as indicators of climate change. They will become familiar with the life cycle of a dragonfly, learn to identify different species of dragonflies, and assess dragonfly biodiversity. At each of these learning milestones, students will engage in a discussion about how rapid changes in climate conditions can be detrimental not only to dragonflies but to the success and survival of wildlife around the world.

Discover Collection

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

kid-grit

3 - 5

2 Hours

This collection of opening and closing activities encourages students to explore their thoughts, feelings, and choices while building habits that support reflection and growth. Opening activities use emojis, discussion prompts, and movement to help students connect with their emotions and set a tone of respect, curiosity, and readiness for learning. Closing activities invite students to slow down, look inward, and practice calming techniques as they reflect on their experiences and explore ways to shift habits and mindsets. Together, these moments bookend the day with purpose and self-awareness!

Discover Collection

The kid-grit Pandemic Crisis Guide: Wellness for Students, Educators, and Families

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

6 Activities

The kid-grit Pandemic Crisis Guide: Wellness for Students, Educators, and Families

kid-grit

3 - 12

6 Hours 15 Minutes

Welcome to kid-grit's SEL activities! Based on our partners’ request we have created a soulful guide filled with lessons, reflections, questions, and extended activities in response to the pandemic crisis that is happening around the world. We developed these activities in hope that its content will provide relief and support for our students and their families, educators, staff, and administrators.

All the activities have been designed to engage students in areas of personal development, social-emotional learning, character education, 21st-century skill-based inquiry, and global consciousness. These activities are built to have students think critically and share perspectives — focusing on topics such as tolerance, personal development, crisis situations, building positive communities, self-regulation, empathy, using breathing as a form of stress release. Students will be challenged to think outside the box and drive their own learning — they will learn by doing. Students will take on new ways of problem-solving and, in the process, create their own prescription for healthier mindsets, building resilience and grit.

You can use these activities in any order that works for your program or school environment. However, we recommend beginning with the activity, “Educating Myself for Peace of Mind,” as a starter activity to set the stage for the activities to follow.

Lastly, the following three activities are relevant for any crisis, “Educating Myself for Peace of Mind, Stop the Madness! and Fight or Flight.” Feel free to utilize them anytime and replace any COVID-19 reference to the existing event in your community, or national news or global occurrence.

NOTE: If your students are enjoying a lesson and you want to extend the time, please feel free, dive into deeper learning and enjoy!


Discover Collection

Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning with Johnny Crowder

Whole Body, Whole Self, Belonging and Community

12 Activities

Strengthen Social and Emotional Learning with Johnny Crowder

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 12

Like learning algebra or how to ride a bike, social and emotional learning (SEL) calls for patience, compassion, and everyday practice. That’s what brain science and experience say, and it’s at the core of this playlist. Through activities that teach mindfulness meditation, how to identify your strengths and talents, and cultivating compassion through service, you’ll find practical experiences, resources, and tips for empowering youth while helping them navigate stress and build healthy relationships.

“I often wonder how much different my life would look if I was offered support earlier. Before I was struggling, before I withdrew, before I exhibited all sorts of behavioral health issues. The power of prevention is something we can’t waste. We need to use our own hindsight into what would have helped us when we were young to set this next generation up for the success we never had.” — Johnny Crowder

Johnny Crowder is a suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to youth and adults in nearly 100 countries around the world.

Discover Collection

Back to School: Community Building Activities

Leadership and Teamwork, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Back to School: Community Building Activities

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 12

Build community at the start of any program with this collection of activities that give children and youth fun ways to get to know each other!

Discover Collection

Opening and Closing Activities for K-2

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Opening and Closing Activities for K-2

kid-grit

K - 2

2 Hours

This playlist of opening and closing activities encourages youth to explore their big and small emotions while sharing positive thoughts about themselves and their friends. The opening activities offer simple strategies to help them feel calm and prepared for the day, gently setting the stage for a strong and centered start. Closing activities invite students to reflect on moments of kindness, connection, and courage through song, movement, gratitude, and reflection. Whether mimicking animals, writing thank-you notes, or sharing songs from home, they’ll consider what made them feel seen, strong, or calm. Each experience helps them carry something positive forward until they gather again next time!

Discover Collection

10 Activities Exploring Black History Month

Belonging and Community, We The People

8 Activities

10 Activities Exploring Black History Month

Mizzen Education, Inc.

K - 8

7 Hours 30 Minutes

Explore our curated playlist of activities for Black History month in Mizzen. These activities span the topics of social justice, civil rights, the civil war, abolitionist leaders and more. Allow Mizzen to help with planning Black History Month for students and get started with these activities today.

Discover Collection

Social and Emotional Learning Activities for 3rd-5th Grade at Home

Stories and Perspectives, Belonging and Community

10 Activities

Social and Emotional Learning Activities for 3rd-5th Grade at Home

Mizzen Education, Inc.

3 - 5

7 Hours 15 Minutes

This Playlist provides younger students various activities that teaches them the importance of understanding the emotions of their peers.

Discover Collection

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Copyright © 2025, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.

Copyright © 2025, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.