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As students face changing mental health challenges, social emotional learning (SEL) is more important than ever. Want an easy and effective way to support their well-being and strengthen your classroom relationships? SEL check is your secret weapon. Learn more about SEL check-in and explore simple ways to support students throughout the school year.
What is SEL check-in?
People are not born with emotional wisdom: over time, it learns with the help of some outstanding teachers and parents. Socially emotional check-in is like a “feeling checkpoint” that your students explore feelings and eliminate the challenges that plague them.
SEL check-in contains various software packages such as quick chats, written reflections and even interactive activities. These small and powerful moments help create a caring space where every student feels heard and supported, making a big impact in everyday life. For high school students and other aspects of adult life, emotional intelligence is an important factor in career exploration.
What is the purpose of SEL occupancy for high school?
You can’t first understand why they are so important, so you can’t get into the SEL session first. One of the key elements of social emotional learning is self-awareness, or the ability to understand one’s emotions and how they affect the field of life. SEL checking effects helps build this skill by giving students a moment to adjust their emotional state during a busy school day.
During this time, students can analyze their feelings and explore strategies for dealing with them. This allows them to face challenges and keep learning.
Before starting: Take some time to think about how you respond to anything that has happened during your SEL check-in event. For example, if students tell you about their tough times, be prepared to solve these problems with them or connect with other resources such as school counselors.
Group discussions through approachable SEL occupancy issues
The emotional health status of arriving at the class can be casual and simple. Ask them some well-worded questions to discuss their feelings or the life of the day. You might also try these creative and interesting tips to make the group even more excited.
- Report your emotions just like you report the weather. How would you describe them?
- If your emotions are the characters in your favorite book, who would it be?
- Write recipes about the perfect day. What would you do and avoid?
- Assign a fictional word to emotions you cannot describe but feel. How do you feel?
- Think of your emotions as a sporting event. What does it look like? Why?
- When things get tough, what can you tell your future self?
- If you could teleport, where would you go? Will it help you feel better?
- What is the title of your emotional movie or TV show? Why?
- If you could provide self-advice from the past, what would it be?
- What are you proud of today?
Use written SEL activities for quick check
One of the easiest ways to check your emotional wellness is to take a little time to focus on your emotions and write them down. Starting at school day, regularly on a week or throughout the year, ask students to fill out a SEL check survey. Focus on asking questions to help you measure how students feel about your class and what they need for you.
Students can complete these written SEL check-in as a bell, as part of morning work, or even check-out activities at the end of class.
- Use thought bubbles to enhance their feelings: Give students blank handouts with thought bubbles and let them describe their emotions and feelings in a casual form. It takes mood brainstorming to the next level.
- Launch an anonymous check-in box: Put a box in the room and students can check it out randomly with you. This helps those who may not be willing to speak loudly.
- Activate the Daily Sensation Check: Ask students to draw an emoji to explain their feelings and discuss them.
- Design a two-word sensory activity: Challenge students use only two words to describe their feelings or current emotions.
Weekly reflection/check-in form (Google Forms)
By Goicochea Ms. Erra (Ela)
Results: Fifth to 12th
This form allows students to think digitally this week and remind you of any questions or challenges. This is a great way to stay up to date and matching your class and teaching style is editable.
Meet Your Middle and High School – All Back to School Activities About Me
Path 2 Success
Grade: Sixth to 10th
These editable “About Me” worksheets can help you understand students and contact them before you have established routines. You can access 16 worksheets covering areas like “questions, concerns and thoughts about teachers.” This is a great way to learn about the new course.
Emoji Worksheet – Daily Sensation Checks in Mental Health Checks
Children in the Mental Health Center
Results: K-9
Feeling that it’s not just happening in school: what happens at home can get into the classroom. Help your older students filter these emotions by filling them with PDFs. This is a quick and easy way to check their mental health.
Draw emotions with emotions
Sometimes, it’s hard to know how you feel. A look at the wheels can provide an easy guide to visually see your emotions. This also helps allow students to express their feelings and discover coping strategies. Grab the wheel of affection and rotate these SEL check-in activities.
- Choose emotion: Have students choose an emotion at that moment and create a simple mind map of why they feel this way. What is related to it? Give them about 10 minutes to create rough reflections.
- Color code sentiment: Have students pick some emotions from the steering wheel and assign them colors. In the group, let them discuss why they feel that emotions are related to the color.
- Let’s sort out your feelings: Improve emotional awareness by asking students to select 2-3 emotions they feel. Let them try to connect these emotions to moments in their lives and discuss it, and the ways through which they can be supported.
- Create a sensory wheel reflection: After a difficult lesson or specific activity, let students identify the emotions they feel from the steering wheel and dissect their connection to the activity.
- Emotional plot trends: Let students record their feelings from the wheel every day or week. They should quickly write down thoughts related to emotions. Use this information to create a map or chart to show patterns or trends of their moods to help cope with mechanisms.
Create a creative rating system for simple SEL checks
Students may work hard to hone their emotions. Check-in at the Rating Scale is a quick and easy way to feel the emotional atmosphere in the class. You can use a predetermined ratio or propose a ratio together. For example, a rating of 1 might mean “I’m struggling” and a rating of 5 might mean “I’m doing a good job.”
Have students rate their feelings and write down a record card or submit their numbers digitally. You may also want to be more creative in these activities.
- Design mood meter: Place the numbers 1-5 on the poster board and mark them. Have students put sticky notes or magnets on their names with mood numbers close to their names. You may also let them incorporate the feeling of feeling by adding a word or two. You can then discuss what it feels like as a group.
- Color Code Your rating scale: Create a chart of rating sentiment. Place different color sticky notes near them, and some moods are assigned different colors. Let students integrate their moods and levels to give you a more complete image of your feelings.
Encourage self-reflection through diary check-in
Help students clear their emotional confusion by encouraging them to let their feelings flow to paper instead of hiding in the dark depressions of their brains. Writing can be a powerful tool to reflect and process emotions. With the SEL journal, students can record their feelings, thoughts and experiences, thus providing them with a safe space to express themselves. It is also perfectly accompanied by high school gratitude activities.
Over time, diaries contribute to their overall social emotional growth, making them an important tool for personal development. Try some diary tips and some activities in the event to connect with your teenager.
- Imagine your feeling is a sea. Write down the scene.
- Discuss three songs from your emotional playlist and why.
- Name a flower and feels like your emotions. Write down different structures to fit your emotional image.
- Describe a place in the world you are emotionally connected to at this moment.
- If your mood today is dog breed, what would it be and why?
Mindfulness and Growth Mindset Journal Teenagers
Brandy by consulting teacher
Level: 8-12
Get everything you need to diary in one place by using a 40-week Mind Diary activity. This collection can be used for individual or group consultations, as a bell sound throughout the class.
SEL: Diary Questions in Spanish
By Habla Llama
Results: Seventh to 12th
During this journal activity, remember 50 writing tips for Spanish-speaking students. You can print it, or just put a slide on the board to allow students to easily start their day with a mental health check. Google Slides can also be edited.
Journal of Student Goal Setting and Well-being in 2025 – SEL and Mental Health
By the teacher’s resources
Results: 6th to 12th
Keep students optimistic and be prepared to charge in advance by setting a daily target well-being diary. This resource promotes emotional reflection and academic goals through a 70-page activity. Students can also enjoy mindful coloring.
Exit Ticket Template Mental Health Daily Middle/High School SEL Tips
By the English teacher on the journey
Results: 6th to 12th
Standard: CCSS CCRA.W.4, CCSS CCRA.W.10
This diary tip provides your high school students with a simple exit ticket. It is easy to incorporate into English courses, but can be used with multiple subjects. It includes digital Google Docs versions and printouts. Each exit ticket includes three tips covering the topic of gratitude, self-reflection and “About Me”.
Rose Thorn Buds Check in Flash Freebie!
Through wholehearted school consultation
Results: Any
Use this poster and worksheet to get students answering three simple questions to check in. It helps students look back on their day or week of development by looking at positive challenges and growth opportunities. Students can write down roses, thorns and buds in their diary, or share them loudly with the class.
Control emotions with more TPT resources
Make your classroom a place every student will feel seen, heard and valued. Insert these simple SEL checks into your day to build connections and enhance happiness. Ready to try it? Choose a couple that suits your style and dives into it. For more fun and effective activities, find high school social and emotional learning resources on TPT.
