Expressive Arts Interventions for Nurturing Resilience and Social Emotional Skills in Grade 2 Students

1. Feeling Safe, Supported and Capable (Expressive Arts - EA)- activities to create a safe space – where students feel that they can take risks
K.1.2.C.4
Identify activity situations that require sharing, respect, honesty, and other positive social behaviours (e.g., explain how the "tagger's rule" helps improve the game of tag...)

K.3.2.B.1
Identify safety rules to be followed related to the home, school, and community (i.e., road, vehicles such as tractors and boats, bus ridership, electricity, weather, seasons, stairs/balconies, tools, Internet use)

2. Expressing and Containing Feelings - media selected support either the expression of containment of feeling based on the need at the moment
K.4.2.C.2
Identify and sort causes of anxiety or stress (e.g., facing new and/or unfamiliar situations; feeling out of control; experiencing loud voices/ noises, competition, disagreements, heights, performing in front of others; being apart from family; health problems...) for self and others as they relate to school, home, and community

K.4.2.C.3
Identify feelings and emotions associated with anxiety (e.g., feeling anxious, scared, nervous, timid...)
K.4.2.C.4a
Discuss ways and activities (e.g., play, deep breathing, progressive relaxation, family walk, talk with safe adult, healing circles...) to reduce personal stress
S.4.2.A.5
Explore ways to relax the mind and body (e.g., progressive relaxation, deep-breathing exercises, visualization, quiet time, light cool-down activities...)

3. Building Sense of Community and Belonging while also Problem Solving – recess groups and class time friendship groups (sand tray – collective storytelling; play dough feasts with plastic dishes, group mandalas)
Mindcraft cards - like pokemon cards

K.4.2.A.3
Discuss the concept of consequences (e.g., cause-and-effect relationships...) of behaviours as part of the decision-making/ problem-solving processfor health and well-being (e.g., touching a very hot surface will cause burns...)

K.4.2.B.1a
Identify responsible and respectful behaviors (e.g., following directions, completing tasks, being honest, displaying etiquette, playing fairly, cooperating, sharing, keeping promises, speaking kindly...) for developing positive relationships

K.4.2.B.2a
Identify positive communication skills (e.g., focus on speaker, repeat back information, use appropriate body language, ask relevant questions, include everyone, disagree politely, show self-control, take turns, work cooperatively...) for listening with attention in small-group settings
K.4.2.B.2b

Identify situations (e.g., carrying something heavy, contributing to a project...) in which friends may be helpful and ways (e.g., saying thank you, returning the favor...) to show appreciation

S.4.2.A.3
Demonstrate appropriate behaviors for getting along with others (e.g., wait for one's turn, share equipment, help others, invite others to play, show respect for individual differences...) in partner activities

4. Strengthening Unique Sense of “Self” Allowing the psyche the freedom to tell the story that needs to be told – (sand tray stories of plasticene creation stories can be scribed on the computer and then photos of the creations integrated into the text to create a personal story book; personal mandala with soft chalk pastels; non-directive painting)
S.4.1.A.1 Set simple short-term goals and participate in strategies for goal attainment (e.g., running without stopping for one minute, listening attentively to the teacher reading a book, completing a task...)
*K.2.3.C.4 Identify personal factors (e.g., interests, personal success, previous experiences, type of activities, developmental rates...) that influence physical activity participation and build self-confidence

5. Connection to the Collective Unconscious: Sharing archetypal aspects of what it means to be human through non-directive creative expression (community Mural Making; Integrated movement and Art-Making; drumming, singing creative movement)
K.4.2.A.1
Recognize that everyone is special, unique, and able to succeed (i.e., families, interests, talents, feelings, desires)

K.4.2.B.1b
Talk about similarities and differences (e.g., likes/dislikes, cultural connections...) of responses of self and responses of others related to situations involving sports/physical activities and/or social events

Would You Rather …

Goal: To create a safe space – where students feel that they can take risks

Materials: computer and computer projector

Directions:
1. Insert the students’ names into the program: Wheel of Names - https://wheelofnames.com/ or draw student names from a container.
2. Spin the wheel, invite the student to answer a “Would You Rather Question”. The questions can be numbered and students can choose a number. Invite students to give a reason for their choice.
(For more choices: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/would-you-rather-questions-for-kids/)
3. Students can choose to pass on the question and choose another.
4. Post the questions on the board. Invite the students to draw, create art using clay or other objects or write a story about one or more of the choices.

Would you rather questions for kids list

1. Would you rather be a detective or a pilot?
2. Would you rather go skiing or go to a water park?
3. Would you rather fly a kite or swing on a swing?
4. Would you rather play hide and seek or dodgeball?
5. Would you rather become five years older or two years younger?
6. Would you rather be a wizard or a superhero?
7. Would you rather it be warm and raining or cold and snowing today?
8. Would you rather only be able to walk on all fours or only be able to walk sideways like a crab?
9. Would you rather be able to see things that are very far away, like binoculars or be able to see things very close up, like a microscope?
10. Would you rather be an incredibly fast swimmer or an incredibly fast runner?
11. Would you rather be able to jump as far as a kangaroo or hold your breath as long as a whale?
12. Would you rather randomly turn into a frog for a day once a month or randomly turn into a bird for a day once every week?
13. Would you rather have the chance to design a new toy or create a new TV show?

14. Would you rather live in a house shaped like a circle or a house shaped like a triangle?
15. Would you rather live in a place with a lot of trees or live in a place near the ocean?
16. Would you rather have a magic carpet that flies or a see-through submarine?
17. Would you rather be able to control fire or water?
18. Would you rather meet your favorite celebrity or be on a TV show?
19. Would you rather have a tail that can’t grab things or wings that can’t fly?
20. Would you rather be able to shrink down to the size of an ant any time you wanted to or be able to grow to the size of a two-story building anytime you wanted to?

by Alex