Setting the tone activities

Ways to let students know you care, early on and throughout the semester.

Activity
Fast Friends
This is a great warming-up activity that helps to build close connections between students.
Maha Bali
Equity Unbound Activity
Alternative Approaches
Consider different approaches to grading and how they can affect the classroom atmosphere and more!
Maha Bali, Mia Zamora, Jasmina Najjar, Laura Gibbs, Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh, Arley Cruthers
Learning-to-Love
This reflective activity allows students to consider love as a motivation and outcome in education.
Felecia Caton Garcia, Heather Wright
Activity, Equity Unbound Activity
Checking in with GIF, Emoji or Meme
A fun and quick way to check in or end a class with your students.
Maha Bali
Auditory Affect
Students explore an auditory digital tool and afterwards reflect on and talk about their experience
Heather Kretschmer
I wish my students knew
This activity helps to promote positive student-teacher connections.
Amena Magdy
Equity Unbound Activity
Survey Students
Use a pre-course survey to get to know your students early on in the semester.
Maha Bali
Equity Unbound Activity
Gratitude Journal
Support students' wellbeing by suggesting a daily or periodic practice of gratitude, promote radical self-compassion.
Maha Bali, Nadine Aboulmagd, Hoda Mostafa, Azza Awwad
Equity Unbound Activity
Third Places
Creating semi-formal, semi-synchronous spaces outside of class time for students to socialize with each other.
Maha Bali
Equity Unbound Activity
teaching ethics
Engage everyone in making sense of profound challenges. Use to address difficult or confusing topics.
Maha Bali
Equity Unbound Activity
purpose
Use the Purpose to Practice structure with students to co-develop community guidelines for the class.
Maha Bali
Equity Unbound Activity
meditation
Meditation provides an opportunity for students to relax before or after teaching.
Nadine Aboulmagd
Equity Unbound Activity
authentic
Learn about different ways you can address your students at the beginning of the semester.