Secret Handshake
How:
1. Students pair up and take a few minutes to create and practice a secret handshake
and a greeting that includes each other's names.
2. On your signal, all students begin doing their secret handshakes and greetings
with their partners.
3. On your signal, students find new partners and teach each other their handshakes.
4. Repeat once or twice.
Tips:
• Create your own safe and friendly handshake for the class and perform it with a
volunteer before asking students to create their own.
• Reinforce positive behaviors. For example: "I saw and heard lots of cooperation as
you worked with your partners to create secret handshakes."
Variations:
• Invite partners to do their handshake in the center of the circle one pair at a time.
• Challenge students to create their biggest, smallest, fastest, slowest, or most complicated
handshake.
Encore!
Students team up to connect vocabulary words with favorite songs.
How:
1. Place students into small groups of four or five.
2. Call out a word or topic related to a unit of study (for example, a weather or
science term, historical event or person, number or math term, or adjectives
and adverbs).
3. Give groups a few minutes to brainstorm songs they know that contain that word
or connect to the topic.
4. Have each group sing or chant a line or verse from one or two songs from
their brainstorming.
Tips:
• Before starting, ask students, "What will it look and sound like to work together in
your group?" Model these behaviors (taking turns listening and talking, accepting
others' ideas, and so on).
• Reinforce positive behaviors. For example: "I noticed everyone in the group sharing
ideas and listening to their classmates. That made it fun for everyone!"
Variations:
• List all the songs the class came up with. Then choose a few favorites to sing later.
• After groups sing a line or verse, see if the other students can "Name That Tune!"
Source: A Toolkit for Promoting Empathy in Schools
Ashoka | www.ashoka.org | www.startempathy.org