Building a Team with socio-emotional learning activities from Data to the Rescue

In this activity, youth practice their social-emotional skills through reflection and communication. It provides educators with a meaningful opportunity to listen and connect with youth on a personal level. Participants choose a picture that best represents their feelings and share their thoughts. Activities like this are woven throughout Data to the Rescue, fostering personal growth and development while creating a supportive learning environment. 

What We Know

Research shows that learning to regulate their emotions and communicate how they are feeling helps youth recover from setbacks and this helps them learn better. When youth make connections between activities and their own experiences, they are more likely to be engaged in learning. 

As you watch the video below: 

• Notice how the facilitator reacts to the youth as they describe what they’re feeling that day. 

What We Learned

Now that you’ve watched the video, reflect on what you saw. 

• How did the facilitator respond to what youth’s comments on how they were feeling? 

• How does acknowledging youths’ feelings support the development of new skills? 

• How could you incorporate these kinds of discussions into your program?

Building Data Literacy Skills

Learners strengthen their ability to visualize and interpret data through hands-on practice. Additionally, we strive to equip them with technical skills and computational thinking, empowering them to leverage technology and tools to effectively analyze and represent data. 

Big Idea

As youth learn to engage with data, we encourage them to harness their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. By nurturing their reasoning and problem-solving abilities, we help them build confidence and develop the skills needed to explore data, ask meaningful questions, and derive insights that make sense of the world around them. 

Find the full Data to the Rescue Curriculum, including an at-home version for individual learners and a club version

https://polar-ice.org/polar-explorer-adventures/

Developed in collaboration with Rutgers University (4-H) and Rutger University’s Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RU COOL).