Diving Boards Curriculum
Now Shipping Version 3.0, Revised in November 2023
Tools for Powerful Conversations.
Diving Boards is a set of conversation prompts for advisories and other facilitated groups of middle or high school students. Each deck contains 49 conversation prompt cards, on topics ranging from Forgiveness to Managing Big Emotions. Each topic offers a warm-up question, followed by guidance on how to invite a meaningful conversation among students.
Designed by teachers, for teachers
Builds social-emotional intelligence
Deepens connection among advisory members
Note: Please allow 1-2 weeks for shipping time.
We call these cards Diving Boards because they are jumping-off points. The diving board is not the point—getting into the water is the point. And so more than the topics being raised, the aim of these cards is to prompt authentic, engaging, awareness-raising conversations. This is social-emotional learning in action. Each card is designed to start a meaningful conversation of 10 minutes to an hour or more.
The Diving Boards have been developed over years of advisory facilitation, in schools and online, with middle and high school students. Each card focuses on one social or emotional topic relevant to middle and high school students. They are organized into three categories: Personal, Social, and Real World. Some cards are marked Advanced because they take more preparation and pre-existing trust in the group. Some are marked Foundations because they help build the core habits of a group.
Topics include:
Active Listening
The Art of Friendship
Body Image
Character Strengths
Conflict Resolution
Personality
Pressure
Vision Boards