Online Second Step Social/Emotional Skills Curriculum

Online Second Step Social/Emotional Curriculum

September Guidance Lessons
TK/Kindergarten: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply it to the task of paying attention.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Focus attention
• Recognize that attention helps us learn and stay safe
• Improve skills with practice and effort
• Understand that mistakes are part of learning

1st Grade: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply it to the task of paying attention.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Focus attention
• Ignore distractions
• Improve skills with practice and effort
• Use growth mindset language

2nd Grade: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and use helpful thoughts to persevere through challenges.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Use growth mindset language
• Replace unhelpful thoughts with helpful thoughts
• Persevere through challenges while recognizing that mistakes are part of learning
• Improve skills with practice, effort, and by asking for help

3rd Grade: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and make an effective plan for how to get better at a skill.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Understand that the brain can grow and change
• Improve skills with practice, effort, help from others, and by trying a new way
• Make an effective plan for how to get better at a skill

4th Grade: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply strategies to make effective plans to reach goals.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Identify what a goal is and what an effective plan includes
• Identify a shared class goal and make a plan to reach that goal
• Monitor progress and modify a plan to reach a goal

5th Grade: Growth Mindset and Goal Setting
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and to plan, modify, and achieve goals.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Identify a personal goal and make a plan to reach the goal
• Monitor progress and identify roadblocks
• Modify a plan to move or work around roadblocks
• Reflect to inform future goals

6th Grade: Mindsets and Goals
Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply research-based goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives. This unit’s content helps create classrooms that are connected and encouraging by helping students set and achieve collective and personal goals, learn from challenges, recognize their personal strengths, and explore the unique aspects of their identities.
The goals of this unit include students being able to:

• Recognize that social challenges are common during adolescence and often get better in time with support from others
• Adopt a growth mindset
• Set personal goals
• Create plans to achieve goals
• Monitor progress toward achieving a goal and determine if they need to try a new strategy

We have been using the Second Step Bullying Prevention Program to help bring awareness for how to RECOGNIZE a bully situation, how to REFUSE it, and who to REPORT it to if things are not getting any better.  We are using some strategies from author Trudy Ludwig to help teach kids how to refuse mean behavior the first or second time it happens, in order to help it be resolved before it becomes a bigger bully issue.

We are also teaching kids how the BYSTANDERS (those who see or hear the mean/bully behavior) are actually the ones who have the most power, because we can stand up for those that are having a hard time standing up for themselves.

If a child or parent suspects a bullying issue, below is the order of who to report it to so we can work as a team to resolve the issue:
1. Classroom Teacher
2. Mrs. Twedt-Elementary School Counselor
3. Mr. Snyder-Elementary Principal