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Across the school year, students participate in SEL and Mindfulness lessons, creating a strong foundation for personal growth, emotional well-being, and academic success.
Across the school year, students participate in SEL and Mindfulness lessons, creating a strong foundation for personal growth, emotional well-being, and academic success.
“Mindfulness is the canvas and SEL skills are the paint.”
“Mindfulness is the canvas and SEL skills are the paint.”
Mindfulness provides students with the inner space to pause, notice, and reflect, which is what allows them to apply SEL skills in real, everyday situations.
When students are grounded in the present moment, they are better equipped to:
Recognize what they’re feeling (Self-Awareness)
Regulate their emotions (Self-Management)
Consider others’ perspectives (Social Awareness)
Communicate clearly and kindly (Relationship Skills)
Make thoughtful, responsible choices (Responsible Decision-Making)
Each month, K-5 students participate in Mindfulness and SEL lessons that are centered around the CASEL Core Competencies highlighted above.
See our SEL and Mindfulness units below!
SEL Units
Unit 1: Self-Awareness
Description: Students develop the ability to recognize and understand their own emotions, thoughts, values, strengths, and areas for growth— building a strong foundation for confident and purposeful behavior.
Students Will Learn To...
- Identify and name emotions.
- Accurately recognize their own thoughts and feelings.
- Recognize personal strengths and areas for growth with confidence.
- Build confidence and a sense of efficacy.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Introduction: What Does a School Counselor Do?
Emotion Expressing: Use Your Words, Not Your Hands
Self-Esteem and Recognizing Strengths
I’ve Got GRIT!
Inclusion and Celebrating Differences
Identifying Emotions and Accurate Self-Perception
Unit 2: Self-Management
Description: Students learn to regulate emotions, manage stress, set goals, and make constructive choices.
Students Will Learn To...
- Manage impulses and stress effectively.
- Demonstrate self-discipline and motivation.
- Set and work toward personal goals.
- Stay organized.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Coping Skills/Calming Toolbox
Impulse Control
Time Management
Stress Management
Developing Assertiveness
Organizational Skills and Planning Ahead
Unit 3: ERIN’s Law (K-2) & Mental Health Awareness (3-5)
Description:
K-2: Teaching personal safety and trusted adults (ERIN’s Law).
3-5: Mental health awareness to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
Students Will Learn To...
- Understand and practice personal safety.
- Identify trusted adults.
- Recognize signs of mental health challenges.
- Seek help when needed.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Safe Choices / Personal Safety
Trusted Adults and Help-Seeking
Recognizing and Expressing Feelings
Building Emotional Vocabulary
Reducing Stigma Around Mental Health
Unit 4: Relationship Skills (K-2), Career Awareness (3-5)
Description:
K-2: Positive communication, cooperation, conflict resolution.
3-5: Explore interests and career goals.
Students Will Learn To...
- Communicate effectively and respectfully.
- Cooperate and resolve conflicts with peers.
- Identify strengths and interests.
- Set future goals.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Sharing & Positive Peer Relationships
How to Be a Good Friend
Conflict Resolution
Using “I”-Messages
Communication and Listening Skills
Do Unto Otters (Empathy)
Teamwork and Social Engagement
Digital Citizenship
Intro to Career Exploration & Interest Inventories
Unit 5: Career Interests (K-2), Growth Mindset (3-4), Launch to Middle School (5)
Description:
K-2: Explore community helpers and career interests to begin understanding the world of work and how people contribute to their communities.
3-4: Reflect on SEL journeys and set goals for personal growth.
5: Talk about the transition to middle school and our feelings about the change.
Students Will Learn To...
- Explore their interests and strengths.
- Understand the concept of work and careers.
- Develop a growth mindset toward goals and the future.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Career Interest Inventories
Exploring Strengths and Interests
Growth Mindset Activities
Transition to Middle School
Mindfulness Units
Unit 1: What Is Mindfulness And Why Does It Matter?
Description: Students are introduced to the concept of mindfulness and explore how being present with all 5 senses supports self-awareness and self-regulation.
Students Will Learn To...
- Define mindfulness and its purpose.
- Identify their 5 senses and understand how they can be used to practice mindfulness.
- Recognize the difference between the calm and busy mind.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Introduction to the Calm vs. Busy Mind: Using the Glitter Jar
Exploring the 5 Senses of Your “Happy Place”
STOP Technique for Mindful Decision-Making
"Am I Mindful or Is My Mind Full?"
Aligned CASEL Competency: Self-Awareness
Unit 2: Listening to Our Bodies
Description: Students explore how feelings and stress show up in the body and learn mindfulness strategies to increase calmness.
Students Will Learn To...
- Recognize their bodies’ stress signals and ways to regulate through mindfulness techniques.
- Recognize how their bodies react physically to different feelings.
- Practice mindfulness strategies, like breathing and grounding, to feel calm.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Mindful Breathing Calms Our Bodies
Releasing Unhelpful Thoughts Through Breath
Our Bodies Send Us Messages!
Aligned CASEL Competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making
Unit 3: Mindfulness for You and Me
Description: Students will be immersed in the concept of training their brains to view themselves, others, and the world around them more positively.
Students Will Learn To...
- Practice mindful noticing and positive self-talk.
- Understand how practicing mindfulness promotes overall wellbeing.
- Use mindfulness to build compassion for themselves and others.
- Build self-awareness through reflection.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Mindful Listening
Intentional Noticing
Showing Gratitude Through Mindfulness
Strike a Power Pose!
Reacting vs Responding
Be the Boss of Your Brain!
Mind Time Travel: Past, Present, or Future?
Aligned CASEL competencies: Relationship Skills, Self-Management, Self-Awareness, Social Awareness
Unit 4: Mindfulness in Nature
Description: Students will explore the connection between nature and mindfulness.
Students Will Learn To...
- Enlist nature as a grounding technique.
- Be mindful of nature and all living things.
- Calm their minds by connecting with nature.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Nature-Based Yoga
Noticing the World Around Us
Sending Kind Wishes to Animals and Nature
Owl Eyes and Deer Ears Walk
Aligned CASEL Competencies: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management
Unit 5: Creative Calm
Description:
Through creative expression and flow, students will discover how creativity cultivates mindfulness and understanding of themselves and others.
Students Will Learn To...
- Trust their feelings.
- Acknowledge art as a means of self-discovery.
- Use creativity as a mindfulness tool to achieve self-regulation and inner calm.
Sample Lesson Topics:
Finding Emotions Through Music
Feel and Create
Creativity Is for Everyone!
Dream, Draw, and Discover
Aligned CASEL Competencies: Self-Management, Self-Awareness, Social Awareness
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