K-5 SEL Information

Elementary school is a busy time for young children. They are learning many new skills. Children might be learning to read, to write, tie shoelaces, to help out at home, and want to do things by themselves. These are important tasks for young children to learn.

Children are also learning how to understand and manage their feelings. They are learning how to make friends and solve problems with other children. These skills are taught and reinforced throughout the day in the classroom, on the playground, and at home. Social/Emotional skills just like reading and writing, need to be directly taught. We will be using a program called Second Step to learn and practice these social-emotional skills. Research indicates that children who learn and use these skills are more likely to get along with other people and to do better in school.

Second Step has four units of 5 lessons each for a total of 20 lessons for the school year.

Other social/emotional lessons are provided to classrooms based on class needs, data from PBIS, as well as topics relevant to important days throughout the year (Bully prevention, World Kindness Day, Red Ribbon Week, holiday lessons, etc.). Each grade level is presented with information from Second Step lessons weekly.

Kindergarten-5th Grade:

Unit 1: Growth Mindset/Goal Setting

Unit 2: Emotion Management

Unit 3: Empathy and Kindness

Unit 4: Problem Solving

K-8 Scope and Sequence of Topics

Preschool (Early Learning Resource):

Unit 1: Skills for Learning

Unit 2: Empathy

Unit 3: Emotion Management

Unit 4: Friendship Skills/Problem Solving

Scope and Sequence of Lesson Topics - Early Learning (PreK)

Olympia has also purchased a Child Protection Unit for Early Learners. Child Protection Unit

6th - 8th Grade SEL

The social emotional learning standards are also used at the middle school level to address social emotional needs that surface in grades 6 - 8. The Second Step curriculum has been purchased and may be utilized with individuals or small groups of students that demonstrate a need for further development of SEL skills. Grade level teachers also have the ability to deliver SEL lessons during their advisory time. These are typically short lessons that focus on one skill at a time. We are working to approach SEL instruction in a more systematic manner but at this point, instruction occurs to individuals or groups that have demonstrated a need.