Social Emotional Learning Curriculum - Elementary SEL Skill Lessons & Activities

This is a complete social emotional learning curriculum to support elementary students. It includes SEL activities to teach meaningful SEL skills for the entire year! It is filled with over 180 lessons and activities targeting social awareness, confidence, SMART goals, social skills, study skills, managing emotions, understanding relationships, decision-making skills, and much more.

A total of 35 complete and detailed lessons are included, each with 5 unique activities. This means your purchase includes over 175 activities focusing on social emotional learning for the entire year! Educator guides are included for every lesson, detailing the prep work required and specific verbiage for you to say to your learners. Activities include a wide variety of tasks: workbook pages, task cards, discussion starters, hands-on crafts, center activities, role-play, games, writing prompts, and much more.

Digital Workbooks

Note that I've updated the entire curriculum to include digital-friendly student workbooks for Google Drive! This makes it easy to have students respond to every lesson online with their device.

Note that this is the SEL Curriculum for elementary learners. Click here for the SEL Curriculum for older learners.

What is Social Emotional Learning?

Social emotional learning (SEL) is the process for acquiring necessary social and emotional skills for everyday success. These skills include understanding ourselves and our abilities, using self-control, setting goals, maintaining positive relationships, having empathy for others, making positive decisions, and much more. Essentially, social emotional learning skills are life skills, as these are abilities learners need in the classroom, at home, with friends, in future relationships, and beyond.

Why is teaching SEL important?

Social and emotional learning helps teach kids and young adults the skills they need to be successful. Having a foundation for SEL also supports a safe and positive learning environment where all students feel free to share their voices, accept challenges, take risks, and work towards finding their individual path to success.

Why Pathway 2 Success?

The lessons and activities in this curriculum are designed specifically for learners of all levels and abilities to learn, use, discuss, and generalize the social and emotional skills they need. The idea is simple: We want our students to find their individual pathway to success! They need to be able to understand themselves, recognize their strengths, work through their challenges, enjoy the benefits of positive relationships, and be the best they can be. We also want our students to be strong! Learners need strategies to manage their emotions, advocate for themselves, and make positive decisions throughout their lives. Through learning these skills, kids and young adults can work towards their individual potentials.

This curriculum is developed with kids and young adults in mind. The lessons and activities are designed to give learners time for discussions, hands-on learning, movement, art integration, and more.

Social Emotional Learning Research-Based Best Practices

This curriculum utilizes best practices for SEL instruction, including:

• Sequenced and connected activities to foster skill development.
• Active and varied forms of learning, including class discussions, journal writing, games, partner/group activities, and projects.
• Focused approach to emphasize the development of personal and social skills.
• Explicit instruction to target social emotional skills in an organized and specific way using the five core domains of SEL.

What is included?

The lessons and activities in this curriculum target all facets of social and emotional learning for an entire year. There are five units consisting of: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and decision-making skills. These units are intended to be taught in progression so that the skills build on each other.

Every unit consists of seven major lessons, each broken up into several smaller activities. While it is most beneficial if all activities are taught, you have the flexibility to select which activities are best for your students ahead of time if time is short.

What Skills are Targeted in Social Emotional Learning?

There are five major domains when it comes to social emotional learning: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision-making skills. Each of these areas encompass a wide variety of skills that are necessary for success in all areas of an individual’s life.

How Does SEL Support a Positive Climate?

Teaching, discussing, and practicing skills aligned with social emotional learning helps to promote a positive school climate for all. This is because SEL skills encourage strong connections between students and adults, collaboration and cooperation among peers, high standards for behavior and academics, empathy for others, and overall respect for one another.

What Does the Research Say About SEL?

Research shows that social emotional learning skills are critical for the success of kids and young adults. A meta-analysis demonstrated that students who participated in SEL programs significantly improved their social emotional skills, behavior, academics, and attitudes (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger, 2011). To have the biggest impact on success, these skills need to be explicitly targeted, taught, and integrated into the everyday classroom setting.

How Can I Implement These Lessons?

There are many different options, so it’s important to do what works for you and your learners. Depending on your schedule, you can choose to complete 1 activity per day or 1 full lesson per week. A complete pacing and planning guide is included to help you identify which lessons you should teach on each day, depending on your schedule and availability. Of course, if time is short, you can always choose which specific activities you’d like to complete.

How Much Prep is Required?

Some activities include hands-on crafts and/or tasks cards, which require gathering of materials or cutting the cards out ahead of time. If this is a challenge for you, you can always elect to skip those specific activities. Another option is to have students do the cutting of materials like task cards right during your lesson time.

• Table of Contents •

NOTE: Only core lessons are listed. It's important to note that each lesson contains five activities and mini-lessons, giving you a total of over 180 activities to use throughout the year. Please see each product for more detailed description of the mini-lessons and activities included.

UNIT 1: Self-Awareness

• Introduction: Understanding Self-Awareness
• Lesson 1: Becoming Self-Aware
• Lesson 2: Building Confidence
• Lesson 3: Understanding Emotions
• Lesson 4: Developing Good Character
• Lesson 5: Growth Mindset
• Lesson 6: Positive Thinking Skills
• Lesson 7: Hopes and Dreams
• Post-Assessment
• Summative Project: All About Me
• Vocabulary Slips

UNIT 2: Self-Management

• Introduction: Understanding Self-Management
• Lesson 1: Study Habits
• Lesson 2: Staying Organized
• Lesson 3: Self-Control
• Lesson 4: Coping with Emotions
• Lesson 5: Calming Strategies
• Lesson 6: Making Goals
• Lesson 7: Perseverance
• Post-Assessment
• Summative Project: Self-Management Brochure
• Vocabulary Slips

UNIT 3: Social Awareness

• Introduction: Understanding Social Awareness
• Lesson 1: Social Expectations
• Lesson 2: Social Cues
• Lesson 3: Respect
• Lesson 4: Perspective-Taking
• Lesson 5: Developing Empathy
• Lesson 6: Showing Kindness
• Lesson 7: Celebrating Diversity
• Post-Assessment
• Summative Project: My Social Skills Story
• Vocabulary Slips

UNIT 4: Relationships

• Introduction: Understanding Relationships
• Lesson 1: Friendship Skills
• Lesson 2: Conversation Skills
• Lesson 3: Including Others
• Lesson 4: Working with Others
• Lesson 5: Getting Along with Others
• Lesson 6: Conflict Resolution Skills
• Lesson 7: Making Up For Mistakes
• Post-Assessment
• Summative Project: The Friendship Times
• Vocabulary Slips

UNIT 5: Decision-Making

• Introduction: Understanding Decision-Making Skills
• Lesson 1: Becoming Responsible
• Lesson 2: Making Good Choices
• Lesson 3: Taking Responsibility for Choices
• Lesson 4: Peer Influence
• Lesson 5: Problem-Solving
• Lesson 6: Healthy Choices
• Lesson 7: Reflecting on Choices
• Post-Assessment
• Summative Project: Let’s Give Advice
• Vocabulary Slips

Educator Guides

• Complete Lesson Plans – This resource includes JUST the educator guides located all in one spot. Not that every lesson includes student objectives, sample educator verbiage, suggested answers, discussion starting questions, step-by-step instructions for activities, and more. Extension activities for each unit are also included. Print or use digitally for educator guides at a quick glance.
• Pacing and Planning Guides – This includes a detailed implementation guide for how to get started with your SEL lesson plans and curriculum. Frequently asked questions and common concerns are addressed to help your SEL time run smoothly and efficiently. Current research and basic information about SEL is included to share with educators and staff. Sample pacing guides are included for weekly and daily SEL blocks.

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Disclaimer: These resources and materials are for supplementary support/education purposes and not intended as a replacement for counseling, education, or other necessary supports. Educators, parents, counselors, and others who utilize these materials are encouraged to seek out additional support, as needed.

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