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What’s Your SEL Superpower?

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Amber Cooper

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Superpower Mapping Lesson Plan

Guide students to discover and map their personal social-emotional strengths to CASEL’s five competencies, then articulate a personal ‘superpower’ pledge for continued growth.

Building self-awareness and recognizing individual SEL strengths fosters confidence, empathy, and responsible decision-making—key skills for academic success and positive classroom culture.

Audience

4th Grade Class

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive slides, sorting game, journaling, and exit pledge.

Materials

Discover Your SEL Powers Slides, Strengths Sorting Challenge, My SEL Superpower Reflection, and Power Pledge Exit Ticket

Prep

Prepare and Review Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the Discover Your SEL Powers Slides and familiarize yourself with CASEL’s five competencies
  • Print enough sets of the Strengths Sorting Challenge cards for each group
  • Make copies of the My SEL Superpower Reflection journal page and the Power Pledge Exit Ticket for each student
  • Arrange desks/tables into small groups for the sorting activity

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Project slide 1 of the Discover Your SEL Powers Slides
  • Ask: “What does ‘social-emotional learning’ mean?”
  • Take 2–3 student responses; highlight examples of self-awareness or empathy
  • Explain today’s goal: find our own SEL superpowers

Step 2

Introduce CASEL Competencies

10 minutes

  • Navigate through slides 2–6 of the Discover Your SEL Powers Slides
  • For each competency (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making):
    • Read definition aloud
    • Invite a student to summarize
  • Check for understanding with quick thumbs-up/thumbs-down

Step 3

Strengths Sorting Challenge

15 minutes

  • Divide students into groups of 3–4
  • Give each group a set of Strengths Sorting Challenge cards
  • Instruct groups to sort each strength card under the matching CASEL competency
  • Circulate and prompt: “Why did you place ‘perseverance’ under Self-Management?”
  • After sorting, ask groups to share one surprising placement with the class

Step 4

SEL Superpower Reflection

10 minutes

  • Distribute the My SEL Superpower Reflection journal page
  • Ask students to:
    1. Pick their top two strengths from the sorting activity
    2. Write how each strength connects to a CASEL competency
    3. Set one personal goal to strengthen their superpower further
  • Remind students: be honest and specific in their reflections

Step 5

Power Pledge Exit Ticket

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Power Pledge Exit Ticket
  • Students complete the sentence: “My SEL superpower is ___, and I will ___ to grow it this week.”
  • Collect exit tickets as they leave
  • Use pledges to inform future SEL check-ins
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Slide Deck

Discover Your SEL Powers

Welcome! Today, we'll explore what social-emotional learning (SEL) is and uncover our personal SEL superpowers.

Project this title slide to signal the start. Ask: “What does ‘social-emotional learning’ mean?” Take 2–3 responses, highlighting examples of self-awareness or empathy. Explain: Today’s goal is to find our own SEL superpowers.

What is SEL?

Social-emotional learning helps us understand and manage our emotions, work well with others, and make responsible choices.

Discussion: What does SEL mean to you?

Ask students to turn to a partner and discuss the question for about 1 minute. Afterward, invite several volunteers to share their ideas with the class.

CASEL’s Five Competencies

  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible Decision-Making

Introduce the five competencies by reading each one aloud. Tell students we’ll dive into each competency with definitions and examples.

Self-Awareness

Understanding your own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior.

Think: When have you noticed your feelings and what they meant?

Read the definition aloud. Invite a student to summarize it in their own words. Then ask: “Can you think of a time you noticed how you were feeling?”

Self-Management

Managing your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations effectively.

Prompt: How do you calm yourself when you feel upset or excited?

Explain the definition and ask students to give examples of strategies they use when they feel strong emotions. Prompt discussion.

Social Awareness

Showing understanding and empathy for others from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Prompt: How have you shown kindness or helped someone else?

Highlight empathy and perspective taking. Ask: “Describe a time you noticed someone else’s feelings and helped them.”

Relationship Skills

Building healthy, supportive relationships and communicating clearly.

Prompt: Share a way you worked well with a friend or classmate.

Discuss why clear communication matters. Invite a student to role-play a friendly conversation with a partner.

Responsible Decision-Making

Making caring and constructive choices about personal and social behavior.

Prompt: Think of a time you made a good choice and why.

Read aloud. Then ask students to share a time they thought through a choice and the outcome it led to.

Strengths Sorting Challenge

In groups, sort the strengths cards under the SEL competency they best match. Be ready to share one surprising choice!

Explain the group sorting activity. Divide students into groups of 3–4, hand out the Strengths Sorting Challenge cards, and set a 10-minute timer. Circulate, ask guiding questions, and have groups share one surprising placement.

Reflection & Power Pledge

  1. Pick your top two strengths from the activity.
  2. Write how each connects to an SEL competency.
  3. Set a goal to grow your superpower this week.

Then complete your Power Pledge Exit Ticket.

Distribute the My SEL Superpower Reflection journal page. Explain each step: pick top two strengths, connect each to a competency, and set a goal. Then hand out Power Pledge Exit Tickets for completion before dismissal.

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Activity

Strengths Sorting Challenge

Overview:
In this hands-on group activity, students will sort SEL strength cards under the five CASEL competencies, discuss their choices, and prepare to identify their own SEL superpowers.

Time: 15 minutes
Group Size: 3–4 students per group

Materials:

  • Printed and cut strength cards (one set per group)
  • Sorting mat template (one per group) with these columns: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
  • Scissors (if cards need cutting)
  • Timer or stopwatch

Preparation:

  • Print two copies of the strength cards sheet and cut into individual cards for each group.
  • Print one sorting mat per group.

Instructions:

  1. Divide students into groups of 3–4 and give each group a stack of strength cards and a sorting mat.
  2. Explain: “Sort each card under the SEL competency you think matches best. There are no right or wrong answers—just be ready to explain your thinking!”
  3. Set a 10-minute timer. As students work, circulate and ask guiding questions:
    • “Why did you put ‘perseverance’ under Self-Management?”
    • “How does ‘empathy’ connect to Social Awareness?”
  4. When time is up, ask each group to share one surprising or interesting placement and their reasoning with the class.
  5. Collect cards and mats for reuse in later lessons.

Strength Cards (20 total):

  • Perseverance
  • Confidence
  • Self-Control
  • Adaptability
  • Patience
  • Gratitude
  • Empathy
  • Compassion
  • Respect
  • Active Listening
  • Kindness
  • Assertiveness
  • Teamwork
  • Flexibility
  • Problem-Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Cooperation
  • Responsibility
  • Communication
  • Self-Reflection

Sorting Mat Sections:

  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
  • Social Awareness
  • Relationship Skills
  • Responsible Decision-Making
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Journal

My SEL Superpower Reflection

Use this journal page to explore your SEL strengths, connect them to CASEL’s competencies, and plan how to grow your superpower.

  1. My top two SEL strengths are:
    a) ______________________________________






    b) ______________________________________





  2. How each strength connects to a CASEL competency:























    • Strength 1 (________________):
    • Strength 2 (________________):
  3. My personal goal to grow one of these superpowers this week:











  4. How I will use my SEL superpower:
    Describe a situation at school or home where you can apply it.















  5. What I learned about myself from this activity:















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Cool Down

Power Pledge Exit Ticket

Complete the sentence below to share your SEL superpower and how you will grow it this week.

My SEL superpower is ________________________, and I will ______________________________________________ this week.

Why this matters to me:







Keep this pledge somewhere you can see it to remind yourself throughout the week!

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