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What's Your Superpower? Setting SEL Goals

mmanning

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

SEL Goal Setting Lesson Plan

Students will identify a social-emotional learning (SEL) area they wish to develop and begin drafting a personal SEL goal for their IEPs.

Developing personal SEL goals helps students take ownership of their emotional growth and provides a clear focus for support within their IEPs, enhancing their overall well-being and academic success.

Audience

9th-10th Grade Special Education Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Direct instruction, guided reflection, and brief sharing.

Materials

What's Your Superpower? Slide Deck (#sel-superpower-slide-deck), My SEL Power-Up Worksheet (#sel-power-up-worksheet), and Goal Share-Out Discussion Prompts (#goal-share-out-discussion)

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review the SEL Goal Setting Lesson Plan and all linked materials.
    - Ensure projector/screen is set up for the What's Your Superpower? Slide Deck.
    - Print enough copies of the My SEL Power-Up Worksheet for all students.
    - Be ready to facilitate a brief discussion using the Goal Share-Out Discussion Prompts.

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's a Goal?

2 minutes

  • Ask students: "What's one goal you've set for yourself, big or small, and why did you want to achieve it?" (Brief whole group share or quick turn-and-talk).

Step 2

Introduction to SEL & IEP Goals

5 minutes

  • Present the What's Your Superpower? Slide Deck (Slides 1-5).
    - Explain Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and its importance.
    - Connect SEL to IEPs, emphasizing that these goals are about their personal growth and development.
    - Introduce the five core SEL competencies (Self-awareness, Self-management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making) and provide quick examples for each relevant to high school students.

Step 3

Identify Your SEL Power-Up

5 minutes

  • Distribute the My SEL Power-Up Worksheet.
    - Guide students through Section 1 and Section 2, helping them think about which SEL area resonates most with them and where they might want to grow.
    - Instruct them to begin drafting a goal in Section 3, focusing on making it clear and actionable, even if it's just a starting point.

Step 4

Share & Reflect (Cool Down)

3 minutes

  • Facilitate a brief discussion using the Goal Share-Out Discussion Prompts.
    - Ask students to share one idea for an SEL skill they might want to work on, or what makes a goal personally meaningful.
    - Collect worksheets for review and follow-up.
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Slide Deck

What's Your Superpower? Setting SEL Goals

Let's discover how you can grow personally this year!

Welcome students and introduce the idea of setting goals. Connect it to personal growth.

What is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)?

  • It's about understanding yourself and others.
  • It helps you manage feelings, make smart decisions, and get along with people.
  • It's like building your 'inner strength' and 'people skills'!

Explain SEL in simple terms. Emphasize that it's about understanding and managing emotions, building relationships, and making good choices.

Why Are SEL Goals Important for YOU?

  • Personal Growth: Become a more confident, capable you!
  • IEP Connection: Your IEP can support your journey.
  • Life Skills: These skills help you now and in the future (jobs, friendships, family).

Reinforce the 'why.' Explain that these goals aren't just for school but for life. Connect to their IEPs as a tool for personal growth and support.

The 5 Superpower Areas of SEL

  • Self-Awareness: Knowing your feelings, strengths, and weaknesses.
  • Self-Management: Managing your emotions and behaviors.
  • Social Awareness: Understanding others' feelings and perspectives.
  • Relationship Skills: Building positive connections and communicating well.
  • Responsible Decision-Making: Making thoughtful choices about your actions.

Briefly introduce each of the five core competencies. Provide a very quick, high-school relevant example for each. E.g., Self-awareness: knowing when you're stressed. Self-management: calming down before a test. Social awareness: understanding a friend's feelings. Relationship skills: resolving a conflict. Responsible decision-making: thinking before acting online.

Let's Find Your Focus!

Think about:

  • What skill would help you most in school?
  • What skill would help you most with friends or family?
  • What skill do you want to feel stronger in?

Explain that today we're just starting. The worksheet will help them pinpoint an area and brainstorm. Emphasize that the goal is to be actionable for them.

Time to Work on Your Goals!

Use your My SEL Power-Up Worksheet to:

  1. Reflect on what SEL means to you.
  2. Choose one or two 'superpower areas' to focus on.
  3. Start drafting your own personal SEL goal!

Transition to the worksheet activity. Give clear instructions on where to find the worksheet and what to do.

My Next Steps in Growth

Let's share one idea or thought about the SEL skill you'd like to strengthen. What makes a goal important to you?

Prepare for the quick share-out/cool-down. Encourage participation but don't force it. Remind them these goals are personal.

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Worksheet

My SEL Power-Up Worksheet

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Section 1: What is SEL to me?

In your own words, what do you think Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) means? Why do you think it might be important for you?






Section 2: Explore Your Superpower Areas

Read through the five SEL Superpower Areas below. Circle the ONE area where you feel you could grow the most this year, or where you would like to feel stronger.

  • Self-Awareness: Understanding your own emotions, thoughts, values, and strengths.

    • Example: Knowing what makes you feel stressed or happy.

  • Self-Management: Managing your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations.

    • Example: Taking deep breaths when you feel frustrated.

  • Social Awareness: Understanding the perspectives of others and empathizing with them.

    • Example: Noticing when a friend seems sad and asking if they're okay.

  • Relationship Skills: Building and maintaining healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups.

    • Example: Working well with a partner on a school project.

  • Responsible Decision-Making: Making constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on ethical standards, safety concerns, and societal norms.

    • Example: Thinking about the consequences before posting something online.

Section 3: Draft Your SEL Power-Up Goal

Based on the SEL Superpower Area you circled above, start to draft a personal goal you want to work on. Think about:

  • What specific action can you take?
  • How will you know if you are making progress?

My SEL Goal Idea: I want to...












(Example: "I want to practice taking 3 deep breaths when I feel overwhelmed in class, three times a week, to help manage my stress.")

Section 4: Why is this goal important to me?

How will achieving this goal help you in school, with friends, or in your personal life?






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Discussion

Goal Share-Out Discussion Prompts

Use these prompts to facilitate a brief, engaging discussion to wrap up the lesson. Encourage students to share their initial thoughts or a general area of focus, rather than specific, fully-formed goals, if they prefer.

Discussion Prompts:

  1. "What is one SEL 'superpower' or skill that you are interested in strengthening this year, and why?"
    • (Encourage students to briefly explain why they chose that area and how they think it might help them.)



  2. "What makes a goal meaningful or important to you personally?"
    • (Guide students to think about intrinsic motivation rather than external pressures.)



  3. "When you think about setting a goal, what's one thing that would make it easier for you to work towards it?"
    • (This can help identify potential supports or strategies for future goal refinement.)



Teacher Note: Remind students that these goals are personal and that it's okay if they're still figuring things out. The purpose is to start thinking about their own growth.

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