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Your SEL Toolkit: Beyond Asking For Help

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Lesson Plan

Your SEL Toolkit Lesson Plan

Students will identify and practice various social-emotional learning strategies beyond directly asking for help to navigate challenging situations.

Understanding a range of SEL tools empowers students to independently address personal and social challenges, fostering resilience and self-reliance.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and practical application of SEL strategies.

Materials

SEL Toolkit Slide Deck, SEL Toolkit Warm Up, SEL Strategies Worksheet, Scenario Cards Activity, and SEL Toolkit Cool Down

Prep

Review and Print Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Comes to Mind?

5 minutes

  • Begin by presenting the SEL Toolkit Warm Up and asking students: "When you hear 'Social-Emotional Learning' or 'SEL,' what's the first thing that comes to mind?"
  • Allow a few students to share their initial thoughts.
  • Transition by saying: "Often, 'asking for help' is a big part of SEL, and it's a great tool! But today, we're going to explore that our SEL toolkit is much bigger than just asking for help."

Step 2

Introducing the SEL Toolkit

10 minutes

  • Present the SEL Toolkit Slide Deck, focusing on slides that introduce various SEL strategies.
  • Discuss each strategy briefly, providing simple examples.
  • Encourage students to think about situations where they might use each strategy.

Step 3

Practice with Scenarios

10 minutes

  • Distribute the SEL Strategies Worksheet and Scenario Cards Activity.
  • Divide students into small groups.
  • Each group will choose a scenario card and work together to identify at least two SEL strategies (beyond asking for help) they could use to address the situation, writing their ideas on the worksheet.
  • Circulate to provide support and facilitate discussion.

Step 4

Cool-Down: One New Tool

5 minutes

  • Bring the class back together.
  • Conclude by presenting the SEL Toolkit Cool Down and asking students: "What's one new SEL tool you learned about today that you feel confident trying?"
  • Allow a few students to share their reflections.
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Slide Deck

Your SEL Toolkit: Beyond Asking For Help

Building essential life skills for thriving!

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Emphasize that SEL is a crucial life skill.

What Comes to Mind?

When you hear 'Social-Emotional Learning' (SEL), what's the first thing that comes to mind?


Prompt students with the warm-up question. Encourage initial thoughts and brief sharing. This aligns with the SEL Toolkit Warm Up.

Your Awesome SEL Toolkit

Asking for help is powerful, but your toolkit is HUGE!

It's filled with different tools to help you:

  • Understand your feelings
  • Manage tough moments
  • Get along with others
  • Make good choices

Explain that while asking for help is vital, our SEL toolkit contains many other proactive strategies.

Tool #1: Name Your Feeling

Can you put a name to what you're feeling?

  • Happy, Sad, Angry, Confused, Excited, Frustrated...
  • Giving a name to an emotion helps you understand it and decide what to do next.

Introduce the idea of identifying emotions. Ask students for examples of different emotions.

Tool #2: Take a Deep Breath

When things get tough, your breath is always there for you.

  • Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts.
  • Hold for 4 counts.
  • Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.
  • Repeat a few times!

Introduce deep breathing as a calming strategy. Lead the class in one or two deep breaths.

Tool #3: Power of Self-Talk

What you tell yourself matters!

  • Instead of 'I can't do this,' try 'I'll try my best!'
  • Instead of 'This is impossible,' try 'What's one small step I can take?'
  • Be your own cheerleader!

Discuss positive self-talk. Ask for examples of encouraging things they can say to themselves.

Tool #4: Problem-Solving Steps

When you face a challenge, break it down:

  1. Identify the Problem: What's really going on?
  2. Brainstorm Solutions: What are some ways to fix it?
  3. Choose the Best Solution: Which one works best?
  4. Try it Out! See what happens.

Briefly explain problem-solving steps. This will lead into the activity.

Time to Practice!

Work in groups to use your new SEL tools!

  1. Pick a Scenario Card.
  2. Discuss which SEL tools (beyond asking for help) you could use.
  3. Write your ideas on the SEL Strategies Worksheet.

Explain the group activity. Refer to the SEL Strategies Worksheet and Scenario Cards Activity.

One New Tool

What's one new SEL tool you learned about today that you feel confident trying out?


Conclude with the cool-down question, prompting reflection. This aligns with the SEL Toolkit Cool Down.

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Warm Up

SEL Toolkit Warm Up

When you hear "Social-Emotional Learning" (SEL), what's the first thing that comes to mind?




Why do you think SEL is important for students your age?




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Worksheet

SEL Strategies Worksheet

Name: __________________________

Date: __________________________

Applying Your SEL Toolkit

With your group, choose a Scenario Card. Discuss the situation and identify at least two SEL strategies (from our discussion today, beyond just asking for help) that you could use to navigate it. Explain how each strategy would help.

Chosen Scenario:

Briefly describe the scenario your group picked:







SEL Strategy #1:

Name of Strategy:




How would this strategy help in the chosen scenario?







SEL Strategy #2:

Name of Strategy:




How would this strategy help in the chosen scenario?







Bonus Strategy (Optional):

Can you think of another SEL tool that might be useful here?




How would it help?




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Activity

Scenario Cards Activity

Cut out these cards and use them in your group to practice applying your SEL toolkit.

Scenario Card 1: The Group Project Pressure

You're working on a group project, and one of your teammates isn't pulling their weight. The deadline is approaching fast, and you're worried about your grade. You feel a mix of frustration and anxiety.

Scenario Card 2: Social Media Drama

You see a post on social media that makes fun of a classmate. You know it's not right, and it makes you uncomfortable, but you don't want to get involved or draw attention to yourself.

Scenario Card 3: A Confusing Conversation

During a conversation with a friend, you feel like they misunderstood something important you said, and now they seem upset. You're not sure how to clarify without making things worse.

Scenario Card 4: Unexpected Setback

You studied really hard for a test, but when you get your grade back, it's much lower than you expected. You feel disappointed and discouraged about your abilities.

Scenario Card 5: Peer Pressure Dilemma

Your friends are planning to do something that you know is against school rules and could get you all into trouble. They're pressuring you to join in, and you don't want to be left out, but you also don't want to break the rules.

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Cool Down

SEL Toolkit Cool Down

What is one new SEL tool or strategy you learned about today that you feel confident trying out in the future?







How do you think having a bigger SEL toolkit can help you in your daily life?







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