Safe & Caring Schools Grades 3–5

Book Description

Book with CD-ROM

The Safe & Caring Schools^® teacher activity guides support the standards from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) for the infusion of social and emotional learning into the classroom. Those key competencies are: Awareness of Self and Others, Positive Attitudes and Values, Responsible Decision Making, and Social Interaction Skills. In addition, the material correlates with standards for social studies, language arts, health, and other areas of the curriculum.

Safe & Caring Schools helps you provide social and emotional learning (SEL) in classrooms to improve student dynamics, school climate, and academic achievement. A 2007 research report, “The Effects of Social and Emotional Learning on the Behavior and Academic Performance of School Children,” shows that students who were exposed to SEL were better behaved, had less anxiety, and had more positive attitudes than those who were not part of SEL. In addition, even though incorporating SEL activities required time in the school day, it did not negatively affect students’ academic performance; in fact, their scores on standardized tests increased 11 percentile points.

Safe & Caring Schools offers:

• Easy-to-use lesson plans with more than 100 activities per teacher guide
• Nine flexible themes to use monthly or as individual, stand-alone lessons throughout the year
• Character-based teaching and learning on such topics as integrity, respect, responsibility, honesty, persistence, accountability, bullying prevention, and anger and conflict management
• Classroom-tested reproducible activity sheets for positive reinforcement, available in teacher guides and on included CD-ROMs
• Literature-based activities that pair suggested books with every lesson to integrate learning across the curriculum
• Helpful tips for organizing a schoolwide program
• Group-graded materials (PreK–K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, Grades 6–8) and large, bold posters that reinforce key concepts of the program 

The Grades 3–5 resource guide, like all the other Safe & Caring Schools volumes, is structured to be student-centered. The 100+ activities create opportunities for students to ask questions, discuss their interests, and find out what motivates them to get along with others. The lessons help students improve their social skills and use them as they practice teambuilding, communication techniques, deal with friendship issues, and express their feelings in appropriate ways. The materials can be used in an individual classroom, across a grade level, or throughout the entire school. Key concepts:

• Me and my save and caring school—rules and our classroom community
• Discovering our feelings—what can I do when I get angry
• My support system—give and take, compassion, and friendships
• Respect yourself and others—good manners, honesty, equality, and inclusion
• Bullying—mean words hurt, kidding vs. teasing, and getting help
• Teaming up for success—responsibility, leadership, and sharing
• Conflict resolution—listening skills, attitude matters, and using a Stop, Think, Choose process
• The power to choose—making positive and wise choices, consequences of choices, and being fair
• Follow your dreams—heroes, perseverance, and mobilizing your dreams

Part of the Safe & Caring Schools Series - Item 3403