THIRD GRADE • SECOND STEP
Social-Emotional Learning
Each Monday, students begin one Second Step lesson. We build on that lesson's theme throughout the week during our SEL time, classroom conversations, and daily routines.
UNIT 1
Projected: September-OctoberGrowth Mindset & Goal-Setting
Students learn that their brains change as they learn, and that improvement comes from practice, effort, helpful strategies, and a realistic plan.
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Weekly lessons
- Week 1 - Lesson 1: Changing Your BrainStudents explore what happens in the brain when a person learns and practices a new skill.
- Week 2 - Lesson 2: Getting Better with PracticeStudents connect practice and effort with the changes that help their brains become stronger at a skill.
- Week 3 - Lesson 3: More Than PracticeStudents identify other helpful actions, such as asking for feedback or trying a new strategy, that can improve a skill.
- Week 4 - Lesson 4: Planning for PracticeStudents work with a partner to create a practical plan for improving a skill.
- Week 5 - Lesson 5: Make a Practice PlanStudents independently create a practice plan for something they personally want to improve.
Unit overview
Students learn that their brains change as they learn, and that improvement comes from practice, effort, helpful strategies, and a realistic plan.
Skills practiced all week
Students revisit the Monday theme through discussion, modeling, role-play, reflection, and real classroom situations.
CASEL competencies
Self-Awareness, Self-Management, and Responsible Decision-Making
UNIT 2
Projected: October-DecemberEmotion Management
Students learn that emotions provide useful information. They practice recognizing different levels of feelings and choosing when to pause or take a break.
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Weekly lessons
- Week 6 - Lesson 6: Why Emotions?Students discuss the information emotions can give us about what we need, value, or are experiencing.
- Week 7 - Lesson 7: How Angry?Students use situations and behavior clues to tell the difference between feeling annoyed, angry, and furious.
- Week 8 - Lesson 8: Take a BreakStudents learn to recognize when a strong emotion is building and how taking a break can help them regulate it.
- Week 9 - Lesson 9: How Happy?Students use context and behavior clues to distinguish between feeling content, happy, and excited.
- Week 10 - Lesson 10: Strength of FeelingsStudents compare similar emotions and notice that feelings can occur at different levels of intensity.
Unit overview
Students learn that emotions provide useful information. They practice recognizing different levels of feelings and choosing when to pause or take a break.
Skills practiced all week
Students revisit the Monday theme through discussion, modeling, role-play, reflection, and real classroom situations.
CASEL competencies
Self-Awareness, Self-Management, and Responsible Decision-Making
UNIT 3
Projected: January-FebruaryEmpathy & Kindness
Students examine how kindness helps begin and strengthen friendships. They learn to ask questions and consider how another person prefers to receive kindness.
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Weekly lessons
- Week 11 - Lesson 11: Kindness and FriendshipStudents identify kind actions that can help them begin a new friendship.
- Week 12 - Lesson 12: Building a FriendshipStudents identify ways kindness can strengthen a friendship that already exists.
- Week 13 - Lesson 13: My Kind of KindnessStudents consider that people may prefer to be shown kindness in different ways.
- Week 14 - Lesson 14: Asking QuestionsStudents practice asking respectful questions to understand how someone feels and what kind response may help.
- Week 15 - Lesson 15: Do Something KindStudents generate kind actions they can use to build or strengthen a friendship.
Unit overview
Students examine how kindness helps begin and strengthen friendships. They learn to ask questions and consider how another person prefers to receive kindness.
Skills practiced all week
Students revisit the Monday theme through discussion, modeling, role-play, reflection, and real classroom situations.
CASEL competencies
Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making
UNIT 4
Projected: February-AprilProblem-Solving
Students learn the STEP process for handling everyday problems: Say the problem, Think of solutions, Explore the outcomes, and Pick a solution.
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Weekly lessons
- Week 16 - Lesson 16: STEP by StepStudents review a repeatable process they can use when a problem occurs.
- Week 17 - Lesson 17: S: Say the ProblemStudents practice describing a problem by identifying the wants and needs of each person involved.
- Week 18 - Lesson 18: T: Think and E: ExploreStudents generate possible solutions and consider whose wants and needs each option would meet.
- Week 19 - Lesson 19: P: Pick a SolutionStudents choose a reasonable solution and explain why it is a good fit for the problem.
- Week 20 - Lesson 20: Solving a ProblemStudents apply all parts of the STEP process to work through a complete problem-solving situation.
Unit overview
Students learn the STEP process for handling everyday problems: Say the problem, Think of solutions, Explore the outcomes, and Pick a solution.
Skills practiced all week
Students revisit the Monday theme through discussion, modeling, role-play, reflection, and real classroom situations.
CASEL competencies
Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making