Social Emotional Learning books (Pre-K- 5th grade) and questions

My first item of interest is a list of books for friendship skills, bullying anger management, acceptance, adversity, divorce, changing families, feelings, and emotions. This list of books is a useful tool for implementing a social-emotional learning (SEL) lesson. Each of these books illustrates powerful messages and are separated by theme and grade levels.

I decided to share this book list because it helps with effectively applying the knowledge, discussion, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions by using the narrative approach. By using this technique, it will motivate the children to learn, use their critical thinking skills; ability to connect and reflect from the book. It may also help students express kindness, empathy, and cope with challenges that they are currently experiencing or have in the past.

In the context of my internship at District 104, my supervisor and I plan to use this list of books as guidance when planning our SEL lessons. This serves as a great tool because we can share with teachers and parents to help them talk about specific topics. This list of books is appropriate for grades Pre-K - 5th grade.


I have attached the documents of the list of books and questions to ask to promote social-emotional learning. I hope this is helpful to you! Here is the link from where I got the list of books: https://pin.it/jwvwckyxxedljz

Stress Balls or Pick Apart Corks to Relieve Anxiety/Stress

Stress Balls or Pick Apart Corks to Relieve Anxiety/Stress

                  This mode of therapy is well suited for the school atmosphere since it does not require any additional supports from other students or staff members. Stress balls or pick apart corks are used when students are experiencing levels of anxiety that they are either not able to control or that leads (or can lead) to trichotillomania or excoriation. Trichotillomania is defined as a compulsive desire to pull out one’s hair. Excoriation is defined as the repeated urge to pick at one’s own skin. Research has been documented to show that with this desire is the body’s reaction to stress. The stress balls or corks are given to the student to keep and can be used in and outside of the school setting to help distract their hands when they feel the need to start picking at their skin or hair. Since both of these alternatives focus on something simple to keep your hands busy, in a repetitive movement, it eventually relieves your stress on to the ball or cork versus internalizing feelings and self-harming. Stress balls can be used to crunch or block the stress or anxiety you are feeling, in a repetitive motion which can become a subconscious movement. As the social worker you will have to guide and explain how and when a stress ball is used (to reduce the urge to pick or pull). A pick apart cork is used in the same manner. It is a cork that can easily be picked apart to stimulate the same action as if the student was doing it to themselves, yet in a non-harmful manner.

The Social Social Work practice model this emulates the most is that it provides evidence-based education, behavior, and mental health services. This treatment should be used to ensure the most effective outcomes. This is also an activity in which you can monitor progress and evaluate the effectiveness. This can and should be achieved by check-ins with teachers and through classroom observations, also by checking with the student and their progress with either the stress ball or pick apart cork.

Stress balls come in a variety of styles, sizes and types. They can be purchased in a store or online easily searched through google. Stress balls can also be made very inexpensively by purchasing a pool “noodle” and cutting it into smaller circular pieces to be easily, inexpensively, distributed. Pick apart corks may been purchased at this link: 

 https://www.therapyshoppe.com/category/P3389-fidgets-tools-fidget-toys-for-skin-pickers-dermatillomania-trichotillomania 

Social Stories

What is a Social Story?

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Social Stories are a social learning tool that supports the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals, and people with autism of all ages. The people who develop Social Stories are referred to as Authors, and they work on behalf of a child, adolescent, or adult with autism, the Audience.

Authors follow a defined process that begins with gathering information, discovering a topic that ‘fits’ the Audience, and the development of personalized text and illustration. Most frequently associated with short, simple Stories, there are also Social Articles for use with older or more advanced individuals. The Social Story Definition and ten defining characteristics (The Social Story Criteria) guide the development of every Story and result a patient, respectful, and unassuming quality that is the hallmark of the approach. It is that quality that distinguishes genuine Social Stories from social scripts, skill checklists, or ‘social stories’ that do not meet the current the definition.

There is only one definition for the term ‘Social Story’:

A Social Story accurately describes a context, skill, achievement, or concept according to 10 defining criteria. These criteria guide Story research, development, and implementation to ensure an overall patient and supportive quality, and a format, “voice”, content, and learning experience that is descriptive, meaningful, and physically, socially, and emotionally safe for the child, adolescent, or adult with autism.

How are Social Stories Used?

• Safety: Understanding safety may make it easier to follow some rules.
• Tragedies:  What a tragedy is and understanding tragedies on television.
• Discovery of Self and Others:  Each person is one of a kind.
• Advanced Concepts: Stories to address ‘elusive’ topics like stereotypes and resilience.
• Change: Changes in their daily life, including transitions. 

Additional Social Story Information:

Where did Social Stories come from?
The History of Social Stories

Is THIS a Social Story?
It is NOT a Social Story if… An initial screening instrument

How the Social Story Criteria keep pace with experience and research
Social Stories 10.0 – 10.2 Comparison Chart

Strong Kids: Strong Start Curriculum

Item of Interest 2:

 Strong Kids: Strong Start Curriculum

            Strong Kids Curriculum is an evidence-based practice that works with students from K-12. Each book in the curriculum focuses on the needs of the grade level of the student. The curriculum is designed to incorporate Social and Emotional Learning Standards. More specifically is the Strong Start Curriculum.  This curriculum works with students aged 3-5 and another is designed for K-2. This set of curriculum works with teaching students about feelings and how to recognize their feelings in their own bodies. During each lesson, students read a book based off of the feeling that they are working with. The students then talk about the feeling of the lesson. Students’ focus on what that feeling feels like in their bodies. Students also work with coming up with different names for that feeling along with how to tell if others are feeling that feeling. This item of interest meets the Social Work Model under the practice feature of “Provide[s] evidence-based education, behavior, and mental health services”. This is done by implementing the curriculum, monitoring the progress of the lessons and evaluating if the student is making progress with the lessons.

Example:

For example, students can identify happy. Read the book I Like Me! with the students.

Another word for happy is excited. When happy, you can feel like you “are glowing”. Students can identify that other students are happy because they can see a smile on the student and lots of energy. Students can pair up and show each other what they look like when they are happy.

 

Sources:

Merrell, K. W. (2007). Strong start: A social & emotional learning curriculum. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub.

http://strongkids.uoregon.edu/strongstart.html