week-at-a-glance · week-at-a-glance unit 1, week 1: welcoming this week, children will learn to...

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© 2011 Committee for Children Second Step: Social-Emotional Skills for Early Learning

Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 1, Week 1: Welcoming

This week, children will learn to welcome others. Help children understand:• There are many ways to welcome someone new to class.• Welcoming someone is a way to show we care.• Welcoming helps other children feel they belong to the class.

Say:• Hello.• My name is...• Do you want to play with me?

Do:• Greet others• Introduce themselves• Show new children around the classroom• Invite others to play

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This week, reinforce welcoming language and behaviors with specific feedback: Asking Shira to play was a kind thing to do. I can tell by the look on her face that she is happy and feels welcome in our classroom.

This week, help children practice these skills.



Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 1, Week 2: Listening

This week, children will learn the Listening Rules.Help children understand that:• When you listen, your eyes, ears, voice, and body each have a special thing to do.• Listening helps everyone learn.

Say:• Listen• Listening Rules: Eyes watching Ears listening Voice quiet Body calm

Do:• Use the Listening Rules: Point to the corners of their eyes Cup their ears with their hands Put their finger to their lips Hug their body with both arms

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This week, reinforce the Listening Rules and behaviors with specific feedback: I notice lots of eyes on me and calm bodies while I am talking. Following the Listening Rules is really helping you learn.




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Unit 1, Week 3: Focusing Attention

This week, children will learn to make and use an attent-o-scope to focus their attention.

Help children understand that:• Focusing attention uses your eyes, ears, and brain.• Focusing attention gets better with practice.

Say:• Attent-o-scope• Focus attention• I need to focus attention.

Do:• Turn on attent-o-scopes: Circle their hands around their eyes Use their eyes to look carefully Take away their hands but pretend they are still there, and keep looking• Watch and listen• Ignore distractions

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This week, reinforce focusing attention behaviors with specific feedback: Simone, you’re really focusing your attention on me while I read this story. I can tell by your body and your eyes that you have all your attention on my words. You are facing me and looking this way even when your friend is trying to take your attention away.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 1, Week 4: Self-Talk

This week, children will learn to use self-talk to help them focus on what they need to do.

Help children understand that:• Self-talk is talking to yourself in a quiet voice or inside your head.• Self-talk helps you focus and pay attention.

Say:• Self-talk• I need to...

Do:• Talk to themselves quietly and say what they need to do• Tell themselves over and over again what to do

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This week, reinforce self-talk behaviors with specific feedback: I hear you saying to yourself, “The blocks go in the bin, the blocks go in the bin,” now that it is time to clean up. Self-talk really helps you remember what to do!




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 1, Week 5: Following Directions

This week, children will learn how to repeat directions to help themselves remember them.

Help children understand that:• Listening helps you follow directions.• Repeating directions helps you remember them.• Following directions helps you learn.

Say:• Repeat directions• The first thing I need to do is…• Then I need to...

Do:• Focus attention• Listen to directions• Repeat directions over and over

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This week, reinforce following directions and listening behaviors with specific feedback: Wow, you did exactly what I said. I could see your lips moving. It looks like you were using self-talk and saying the directions to yourself. It really helped!




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Unit 1, Week 6: Asking for What You Need or Want

This week, children will learn to ask for what they need or want in a strong, respectful way.

Help children understand that:• To ask for what you need or want, face the person you are asking and use a respectful voice.• Asking for help when you are stuck helps you learn.

Say:• Respectful• Excuse me...• Can you please help me?• I need...• I want...• Thank you.

Do:• Ask for help when needed• Ask respectfully for what they want• Face the person they are asking• Use a strong, respectful voice

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This week, reinforce respectful asking-for-help behaviors with specific feedback: You faced me and asked for help in a strong, respectful voice. It’s easy for me to understand what you want when you ask for help in that way.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 1, Week 7: Identifying Feelings

This week, children will learn to tell how others feel by looking at their faces and bodies. They will specifically learn to tell when someone feels happy or sad.

Help children understand that looking for clues on faces and bodies helps you tell how other people feel.

Say:• How are you feeling?• You look like you feel happy.• I feel happy.• You look like you feel sad.• Are you sad?• I feel sad.

Do:• Notice people’s faces and bodies• Notice happy clues: Eyes not wide open Mouth smiling Cheeks pushed up• Notice sad clues: Eyes looking down Mouth turned down Head down

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This week, reinforce identifying feelings with specific feedback: I see by your eyes and smile that you are happy.




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Unit 2, Week 8: More Feelings

This week, children will learn to think about what is happening as a clue to how someone else is feeling. They will specifically learn how to tell if someone is surprised or scared.

Help children understand that:• You can tell how people feel by looking for clues on their faces and bodies.• You can tell how people feel by focusing attention on what is happening.

Say:• How are you feeling?• You look like you feel surprised.• I feel surprised.• You look like you feel scared.• Do you feel afraid?• I feel scared.• I feel afraid.

Do:• Notice people’s faces and bodies• Notice what is happening• Notice surprised clues: Eyes wide open Mouth wide open Eyebrows up• Notice scared clues:

Eyes wide open Mouth tight Teeth showing Shoulders up

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This week, reinforce identifying feelings and behaviors with specific feedback: You jumped up and your eyes are wide. You are surprised because you weren’t expecting to hear the buzzer!




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 2, Week 9: Identifying Anger

This week, children will learn how to tell when they or someone else feels angry.

Help children understand that:• Everyone feels angry sometimes.• It is not okay to be mean or hurt anyone when you are angry.• Clues on faces and bodies help you tell when you or someone else is angry.

Say:• I feel angry.• I feel mad.• I feel uncomfortable.• My body feels tight.• You look angry.

Do:• Notice angry clues: Body is tight Hands make fists Mouth is tight

Eyes look smaller, squinty

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This week, reinforce identifying feelings and behaviors with specific feedback: I noticed your red face and your fists. Then I heard you say out loud that you’re angry. You are really paying attention to how you feel.




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Unit 2, Week 10: Same or Different Feelings

This week, children will learn that people can have the same or different feelings about the same thing.

Help children understand that:• People can have different feelings about the same thing.• It is okay for people to have different feelings about the same thing.

Say:• This is the same.• This is different.• We feel the same.• We feel different.

Do:• Notice and describe the ways objects are the same or different• Notice when others have the same or different feelings as they do

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This week, reinforce noticing that others have the same or different feelings with specific feedback: Shira and Theo both like to play blocks. They have the same feeling. Ava would rather play with the puzzle. She has a different feeling, and that’s okay.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 2, Week 11: Accidents

This week, children will learn what an accident is. They will learn what to do and say when something happens by accident.

Help children understand that:• An accident is when you do something you didn’t mean to do.• When you do something by accident, it’s important to say it was an accident so others don’t think you did it on purpose.

Say:• It was an accident.• I didn’t mean to...• Are you okay?

Do:• Notice when something happens by accident• Explain that it was an accident• Offer to help

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This week, reinforce saying and doing the right thing for an acci-dent with specific feedback: When you accidentally knocked over Aiden’s blocks, I heard you say that you didn’t mean to do it. Then you asked if you could help him stack his blocks back up. That really helped him understand it was an accident.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 2, Week 12: Caring and Helping

This week, children will learn how to show that they care about how someone is feeling by saying something kind or doing something to help. Help children understand that:• When you feel or understand how someone else feels, you can show them you care.• You can show you care by saying something kind or doing something helpful.

Say:• You look (a feeling word).• Why are you feeling ?• Can I help you?• Let’s do something fun together.

Do:• Listen to others• Show they care about how someone feels by: Saying something kind Doing something to help

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This week, reinforce caring and helping behaviors with specific feed-back: I see you helping Niki with her puzzle. I can tell by the smile on her face that she is really happy.




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Unit 3, Week 13: We Feel Feelings in Our Bodies

This week, children will learn to focus attention on their bodies to recognize how they are feeling. They will learn to identify the feeling worried. Help children understand that:• Clues in your body help you know how you feel.• Some feelings are comfortable and others are uncomfortable.• It is important to talk to a grown-up when you feel worried.

Say:• Worried• How is my body feeling?• My body feels uncomfortable.• Am I feeling worried?

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Notice how their body feels• Talk to a grown-up when they feel worried

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This week, reinforce children’s efforts to use what is going on in their bodies to identify their feelings with specific feedback: I see you have your hands on your tummy. It looks like you are having some uncomfortable feelings. What is going on in your body? Are you worried?




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 3, Week 14: Strong Feelings

This week, children will learn the first step for calming down strong feelings: Put your hands on your tummy and say “Stop.” Children will also learn to identify the feeling frustrated.

Help children understand that:• Sometimes you have strong feelings that are uncomfortable.• Putting your hands on your tummy and saying “Stop” helps you start to calm down strong feelings.• You can feel frustrated when trying to do something really hard or something new.

Say:• Strong feeling• Frustrated• Stop

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Notice how their bodies feel

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This week, reinforce calming-down behaviors with specific feedback: I saw you begin to get very frustrated with that puzzle. But then I saw you put your hands on your tummy and say “Stop.” I noticed it helped you calm down.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 3, Week 15: Naming Feelings

This week, children will learn the second step for calming down strong feelings: Name your feeling.

Help children understand that:• Naming your feeling can help you calm down.• Talking to a grown-up helps when you have strong feelings.

Say:• Stop• I feel...

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Name their feeling• Talk to a grown-up when they have strong feelings

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This week, reinforce naming feelings and other calming-down behav-iors with specific feedback: I heard you tell Sophie that you were frustrated because your tower kept falling down. When you name your feeling like that, it helps you calm down.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 3, Week 16: Managing Disappointment

This week, children will learn the third step for calming down strong feelings: Take belly breaths. Children will also learn to identify the feeling disappointed.

Help children understand that:• You can feel disappointed when you don’t get what you want.• Belly breathing calms down strong feelings.

Say:• Disappointed• Stop• I feel...• Belly breaths• I can take belly breaths.

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Take belly breaths by: Taking a deep breath that makes their tummies move out when breathing in and move in when breathing out Breathing in slowly through the nose and out slowly through the mouth

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This week, reinforce calming-down behaviors with specific feedback: I noticed that you were feeling disappointed when you didn’t get to be first in line. Then I saw you take some belly breaths to calm down. Then you waited for your turn.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 3, Week 17: Managing Anger

This week, children will learn to use the Calming-Down Steps when they feel angry. They will also practice relaxing their bodies.

Help children understand that:• Everyone feels angry sometimes.• Doing hurtful, mean things when you are angry is not okay.• Relaxing calms you down.

Say:• Stop• I feel mad/angry.• I feel tense.• I feel relaxed.

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Name their feelings• Take some belly breaths

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This week, reinforce calming-down behaviors with specific feedback: I saw you get angry when Dylan grabbed your toy. But you put your hands on your tummy and took some belly breaths. Then you asked for it back in a calm voice.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 3, Week 18: Managing Waiting

This week, children will learn to use the Calming-Down Steps to wait. They will also learn to identify the feeling excited.

Help children understand that:• Calming down can help you manage feeling excited while you’re waiting.• Doing something quiet like counting things helps you wait.

Say:• Stop.• I feel excited.• I can wait.• I can count/sing/take belly breaths to help me wait.

Do:• Put their hands on their tummies• Name their feelings• Count, sing a song, or take belly breaths to help them wait

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This week, reinforce calming down and waiting behaviors with specific feedback: I noticed that you were counting something quietly while you were waiting. What were you counting? It helped you stay calm and wait for your turn.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 19: Fair Ways to Play

This week, children will learn three Fair Ways to Play: play together, trade, and take turns.

Help children understand that:• Play together means playing together with the same toy or toys at the same time.• Trade means switching toys.• Take turns means one person gets a turn with the toy, then the other person does.

Say:• May I play together with you?• Let’s play together.• Will you trade this toy for that one?• May I have a turn with that toy, please?

Do:• Play together• Trade• Take turns

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This week, reinforce Fair Ways to Play behaviors with specific feedback: I see that you and Maria are taking turns with the mirror. Taking turns is one of the Fair Ways to Play.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 20: Having Fun with Friends

This week, children will learn to choose to have fun with their friends rather than choose to get their own way.

Help children understand that:• When you play in fair ways, everyone has fun.• Other children sometimes have different wants or likes than you do.

Say:• We want to play together.• But we want to do different things.• Let’s choose a Fair Way to Play.

Do:• Choose Fair Ways to Play: Play together

Trade Take turns

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This week, reinforce Fair Ways to Play and having fun with specific feedback: I see the two of you are playing together with that truck. I can tell by the look on your faces that you are having fun playing together.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 21: Inviting to Play

This week, children will learn how to invite others to play.

Help children understand that:• Inviting others to play is a good way to make friends.• Inviting others to play helps everyone feel included.

Say:• Do you want to play with me/us?

Do:• Notice children that are not playing with anyone• Use a friendly voice to invite others to play

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This week, reinforce inviting behaviors with specific feedback: I heard you invite Corbin to play blocks with you. I can tell he had fun with you by the smile on his face.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 22: Joining In with Play

This week, children will learn how to join others in play.

Help children understand that:• You first need to watch what the other children are playing.• Then you can suggest ideas for play.• Then you can ask to join the play in a friendly voice.

Say:• That looks like fun.• What are you doing with the ?• May I play too?

Do:• Watch what others are doing• Give ideas for play• Ask to play in a friendly voice

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This week, reinforce joining-in behaviors with specific feedback: I noticed you watching Ava and Hamad playing cars together. I heard you give them the idea to build a track for the cars. Then you asked them if you could play too. You look happy to be playing with your friends.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 23: Saying the Problem

This week, children will learn the first Problem-Solving Step: Say the problem.

Help children understand that:• You need to calm down first before you can solve a problem.• Using words to say the problem is the first Problem-Solving Step.

Say:• The problem is...

Do:• Calm down strong feelings• Use words to say the problem

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This week, reinforce using words to say problems with specific feedback: I heard you use your words to tell Leo the problem is that you both want to wear the same dress-up cape.




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Unit 4, Week 24: Thinking of Solutions

This week, children will learn the second Problem-Solving Step: Think of lots of solutions.

Help children understand that:• The second Problem-Solving Step is to think of lots of solutions.• Coming up with lots of safe ideas helps you solve problems.

Say:• The problem is...• What are some safe ideas?• One idea is...• Another idea is...

Do:• Calm down strong feelings• Use words to say the problem• Think of safe solutions

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This week, reinforce thinking of lots of safe solutions with specific feedback: I heard you and Leo coming up with lots of safe ideas for how you could play with the same dress-up cape. I think choosing to take turns wearing the cape is a fair solution. You both seem happy now!




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 4, Week 25: Speaking Up Assertively

This week, children will learn to speak up assertively when someone treats them in unsafe or mean ways.

Help children understand that:• You need to speak up in a strong, respectful voice when someone treats you in mean or unsafe ways.• You need to speak up in a strong, respectful voice when you need or want something.• You need to speak up in a strong, respectful voice when you solve problems.

Say:• Stop that!• I don’t like it when...• It’s not okay to...• Can you help me, please?

Do:• Stand up straight• Face the person they are talking to• Speak up in a strong, respectful voice

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This week, reinforce speaking up in a strong, respectful voice with specific feedback: I heard you ask Josh to stop poking you with his toy. He stopped. Being assertive and speaking up in a strong, respectful voice let Josh know that you did not like what he was doing.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 5, Week 26: Learning in Kindergarten

This week, children will review the Listening Rules and Skills for Learning. They will think ahead to how these skills will help them be better learners in kindergarten.

Help children understand that:• Practicing the Skills for Learning will help you be a better learner.• Using the Listening Rules and Skills for Learning will help you get along with others in kindergarten.

Do:• Follow the Listening Rules (eyes watching, ears listening, voice quiet, body calm)• Practice focusing attention (use an attent-o-scope)• Use self-talk (to help remember what they need to do)• Speak up in a strong, respectful voice when they need help

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This week, reinforce the Skills for Learning with specific feedback: You’re really focusing your attention on me while I explain how to do this activity. Your eyes are looking at me and your body is calm. Focusing your attention and listening is really helping you learn.




Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 5, Week 27: Riding the Kindergarten Bus

This week, children will review skills for identifying and calming down strong feelings.

Help children understand that:• You may have strong feelings about many of the new things you will be doing in kindergarten, like riding the school bus.• You have learned how to calm down strong feelings.

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This week, reinforce calming-down behaviors with specific feedback: Your eyes are wide and you’re jumping up and down. You are excited. You already know how to calm down: Put your hands on your tummy. Say, “Stop. I’m excited.” Now let’s take some belly breaths together.

This week, help children practice these skills. Do:• Look for clues on faces and bodies to tell how someone is feeling• Notice when someone feels the same as or different from them• Check in with their bodies to identify how they are feeling• Calm down strong feelings: Put their hands on their tummy. Say “Stop.” Name their feeling: “I feel .” Take belly breaths.



Week-at-a-Glance

Unit 5, Week 28: Making New Friends in Kindergarten

This week, children will review friendship skills and problem solving. They will think about how these skills will help them make new friends in kindergarten.

Help children understand that:• Playing together, trading, and taking turns are fun and Fair Ways to Play.• Inviting others to play and asking to join in are good ways to make new friends in kindergarten.

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This week, reinforce joining in, inviting others to play, and having fun with specific feedback: I heard Devona invite Justine to play store with your group. It looks like you all are having fun taking turns being the cashier.


Say:• Do you want to play with me/us?• That looks like fun. May I play too?• May I play together with you?• Will you trade this toy for that one?• May I have a turn with the toys, please?

Do:• Notice children who are not playing with anyone• Watch what others are doing• Choose Fair Ways to Play: Play together Trade Take turns

week-at-a-glance · week-at-a-glance unit 1, week 1: welcoming this week, children will learn to...

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