Building Empowered Students

Grade: 7-8

Duration: 20 Minutes

Class size: 25 students

Subject: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills – Independent Functioning

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Learning Objectives (Aligned to Common Core & Florida SEL Standards)

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• I can identify and explain the five key SEL skills: self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and social awareness.
• I can practice strategies to improve my independent functioning through social-emotional learning.
• I can reflect on how these skills help me in daily situations and relationships.

Standards Alignment:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3: Analyze the interactions between individuals and key ideas in a text (applicable here through worksheet reflection).
• Florida SEL Competency 2 & 3: Self-Management & Social Awareness
• Florida SEL Competency 4: Responsible Decision-Making

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Materials Needed

• SEL Skills Builder Worksheet (printed, 1 per student)
• Whiteboard or projector
• Dyslexia-friendly font handouts (e.g., OpenDyslexic), audio version of key points (optional)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Key Concept Overview (5 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Today we will learn five important social-emotional skills that help us manage ourselves, build strong relationships, and make responsible choices. These skills are essential for being independent and successful both in and out of school.”

• Define each SEL Skill briefly:
  • Self-awareness: Understanding your emotions and values.
  • Self-management: Controlling impulses and managing stress.
  • Relationship skills: Communicating and cooperating effectively.
  • Responsible decision-making: Making ethical and constructive choices.
  • Social awareness: Showing empathy and respect for others.

Use visuals or icons representing each SEL skill on the board for reinforcement.

2. Guided Discussion Using the Worksheet (7 minutes)

• Distribute SEL Skills Builder Worksheets.
• Read aloud key questions in a dyslexia-friendly tone, provide audio option if possible.
• Facilitate discussion for each question (ex: “Can you think of a time when you used self-management?”)
• Encourage sharing in pairs or small groups (3-4 students) to build relationship skills.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters for students who need writing support.
• For dyslexic learners: Use large print format, auditory option, and highlight key vocabulary in a dyslexia-friendly font.

3. Class Reflection & Success Criteria (5 minutes)

Ask students to reflect:

• “Which skill do you think is easiest for you? Which one do you want to work on?”
• “How can practicing these skills help you become more independent?”

Success Criteria:
Students will:

• Describe each SEL skill correctly.
• Give real-life examples of using one or more skills.
• Complete the worksheet answers with thoughtful responses.

4. Extension Activity for Advanced Learners (3 minutes)

• Challenge advanced students to write a short paragraph about a difficult situation where multiple SEL skills could be applied.
• Encourage them to include how using these strategies leads to positive outcomes.
• Optionally, they can create a personal action plan to improve one specific SEL skill over the next week.

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Worksheet Answer Key

Question	Example Answer
1. What is self-awareness?	Knowing your feelings and what makes you who you are.
2. Why is self-management important?	It helps control emotions so I can focus and make good choices.
3. Give an example of relationship skills.	Listening carefully to a friend and sharing ideas respectfully.
4. What does responsible decision-making involve?	Thinking about consequences before acting.
5. How does social awareness help in school?	Understanding others’ feelings helps me be a better friend.

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Differentiation Strategies Summary

• For struggling readers: Use audio recordings or read questions aloud.
• For dyslexic students: Use dyslexia-friendly fonts, highlight keywords, provide extra time.
• For ELL: Use visuals, gestures, and simple language.
• For advanced learners: Encourage deeper writing, peer teaching, or creation of a SEL plan.

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Teacher Reflection Questions (Post-Lesson)

• Did students demonstrate understanding through their examples?
• Which SEL skill needs more focus in upcoming lessons?
• How effective were the differentiation strategies?

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This 20-minute mini-lesson combines thoughtful SEL skill instruction aligned to Common Core and Florida standards, integrating scaffolding and extension to meet diverse learners’ needs, guided discussion, and real-life application to ensure independent functioning and social-emotional growth.