Social-Emotional Foundations

Unit

School Counseling Strategies

Lesson 1 of 8

Title: Introduction to Social-Emotional Learning
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Grade: 7th Grade

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Lesson Overview

This lesson introduces students to the five core competencies of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Students will explore these concepts through engaging discussions and interactive activities designed to foster their personal development and prepare them for success both in and out of school.

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3
  Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (in this case, informational text on SEL competencies).

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
  Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information clearly.

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Define social-emotional learning and identify its five core competencies.
2. Explain the importance of SEL in personal growth and academic success.
3. Describe examples of how these competencies appear in their daily lives.
4. Collaboratively discuss and reflect on strategies to improve one SEL competency.

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Materials Needed

• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers
• Student journals or notebooks
• Printed SEL competency cards (one set per small group)
• Quick-write prompts printed on slips of paper
• Timer

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up & Engagement (7 minutes)

• Activity: "Feelings Charades"
  • Students will take turns acting out emotions (happy, frustrated, proud, nervous) without speaking.
  • Class guesses the feeling; brief discussion about recognizing emotions in themselves and others.
• Purpose: Activates prior knowledge about emotions and sets the tone for social-emotional learning.

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2. Introduction & Definition (5 minutes)

• Mini-Lecture + Visual Aid:
  • Teacher displays chart/whiteboard with definition of SEL:
    "Social-Emotional Learning is the process through which we acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand/manage emotions, set goals, feel empathy, maintain relationships, and make responsible decisions."
  • Introduce the five SEL competencies with brief descriptions:
    1. Self-awareness
    2. Self-management
    3. Social awareness
    4. Relationship skills
    5. Responsible decision-making

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3. Group Exploration (15 minutes)

• Activity: SEL Jigsaw

  • Divide the class into 5 small groups (5 students each). Assign each group one SEL competency.
  • Provide each group with a competency card describing its meaning and examples.
  • Each group discusses their competency and prepares a 2-minute explanation to the class with examples relevant to 7th graders (e.g., self-awareness in understanding stress before a test).

• Standards Supported: CCSS speaking and listening standard (SL.7.1)

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4. Class Sharing & Reflection (10 minutes)

• Groups present their SEL competency to the whole class.
• After presentations, teacher facilitates a brief discussion with prompts:
  • "Which competency do you think is easiest for you? Why?"
  • "Which competency is most challenging? How can we improve it?"
• Quick Write: Students write a short journal entry responding to:
  “Which SEL skill is important for you right now, and how will you practice it this week?”

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5. Closing & Exit Ticket (8 minutes)

• Exit Ticket: On an index card or paper, students write one new thing they learned about SEL and one question they still have.
• Teacher collects exit tickets for formative assessment to guide future lessons.

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Assessment

• Formative: Group discussions and presentations to gauge understanding of SEL competencies.
• Formative: Journal quick-write reflections to assess personal connection and application.
• Summative (Future lessons): Project-based assessment on SEL skill application over the unit.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Provide sentence starters for students who need writing support during journal prompts.
• Allow students to express their group presentations using drawings, role-play, or digital tools if preferred.
• Pair English Language Learners with strong peer supporters during discussions.

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Extensions

• Encourage students to track their SEL “practice” outside of class in journals for bonus points.
• Create a bulletin board with SEL competencies and student examples to reinforce learning throughout the unit.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts for Post-Lesson

• Which SEL competency did students seem most engaged with or struggle to understand?
• How did group work support students’ collaboration and communication skills?
• What modifications might improve student understanding and ownership of SEL?

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This lesson plan provides a dynamic introduction to social-emotional learning aligned with Common Core State Standards, empowering 7th graders to develop essential lifelong skills in a supportive classroom environment.