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I have been looking for a simple open-and-go curriculum to work on social and emotional learning skills (SEL) for my children. I have bought a few different SEL curriculums over the years. The ones I tired before were not a good fit for my particular children, too complex to implement, or just took too much prep time. With homeschooling 5 children, I just don’t have the time to devote to extra prep. I need either an open-and-go or print-and-go curriculum for the topics we cover. In the past, Evan-Moor has come through for me with well-developed, yet easy to use curriculum. They have done it again with their Social and Emotional Learning Activities books. I received a free copy of Social and Emotional Learning Activities, Grades pre-K to K, in exchange for sharing my experiences in using this product.

General Overview of Evan-Moor’s Social and Emotional Learning Activities, Grades PreK-K

The Social and Emotional Learning Activities Pre-K to K book includes 9 units. The SEL concepts covered include:

• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness
• Responsible Decision-Making
• Relationship skills

The four additional units integrate social/emotional skills into content areas including writing, reading, math, and social studies. The activities also provide practice in fine motor skills, visual discrimination, inference, and comprehension.

Our Experiences Using Social and Emotional Learning Activities

Selecting a Grade Level to Use

Before selecting a grade level from Evan-Moor learning books (like what I typically do when I pick out a book from the Skill Sharpener Series), I like to go to their website and preview the pages to see which grade level will work best for my children’s learning needs. I wanted to try the SEL book with my elementary aged children, and although they range in age from 3 to 10, I ended up choosing the pre-K to K book. This level seemed to be a good fit for my particular children as there was minimal writing, yet the concepts were still appropriate for my 10 year old special needs child. Grades 1/2, 3/4, and 5/6 are also available for purchase. CLICK HERE to see previews of the SEL books on Evan-Moor’s website. Printed and E-book options are both available for each level.

Introduction to the Unit

Each unit starts with a scripted page explaining the SEL concept. These pages are optional, but I found that they were really helpful in introducing the unit topic and providing vocabulary to discuss the concepts covered.

Activity Learning Pages

I really like that the activity pages we have done provide options on things to try to regulate emotions. There are no write and wrong answers, it just provides ideas for the child to try. For example, the butterfly activity above says, “Some people feel good when they draw. Some people like to draw patterns.” Not everyone likes to draw or draw patterns, but this gives the child a chance to try it out and see if they like it. Similarly, the yoga page provides the child some poses to try to see if yoga helps them feel calm and good.

The color-by-number cat is from the Self-Management unit. It discusses that pets can help you, which is definitely true at our house. My kids love their cats and do they help them regulate their emotions. The “Things I like” page is from the Self-Awareness unit. It is simple, yet helps the child recognize that it is okay to like and dislike various things.

Unit End Craft Activity

 

 

 

 

Each unit ends with a craft activity. The self-management unit provides instructions on how to make a bunny to hold, explaining, “Some people like to hold a soft toy when they feel sad.” My daughter’s version is a cat as that is her favorite animal.

Quick Summary of Benefits

• This print-and-go SEL learning book is easy to use and requires minimal prep time.
• The learning activities are kid-approved. My child said, “These are so fun. I love doing those pages.”
• Teaches important, but often ignored, social and emotional learning awareness and skills.

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Conclusion

I would recommend using Evan-Moor’s Social and Emotional Learning Books. They teach important concepts that may be otherwise ignored an education setting. I love that the self-regulation unit provides various tools or strategies for the child to try (e.g., drawing, yoga, etc.) to get an idea of what might work for them. The open-and-go format makes it easy for me to introduce the concepts. My kids enjoy learning through the worksheets and activities that Evan-Moor Provides. CLICK HERE to get your copy on Evan-Moor’s Website.

Free Evan-Moor Sample Activities and Printables

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