In addition to the current materials found on our COVID-19 Support Page, we have created a collection of resources that will help educators teach SEL in a variety of learning environments, including in-classroom, remote, and hybrid. These resources have been developed to specifically address the challenges students, families, and educators face when teaching and learning in an environment that has been fundamentally altered by COVID-19. Additionally, we are working to build partnerships and provide content to support teaching and learning that seeks to address SEL in the context of reducing racial inequity and supporting anti-racist practices.
These resources will include
Online Access to Early Learning – Grade 5 Lesson Scripts for the Second Step SEL Program, Bullying Prevention Unit, and Child Protection Unit
You now have online access to Second Step Early Learning through Grade 5 lesson scripts and plans that were previously only available in hard copy within our Second Step kits. You can access these materials from your account at www.secondstep.org. Access will require kit registration. Each registration key (program activation key) will support two individual users/registrants.
All lesson scripts for Second Step Early Learning and Second Step Elementary, including the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit and Second Step Child Protection Unit, are available online at SecondStep.org. Navigate as follows:
- Log in to your account and go to your Dashboard.
- Click the tile for the grade and program you need.
- Once you’re in the correct grade, click the teach button for your lesson.
- Scroll to and click the View Lesson Script button.
Community (re)Building Unit (K-8)
Available now at https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support
The pandemic and the resulting closure of schools exposed weaknesses in the methods many schools and SEL providers were using to support the relationship and community-building we all know is key to helping students stay engaged, feel safe, and learn effectively. It will provide specific guidance for using Second Step and SEL to build/rebuild a cohesive school community and will include social-belonging activities and are based on trauma-informed practices.
This resource is designed for use after students have returned to school for in person.
Remote Adaptation and Hybrid Adaptation Guides for teaching SEL
Available now at https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support
We created detailed PowerPoint and video-based guides for Kindergarten through Grade 8 to help you plan for teaching SEL in remote or hybrid learning environments. These guides can be easily used to provide your staff with what they need to know to effectively teach and implement Second Step when onsite learning is not possible.
2020–2021 Second Step® Plan (EL-8)
Available now at https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support
We know that the shifts schools are undergoing to support students in the new normal require re-imagining some tried and true teaching and content approaches. As such, are providing educators with a 2020–2021 Second Step® Plan for each grade level, Early Learning-Grade 8, organizing Second Step lessons around the idea of returning to school during a pandemic and during this inflection point in the long fight for racial justice.
SEL-A (SEL for Adults) Resiliency Module for K-12 Educators
Available now at https://www.secondstep-sel-for-adults-resilience.org/
You have free, open access to the field-test version of the SELA Resiliency Module. This includes three professional learning units for adults and lessons for K-12 students:
- Unit 1: Understanding & Self-Care: Educators will learn about post-traumatic stress, take initial assessments to check on their state of wellbeing, and direct them to appropriate microlearning activities elsewhere in the module, and learn about self-care strategies.
- Unit 2: Caring for Each Other: Educators will examine their expectations of themselves and others, as well as others' expectations of them, in response to a crisis, explore how those expectations may need to be adjusted, and learn specific strategies for connecting with and supporting others.
- Unit 3: Student Care: Educators will assess what they believe their students’ needs are, understand different ways students can react to stress, ways to monitor students for stress, and concrete strategies for supporting students' social and emotional wellbeing during or after a crisis.
- Student-Facing Lessons: After completing the adult-facing units, access to student-facing lessons will be unlocked. The student-facing lessons
- Are instructor-led activities designed to help educators help their students cope with crisis events.
- Include 1-2 lessons per grade band from Kindergarten-Grade 12.
- Will be available as downloadable PowerPoint presentations.
Imagine Neighborhood Season 2 (K-5)
New episodes are available at https://www.imagineneighborhood.org/
The Imagine Neighborhood Podcast will be back with new episodes and activities for your K-5 students and their families. Season 2 episodes will align with and support the themes and concepts in our Second Step program and provide families a fun, accessible way to build on the school-based SEL program.
Anti-Racism and Anti-Bias Resource Recommendations, Updated Materials, and Partnerships
We’re excited to share this new Anti-Racism and Anti-Bias Resources page! These resources can help support your efforts to implement SEL in a way that builds on students’ cultural assets, critically examines systems of power, and allows us all to construct better ways of teaching, learning, and being.
In further service to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, our research team recently evaluated our Second Step® Early Learning and Second Step® Elementary materials to ensure cultural relevance and assess representation. In this evaluation, the team used emerging research and client feedback to identify photos and videos in our programs that contribute to harmful stereotypes about Black students, Indigenous students, and other students of color. To ensure our programs more accurately reflect the communities we serve, our organization’s values, and emerging research, we’re replacing the materials identified in this effort. The materials include several lesson cards, unit cards, and Home Links, in addition to a video. We’ll provide replacements free of charge to Second Step® users with registered classroom kits. Click here for more information.
We're also sharing a curated set of Teaching Tolerance lessons that are aligned to Second Step Elementary and Second Step® Middle School, as well as to the CASEL core SEL competencies. We recommend teaching these lessons in tandem with your Second Step implementation to incorporate diversity, equity, and social justice work into your classroom’s SEL plan.
Virtual Professional Development Project (in development)
Starting in July, please watch for brand new webinars topics designed to support educators’ unique needs for back-to-school 2020.
What existing COVID-19 (crisis response) resources will you continue to provide for educators through fall 2020?
You will continue to have access to all the freely available content found on our COVID-19 Support Page through at least December 31, 2020: https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support