Which EL–5 SEL curriculum elements have been replaced to reflect better cultural representation and how do I order these updated materials?

As an organization committed to providing every child with high-quality, effective social-emotional learning supports, we review and adjust our programs as new information becomes available. Our research team recently evaluated Second Step^® Early Learning and Second Step^® Elementary materials to ensure cultural relevance and assess representation. In this evaluation, the team used emerging research as well as 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 that our programs more accurately reflect the communities that we serve, we’ve replaced the photos and videos that were identified in this effort. We’ve also replaced them in online resources for Second Step^® users with registered classroom kits. We’ll be shipping kits with the new cards and DVDs starting January 4, 2021. For clients who already have kits, we’ll have a replacement pack available upon request. These replacement materials will be free of charge.   

Our goal is for all educators to be using these new materials by early 2021. You can use the Request Now link below to request new materials. (Please note that all new materials will be mailed in early January 2021.)

Request Now

• Before placing your order, check with your principal or SEL coordinator to see if they've already requested replacement materials for your school.  If not, please coordinate your order through one central team member to receive your replacement materials more quickly. 
• The number of replacement items ordered cannot exceed the number of original materials ordered by your organization. 
• If you have an existing 2011 Second Step Elementary classroom kit, send an email to support@secondstep.org to request replacement materials, including new cards and new DVDs, for the affected lessons. We’ll ship those replacement materials in early January 2021. Use the table below to specify the materials you'll need. 
  • Please include the grade you'll need replacement items for and the number of replacements for each grade.
• If you order new kits after January 4, 2021, they’ll include the new materials.

What we’re replacing:  

Nine lesson cards 

Eight related unit cards 

Two Home Links from Second Step Early Learning 

The “Walk, Walk, Walk” video (Second Step Elementary, Grades 4–5)  

A page in the Teaching Materials Notebook for Second Step Elementary, Grade 3, is being replaced due to a child’s name being changed 

The specific lessons with new materials are: