How to Use this Guide

Welcome to the SEL Dallas Out of School Time Curriculum Guide

Here you can learn how to effectively navigate this curriculum and provides a 35-week guide to help plan the academic year, as well as a lesson plan template for each lesson.

Unit Themes

The curriculum content is broken up into 16 thematic units that enhance SEL understanding and acquisition. Within each unit you will find the following elements:

Overview & Integration Page

This page offers a variety of reflection questions that can be integrated throughout the unit to reinforce and extend learning. Each Integration Page demonstrates the unit’s adherence to AQuA, CASEL Competencies, 6DQ, and Core 4.

Skill Building: Literacy Connection

The literacy connection includes a book that instructors will read to the students, as well as questions to pose before and after reading. The goal is to stimulate a conversation based on the unit theme, which will be highlighted in the book. Users of the guide have the freedom to choose the book that fits their program best.

Skill Building: Creative Exploration

Each book’s activity includes creative enrichment activity. This is typically a craft to reinforce the ideals of the book and allow students to continue to explore the theme and related SEL Competencies.

Skill Practice Though Movement & Play

At the end of each unit, a collection of games and activities allow students to practice the SEL skills practiced during the unit. Users of the guide have the freedom to choose the activity that fits their program best.

Family Engagement

Family Engagement one-pagers have been created for some units and can be sent home with students to encourage SEL acquisition at home once those units are complete. These include games and/or books that reinforce chosen themes. Additional skills handouts also help students further implement SEL skills into everyday life.

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