Merrell’s Strong Kids—Grades 3–5

A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum

Second Edition

Excerpted from Merrell's Strong Start—Grades 3–5: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition by Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D., Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D., Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D., & Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D.

Other programs in Strong Kids™: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum

• Merrell’s Strong Start—Pre-K: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition
• Merrell’s Strong Start—Grades K–2: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition
• Merrell’s Strong Kids—Grades 6–8: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition
• Merrell’s Strong Teens—Grades 9–12: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition

About the Authors

Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D.

• College of Education, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403

Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D.

• Associate Professor, Department of Education, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA 98402

Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D.

• Licensed Psychologist, Successful Kids Today, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D.

• Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, California

Chapter 1

About Strong Kids

Strong Kids™: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum

Strong Kids™ is designed to help children develop social and emotional skills and assets that promote resilience and mitigate risk. It consists of five brief and practical programs designed for Grades 3–5 (ages 8–12). This curriculum is useful in general and special education classrooms, group counseling settings, and educational youth treatment facilities. The program applies effectively across different settings for children who are high functioning, typically developing, or at risk for social and emotional problems.

Promoting Children’s Mental Health

Mental health problems are prevalent among youth, with research indicating that a significant percentage of children and adolescents experience issues that warrant attention. Effective early responses, including social and emotional learning curricula, are crucial in addressing these challenges.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING

The field of social and emotional learning has established competency areas crucial for child and adolescent development: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Research has shown that SEL programming yields significant improvements in various emotional and behavioral areas for youth.

Design of the Strong Kids Curriculum

The Strong Kids curriculum is designed to be practical, cost-effective, and feasible for teachers to implement in a typical classroom. It aims to forestall the development of internalizing behavioral and emotional issues using a cognitive-behavioral theoretical orientation, focusing on promoting resilience among youth.

Implementation Guidelines and Lesson Structure

Each lesson in the Strong Kids curriculum follows a structured format designed to enhance student engagement and understanding. Lessons include key competency areas outlined by CASEL, objectives, materials needed, and suggested activities that integrate SEL with academic instruction. It emphasizes practical implementation with minimal resource requirements and supports overall student development.