Merrell’s Strong Teens—Grades 9–12

A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum

by
Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D.
University of Oregon
Eugene
Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D.
University of Washington, Tacoma
Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D.
Successful Kids Today
Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D.
California State University

Contents

• About the Downloadable Material
• About the Authors
• Foreword Hill M. Walker
• Acknowledgments
• Section I Introduction and Overview
  • Chapter 1 About Strong Kids
  • Chapter 2 Preparing Your Lessons and Your Students
  • Chapter 3 Overview of the Lessons
  • Chapter 4 What’s New: Updates to Strong Kids and Strong Teens
• Section II The Strong Teens—Grades 9–12 Curriculum
  • Lesson 1 About Strong Teens: Emotional Strength Training
  • Lesson 2 Understanding Your Emotions 1
  • Lesson 3 Understanding Your Emotions 2
  • Lesson 4 Understanding Other People’s Emotions
  • Lesson 5 Dealing with Anger
  • Lesson 6 Clear Thinking 1
  • Lesson 7 Clear Thinking 2
  • Lesson 8 Solving People Problems
  • Lesson 9 Letting Go of Stress
  • Lesson 10 Positive Living
  • Lesson 11 Creating Strong and SMART Goals
  • Lesson 12 Finishing UP!
• Section III Appendices
  • Appendix A Strong Teens Knowledge Test

About the Authors

Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D.
Dianna is currently an instructor at the University of Oregon specializing in performance assessment for teacher preparation.

Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D.
Dr. Feuerborn is Associate Professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma, with expertise in classroom management and social-emotional learning (SEL).

Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D.
Dr. Gueldner is a licensed psychologist specializing in social and emotional learning (SEL) program development and implementation.

Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D.
Dr. Tran teaches in the Child Clinical/School Psychology Program at California State University, East Bay, focusing on social and emotional learning and assessments.

About Strong Kids

Strong Kids™ is a social and emotional learning curriculum designed to teach social and emotional skills that promote resilience in children and adolescents. Key points include:

• Importance of promoting children’s mental health within the context of SEL.
• Design of the Strong Kids program and its effectiveness.
• Use in various settings such as general education classrooms and group counseling.

Teens in Grades 9–12 experience significant changes during their development, increasing the need for effective social-emotional support. The Strong Teens curriculum aims to provide strategies for managing these changes.

Promoting Children’s Mental Health

Many children and families are at risk for developing behavioral and mental health problems; thus, effective early intervention is crucial. Research shows a significant percentage of youth experience mental health challenges, with programs like SEL being part of the solution.

Social and Emotional Learning

SEL is vital in educating students to cope with societal pressures. Effective systems should be in place to teach SEL skills throughout the academic experience, fostering all aspects of student development.

Implementation Guidelines and Lesson Structure

Lessons are designed for ease of implementation, taking 60-80 minutes per session. Structuring the curriculum provides a framework for effective learning while minimizing barriers.

Lesson Format:

1. Social and Emotional Competency Areas
2. Purpose and Objectives
3. Materials Needed
4. Review
5. Introduction
6. Key Terms and Definitions
7. Instructional Content and Activities
8. Closure

Each lesson aims to enhance personal growth through structured activities and reflection.

Evidence

The Strong Kids curriculum has undergone evaluation demonstrating increases in social-emotional knowledge and decreases in internalizing problems. The program is supported by findings indicating that SEL positively impacts academic performance and behavior.

Summary

The Strong Kids curriculum aims to develop socially and emotionally healthy individuals equipped to manage the complexities of contemporary life, benefiting from years of research across multiple disciplines.