Merrell’s Strong Start—Pre-K

A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum

Second Edition

by Sara A. Whitcomb, Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Amherst and Danielle M. Parisi Damico, Ph.D. Amplify Education, Inc. Brooklyn, New York

Sample Lesson from Merrell's Strong Start—Pre-K: A Social & Emotional Learning Curriculum, Second Edition

When You’re Happy

SEL Competencies

Teacher Purpose and Objectives

• The purpose of this lesson is to teach students to feel happy and to comfort themselves when unhappy.

Learning Objectives

• Students will accurately identify features of people depicting the concept of happy.
• Students will describe how their bodies feel when they are happy.
• Students will accurately list synonyms for the word happy.

Materials Needed

• Henry (stuffed animal mascot)
• Drawing paper
• Crayons
• Supplements 6.1–6.2 (PDF documents)

Instructor Reflection

To best prepare for this lesson, think about how you make yourself feel better. What comforts do you have to help you cool down when mad or sad? What are situations in your classroom in which you notice students having negative thoughts? How do you help them feel better?

Review

2 MINS. To activate prior knowledge, review and discuss previous topics about anger from Lesson 5.

Introduction

1 MIN. Clearly communicate the lesson’s purpose and objectives.

Optional Focusing Activity

Before we get started, let’s calm our bodies. Sit very still, close your eyes, and take a big balloon breath.

Read a Book from the Literature List

10 MINS. Read a book from the following list of examples or choose your own book to share with students.

• I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont
• Fun Is a Feeling by Chara M. Curtis
• Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon! by Patty Lovell
• Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
• Super-Completely and Totally the Messiest by Judith Viorst

Show and Define Happiness

5 MINS. Use Supplements 6.1 and 6.2 to show children different examples of happy faces. Encourage children to describe their feelings of happiness.

Happy Talk

Today, we are going to learn about Happy Talk. It helps us to feel better when we are sad or mad. We can first Stop, Count, In, Out, and remember everything is going to be okay.

Closure

1 MIN. Gather the students together and review the lesson objectives. Remind them that everyone feels happy sometimes.

Activity: Happy

10 MINS. Provide students with paper and crayons to draw a picture of their face showing happiness.

Extension Activity: Happy Rainbows

• Purpose and Objectives: Identify what makes them happy and describe how their bodies feel when they are happy.
• Materials: Paper plates, cotton balls, rainbow-colored streamers or construction paper, glue, tape.

Fidelity Checklist

I. Review

1. Refer to the previous lesson, When You’re Angry.
2. Review Ways that Help and Ways that Hurt in dealing with anger.
3. Refer to the steps of the Stop, Count, In, Out strategy.

II. Introduction

• Communicate that students will talk about feeling happy and learn how to make themselves feel happy when upset.

III. Read a Book from the Literature List

• Engage in a discussion about feeling happy based on characters' feelings and behaviors.

IV. Show and Define Happiness

• Use examples of happy faces and encourage students to share their own feelings of happiness.