Merrell’s Strong Kids—Grades 6–8

Kids—Grades 6–8 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 Kids—Grades 6–8 Curriculum
  • Lesson 1 About Strong Kids: 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 Kids Knowledge Test

About the Authors

Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Ph.D.

Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann is currently an instructor at the University of Oregon in Eugene specializing in performance assessment for teacher preparation. She has extensive experience in educational assessments, policy-related education, and the development of instructional materials.

Laura L. Feuerborn, Ph.D.

Dr. Feuerborn is Associate Professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma, specializing in emotional and behavioral supports. She has developed and led courses centering on social and emotional learning (SEL), contributing significantly to enhancing SEL in educational settings.

Barbara A. Gueldner, Ph.D.

Dr. Gueldner is a licensed psychologist specializing in children's mental health and resilience. Her work involves integrating mental health care into educational environments and developing effective interventions for social and emotional learning.

Oanh K. Tran, Ph.D.

Dr. Tran teaches in the Child Clinical/School Psychology Program at California State University, East Bay. She researches psychoeducational assessments and provides support to schools and mental health agencies on social and emotional learning programs.

About Strong Kids

Strong Kids™: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum is designed to teach social and emotional skills that promote resilience and mitigate risk in children and adolescents. The curriculum targets students in Grades 6–8, focusing on prevention and early intervention approaches.

PROMOTING CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

The program emphasizes the importance of promoting children's mental health within the context of SEL. An increasing percentage of children are at risk of various behavioral and mental health problems, necessitating effective early interventions.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Social and emotional learning is framed as a systematic approach to teaching resilience in youths. Effective SEL instruction is recognized as critical for academic and life success, ensuring that all students are equipped to handle social and emotional challenges.

MODEL FOR PREVENTING BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS

The Strong Kids model adapts a public health prevention framework, emphasizing universal, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies to address the varying needs of students. It aims to shift focus toward enhancing resilience and preventing adversity-related problems within school environments.

DESIGN OF THE STRONG KIDS CURRICULUM: BACKGROUND

Developed by the Oregon Resiliency Project, Strong Kids emphasizes five pathways to wellness: forming early attachments, acquiring competencies, exposure to supportive settings, developing a sense of control, and effective stress coping strategies. It is a practical, cost-effective program meant to be easily implemented in classrooms.

IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES AND LESSON STRUCTURE

The curriculum is structured to facilitate easy implementation by educators. Each lesson is detailed with objectives, necessary materials, key competencies, and activities that support SEL while simultaneously enhancing academic skills. Additionally, ongoing evaluation and feedback are encouraged.

EVIDENCE

The Strong Kids curriculum has undergone studies showing improvements in social and emotional learning and a decrease in internalizing problem symptoms among participating students. Evidence from multiple studies reinforces its social validity and practical applicability in school settings.

REFERENCES

A comprehensive list of studies and guidelines that support the curriculum’s efficacy and theoretical underpinnings, emphasizing the integration of social and emotional learning into educational practices.