5 Read Alouds and STEM Challenges to Teach Responsible Decision-Making to Kids
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5 Read Alouds and STEM Challenges to Teach Responsible Decision-Making to Kids
It’s no secret that our students are constantly being asked to sort and process through a barrage of endless information well beyond their ability to do so. We see you as you work tirelessly to keep up with the very same streams of information that are connecting with our students daily. Social and emotional learning (SEL) provides the opportunity for classrooms, schools, families, and the community to work together to establish skills for academic success and student engagement at school and in the community.
According to CASEL’s SEL framework, social and emotional learning is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
SEL is the process of acquiring and applying the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills, and social awareness needed for school, work, and life success.
Our students arrive at school each day expecting to learn the educational basics, but we have the opportunity to teach them the foundational life skills that reach so far beyond the classroom walls. SEL has always been important, but we are now realizing just how important these skills are for our elementary learners. Social and emotional learning gives us the opportunity to teach our students how to cope with the challenges they face every single day. Let’s not miss this opportunity to impact our student’s lives beyond the classroom!
Integrating SEL in our classrooms doesn’t have to be another thing that we add to our already packed schedules. SEL skills and strategies can be incorporated into the content we are already teaching. There are many connections between the goals of meaningful STEM learning and the tenets of social-emotional development.
CASEL’s SEL Framework
CASEL’s SEL framework includes 5 core competencies, one of which is responsible decision-making. Students who are able to demonstrate responsible decision-making are able to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.
Such as:
Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
Learning how to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, and facts
Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions
Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school
Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being
Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts
We’ve put together a SEL STEM bundle with 5 of our favorite read alouds and STEM challenges to help teach students about the importance of responsible decision-making. These challenges will give your students the opportunity to be curious, open-minded, reserve judgment, identify solutions, and evaluate consequences.
1. A Chair for My Mother
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams is the story of what happens when a family and those who support them work together to meet a need. After a fire destroyed their family home, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother all work together to save for a new chair. This is a story of kindness, compassion, hard work, and dedication.
Teach your students about generosity and helping others in need. In this STEM lesson, students learn about the importance of responsible decision-making by building a chair for someone else and testing it with a stuffed animal.
Learn more about this STEM challenge here.
2. Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big
Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big by Berkeley Breathed is a hilarious tale of just what happened when one of Edwurd Fudwupper’s many big fibs went terribly wrong. Edwurd’s fib created havoc amongst his town…and the universe, but his little sister was able to make everything right again with a little fib of her own.
In this STEM lesson, students learn about the importance of responsible decision-making by building a replacement pig for Edwurd's mother. Teach your students about making good decisions and how sometimes we need a "do-over."
Learn more about this STEM challenge here.
3. Extra Yarn
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett is the story of a girl named Annabelle who had a special skill for knitting. Annabelle found a box of yarn that never seemed to run out no matter how many sweaters she knit. She found so much joy in knitting sweaters for everyone and everything in town. Annabelle was contacted by the Arch Duke about her special box of unending yarn and was faced with a decision between money and happiness.
Learn more about this STEM challenge here.
4. Tidy
Tidy by Emily Gravett is the story of Pete the Badger. Pete loves to keep everything tidy including the flowers in the forest, the animals, and the leaves. The trouble is, the forest was never quite tidy enough. Pete eventually tidied the entire forest away including his friends, his food, and his home. He quickly realizes the trouble he’s caused and works hard to make everything right again.
Teach your students about empathy and taking responsibility for their choices through STEM. In this STEM challenge, your students will design a device that can help pick up trash.
Learn more about this STEM challenge here.
5. Too Much Glue
Too Much Glue by Jason Lefebvre is the story of Matty who loves glue. His art teacher warns him about using too much glue, but Matty really loves glue. He finds himself in a bit of a sticky situation when he uses too much glue on his art project.
In this STEM lesson, students learn about the importance of responsible decision-making by building a device to help someone who is trapped in glue. This lesson uses play dough to simulate the glue. Students discover how to create a plan and make better decisions through a mindful moments strategy, activity, and writing prompt.
Learn more about this STEM challenge here.
These 5 read alouds and STEM challenges are a part of a series of resources designed to follow the CASEL Framework for social-emotional learning. You can find the SEL STEM bundle here.
You can find the other individual SEL STEM bundles here:
Want more info and resources on SEL STEM? Get full access to this SEL STEM bundle and all of our future SEL STEM resources when you join the STEM Teachers Club Membership (best value)!
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