K-5 Life Skills

Waukee CSD teaches students life skills through the principles of social and emotional learning (SEL). In lessons, students gain the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to understand and manage their emotions. They set and achieve positive goals, show empathy for others, build positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. This area of study focuses exclusively on elementary grades, providing a strong foundation for future success in secondary school.

Elementary Life Skills

The curriculum divides life skill study areas into five focuses: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Teachers assess students based on their progress, with different criteria depending on their developmental level (K-2 or 3-5).

Self-awareness

Learners demonstrate their knowledge of emotions, personal traits, and strengths or challenges that impact academics, social situations, and emotional regulation. They use positive self-talk and a growth mindset when facing challenging tasks.

  • K-2: Students are assessed based on their ability to identify and name their own basic emotions and recognize situations where they might feel certain emotions. They can also identify likes and dislikes, recognize things they do well, and where they might need help. They display positive self-talk and the willingness to try new things.
  • 3-5: Students are assessed on their ability to recognize the intensity of their emotions, and understand how thoughts and emotions influence behavior. They can describe the strengths, challenges, and skills they want to develop.

Self-Management

Students use self-regulation strategies to process emotions and reframe their thoughts and behaviors. They stay actively engaged, persist in learning tasks, and manage their time effectively.

  • K-2: Teachers assess students based on the ability to identify and use calming strategies, follow classroom and building expectations, set learning goals, keep personal space organized, and manage time.
  • 3-5: Teachers assess students based on their ability to identify and use strategies to self-regulate, respond to stress, stay engaged, persist in learning tasks, and work toward goals.

Social Awareness

Students recognize that others may have different thoughts, perspectives, and feelings.

  • K-2: Teachers assess students based on their ability to interpret social cues to understand how others might feel. They can connect with others’ feelings and value differences.
  • 3-5: Teachers assess students based on their ability to recognize differing points of view, interpret social cues, experience empathy, value similarities and differences, identify contributions of social and cultural groups, demonstrate consideration for others’ feelings and traditions, and contribute to their family, school, and community.

Relationship skills

Children actively listen and respond to the needs, wants, and ideas of others with empathy and respect. They demonstrate cooperative behaviors and support others by valuing different abilities and strengths.

  • K-2: Teachers assess students on good manners, active listening skills, and appropriate social behaviors. They can respond to others’ feelings and ideas, recognize traits of healthy friendships, identify hurtful or unsafe behaviors, maintain safety, take turns, share, and exhibit good sportsmanship.
  • 3-5: Teachers assess students based on when they can use facial expressions, body language, gestures, words, and tone of voice to interact effectively with others. They listen and respond to needs, wants, and ideas of others. They recognize some norms for face-to-face interactions also apply to social media. Additionally, they can identify and demonstrate qualities that contribute to healthy relationships.

Responsible Decision-Making

Students make choices and take responsibility for the outcomes. They demonstrate fairness and respect, positively impacting their school and community.

  • K-2: Teachers assess students based on their ability to identify choices that may lead to a problem, recognize when a situation is problematic, and understand its causes. They can differentiate between safe and unsafe behaviors, predict the consequences of their decisions, take responsibility for outcomes, and reflect on how their choices affect others.
  • 3-5: Teachers assess students based on when they can identify choices that may lead to a problem, recognize the positive and negative effects decisions can have on themselves and others, and understand different points of view in conflict situations. They can reflect on their own and others’ choices, demonstrate understanding of consequences, accept responsibility, and work toward resolving concerns with others.

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