What does social emotional learning look like in these grades?

Students learn to name what they feel, calm themselves down when upset, and notice how their actions affect others. They practice working in groups, taking turns leading, and handling small conflicts without an adult stepping in every time.

How can I help my child name and manage big feelings at home?

When a meltdown starts to build, ask what the feeling is before solving the problem. Frustrated, embarrassed, left out, and worried are useful words at this age. A short walk, a glass of water, or a few slow breaths gives students a tool they can use later at school.

My child is shy in groups. Should I be worried?

Quiet is not the same as struggling. Look for whether students can ask for help, join a game when invited, and tell an adult when something feels wrong. Practice those moments at home by role-playing how to ask a question or join a table at lunch.

How should I sequence SEL across the year?

Start with self-awareness and naming emotions in the first weeks, then move to self-management routines like calming strategies and goal setting. Spend the middle of the year on perspective taking and group work, and save conflict resolution and decision making for when class relationships are strong enough to practice it.

Which SEL skills usually need the most reteaching?

Impulse control and conflict resolution take the longest. Students can often name a strategy without using it in the moment. Short, frequent practice during real situations, like a disagreement at recess, sticks better than a standalone lesson.

How do I help my child handle conflict with a friend?

Resist the urge to call the other parent or fix it for them. Ask what happened, what the other kid might have been feeling, and what they want to try next. Practice one sentence they could say tomorrow, such as that hurt my feelings or can we start over.

How do I build SEL into a packed academic schedule?

Most of the work happens inside other lessons. Group projects practice collaboration, partner reading practices listening, and a two-minute check-in at the door covers self-awareness. A short morning meeting and a clear routine for handling disagreements cover most of what these grades need.

How do I know my child is ready for middle school socially?

By the end of fifth grade, students should be able to calm themselves down, disagree without it ending a friendship, and ask for help from a trusted adult. They should also notice when a classmate is left out and do something small about it.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the stretch when students move from naming feelings to managing them on their own. Students learn to notice what sets them off, calm down before reacting, and stick with a hard task instead of giving up. They start to see things from a classmate's point of view, work through disagreements with words, and ask for help when they need it. By spring, students can pause before a frustrating moment and choose a response that works for them and the people around them.

Managing emotions
Self-awareness
Empathy
Friendships
Conflict resolution
Responsible choices

Source: Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Core Standards

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Knowing yourself
Students learn to name what they are feeling and notice what they are good at and what is still hard. They start to see how a mood or a worry can change the way they act at school or at home.
2
Handling big feelings
Students practice calming down when they are upset, waiting their turn, and getting started on work without putting it off. They learn small habits like deep breaths, checklists, and breaking a job into steps.
3
Seeing other points of view
Students learn that classmates can feel differently about the same moment, and that families and backgrounds shape how people see things. They also learn who to turn to at school, at home, and in the neighborhood when something is wrong.
4
Friendships and teamwork
Students work on listening, sharing ideas in a group, and working out disagreements without it turning into a fight. They practice asking for help and offering it when a friend is stuck.
5
Making good choices
Students learn to stop and think before acting, weigh what might happen next, and consider how a choice affects other people. They start taking responsibility for small decisions on the playground, in class, and online.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.

Social Emotional Learning

The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts

PA-SEL.1.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students learn to notice their own feelings and thoughts, recognize what they are good at, and understand how all of that shapes how they act at school, at home, and with friends.
The abilities to manage emotions, thoughts

PA-SEL.2.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice staying calm under pressure, controlling impulses, and organizing their work to reach personal goals. These skills help students handle different situations without getting overwhelmed.
The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathise with others…

PA-SEL.3.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice seeing situations from someone else's point of view and building real empathy for people whose lives look different from their own. They also learn to spot the people and places they can turn to for help at school, at home, and in their community.
The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships…

PA-SEL.4.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice getting along with different kinds of people by listening well, working as a team, working through disagreements, and asking for or offering help when someone needs it.
The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior…

PA-SEL.5.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice weighing what could go wrong (and who could get hurt) before making a choice. That means thinking through what's fair, what's kind, and what happens next for themselves and the people around them.

Standard	Definition	Code
The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts Grades 3-5	Students learn to notice their own feelings and thoughts, recognize what they are good at, and understand how all of that shapes how they act at school, at home, and with friends.	PA-SEL.1.3-5
The abilities to manage emotions, thoughts Grades 3-5	Students practice staying calm under pressure, controlling impulses, and organizing their work to reach personal goals. These skills help students handle different situations without getting overwhelmed.	PA-SEL.2.3-5
The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathise with others… Grades 3-5	Students practice seeing situations from someone else's point of view and building real empathy for people whose lives look different from their own. They also learn to spot the people and places they can turn to for help at school, at home, and in their community.	PA-SEL.3.3-5
The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships… Grades 3-5	Students practice getting along with different kinds of people by listening well, working as a team, working through disagreements, and asking for or offering help when someone needs it.	PA-SEL.4.3-5
The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior… Grades 3-5	Students practice weighing what could go wrong (and who could get hurt) before making a choice. That means thinking through what's fair, what's kind, and what happens next for themselves and the people around them.	PA-SEL.5.3-5

Social Emotional Learning

The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts

PA-SEL.1.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students learn to notice their own feelings and thoughts, recognize what they are good at, and understand how all of that shapes how they act at school, at home, and with friends.
The abilities to manage emotions, thoughts

PA-SEL.2.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice staying calm under pressure, controlling impulses, and organizing their work to reach personal goals. These skills help students handle different situations without getting overwhelmed.
The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathise with others…

PA-SEL.3.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice seeing situations from someone else's point of view and building real empathy for people whose lives look different from their own. They also learn to spot the people and places they can turn to for help at school, at home, and in their community.
The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships…

PA-SEL.4.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice getting along with different kinds of people by listening well, working as a team, working through disagreements, and asking for or offering help when someone needs it.
The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior…

PA-SEL.5.3-5

Grades 3-5

Students practice weighing what could go wrong (and who could get hurt) before making a choice. That means thinking through what's fair, what's kind, and what happens next for themselves and the people around them.

Standard	Definition	Code
The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts Grades 3-5	Students learn to notice their own feelings and thoughts, recognize what they are good at, and understand how all of that shapes how they act at school, at home, and with friends.	PA-SEL.1.3-5
The abilities to manage emotions, thoughts Grades 3-5	Students practice staying calm under pressure, controlling impulses, and organizing their work to reach personal goals. These skills help students handle different situations without getting overwhelmed.	PA-SEL.2.3-5
The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathise with others… Grades 3-5	Students practice seeing situations from someone else's point of view and building real empathy for people whose lives look different from their own. They also learn to spot the people and places they can turn to for help at school, at home, and in their community.	PA-SEL.3.3-5
The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships… Grades 3-5	Students practice getting along with different kinds of people by listening well, working as a team, working through disagreements, and asking for or offering help when someone needs it.	PA-SEL.4.3-5
The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior… Grades 3-5	Students practice weighing what could go wrong (and who could get hurt) before making a choice. That means thinking through what's fair, what's kind, and what happens next for themselves and the people around them.	PA-SEL.5.3-5

Common Questions

What does social emotional learning look like in these grades?
Students learn to name what they feel, calm themselves down when upset, and notice how their actions affect others. They practice working in groups, taking turns leading, and handling small conflicts without an adult stepping in every time.
How can I help my child name and manage big feelings at home?
When a meltdown starts to build, ask what the feeling is before solving the problem. Frustrated, embarrassed, left out, and worried are useful words at this age. A short walk, a glass of water, or a few slow breaths gives students a tool they can use later at school.
My child is shy in groups. Should I be worried?
Quiet is not the same as struggling. Look for whether students can ask for help, join a game when invited, and tell an adult when something feels wrong. Practice those moments at home by role-playing how to ask a question or join a table at lunch.
How should I sequence SEL across the year?
Start with self-awareness and naming emotions in the first weeks, then move to self-management routines like calming strategies and goal setting. Spend the middle of the year on perspective taking and group work, and save conflict resolution and decision making for when class relationships are strong enough to practice it.
Which SEL skills usually need the most reteaching?
Impulse control and conflict resolution take the longest. Students can often name a strategy without using it in the moment. Short, frequent practice during real situations, like a disagreement at recess, sticks better than a standalone lesson.
How do I help my child handle conflict with a friend?
Resist the urge to call the other parent or fix it for them. Ask what happened, what the other kid might have been feeling, and what they want to try next. Practice one sentence they could say tomorrow, such as that hurt my feelings or can we start over.
How do I build SEL into a packed academic schedule?
Most of the work happens inside other lessons. Group projects practice collaboration, partner reading practices listening, and a two-minute check-in at the door covers self-awareness. A short morning meeting and a clear routine for handling disagreements cover most of what these grades need.
How do I know my child is ready for middle school socially?
By the end of fifth grade, students should be able to calm themselves down, disagree without it ending a friendship, and ask for help from a trusted adult. They should also notice when a classmate is left out and do something small about it.