Second Step Lesson

Here are Estela and Kareem. Their teacher, Ms. Nelson, is explaining a new way of doing math. Look at Number 1 on your handout. Check off all the ways that tell how Estela and Kareem are focusing their attention and listening:

• a. Looking at the speaker

• b. Ignoring distractions

• c. Interrupting

• d. Being still

2. While Ms. Nelson gives the students directions for a partner assignment, Estela repeats the directions quietly to herself. Look at Number 2 on your handout. Check off the Skill for Learning that Estela is using to help herself remember directions:

• a. Focus attention

• b. Listen

• c. Use self-talk

• d. Be assertive

3. Look at the photo. Kareem is Estela’s new math partner. Kareem likes to take his time and write down each problem. Estela likes to do math problems differently. She likes to do them fast, in her head. Estela thinks Kareem’s way of doing math takes too long. She wants to finish quickly so they can go out to recess! Look at Number 3 on your handout. Check off all the clues that help you tell that Kareem and Estela have different feelings about how to do math:

• a. Their faces

• b. Their fingerprints

• c. The situation

• d. Their bodies

4. Look at the photo. Look at Number 4 on your handout. Check off how you think Estela is feeling:

• a. scared

• b. frustrated

• c. happy

• d. surprised

5. Estela’s strong feelings are making it hard for her to do her work. She needs to calm down. Estela decides to use the Calming-Down Steps she learned in her Second Step lessons. Look at Number 5 on your handout. Check off all the Calming-Down Steps you learned in your Second Step lessons:

• a. Say “Stop”

• b. Name your feeling

• c. Break your pencil

• d. Calm down

6. Look at the photo. Estela decides to do some belly breathing. Look at Number 6 on your handout. Check off the one that tells how to belly breathe:

• a. Breathe a few times. Check your belly

• b. Put your hands on your belly. Breathe in and out slowly

• c. Breathe in and out as fast as you can

• d. Rub your belly with your hands. Take a breath

7. Look at the photo. After belly breathing, Estela calms down. She realizes it’s okay that she and Kareem like to do math differently. But now they have a problem! They’re stuck on the last question. Neither of them knows how to do it. If they don’t finish soon, they’ll miss recess. Look at Number 7 on your handout. Check off all the Problem-Solving Steps Estela and Kareem can use to solve their problem:

• a. T: Think of solutions

• b. D: Decide who is to blame

• c. E: Explore consequences

• d. S: Say the problem

• e. P: Pick the best solution

8. Estela and Kareem need to think of safe and respectful solutions to their problem. Safe means no one’s body or feelings get hurt. Look at Number 8 on your handout. Check off each answer that says what “respectful” means:

• a. Treating others how you think they’d like to be treated

• b. Being polite

• c. Being bossy

• d. Being kind

9. Estela and Kareem think of many solutions. Then they explore consequences for each solution. Look at Number 9 on your handout. Check off each answer that says what it means to explore the consequences of a solution:

• a. Think of the positive things that could happen

• b. Think about how other people might feel

• c. Think of the quickest one to do

• d. Think of the negative things that could happen

10. Estela and Kareem decide that they want to learn how to do the math problem they’re stuck on. Look at Number 10 on your handout. Check off the answer with the best solution to Estela and Kareem’s problem:

• a. Copy the answer from another group

• b. Don’t do the problem

• c. Ask the teacher for help in a calm, firm voice

• d. Count to ten