What’s In It For Me? SEL Book Responsible Decision Making & Helping Others

Description

What’s In It For Me? SEL Book Responsible Decision Making & Helping Others is designed to help students explore decision-making, helping others, and understanding consequences through a variety of interactive and standards-based activities. This resource includes 32 pages and 16 activities that target reading comprehension, writing, and SEL skills in a fun and student-friendly format. Bring meaningful social-emotional learning and literacy instruction to your classroom with this engaging companion resource for What’s In It For Me? by Julia Cook!

 

Perfect For:

• SEL lessons
• Read-aloud extensions
• Literacy centers
• Counseling sessions
• Morning meeting
• Sub plans
• Character education units

 

What’s Included:

Reading & Comprehension

• Reading comprehension questions + answer key
• Story concepts organizer (characters, setting, problem, solution)
• Beginning, Middle, End summary page

Writing & Reflection

• Predicting activity
• Theme/message writing page
• Opinion-based writing prompts
• Character analysis (beginning vs. end)

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• “Helping Others” reflection activity
• Needs vs. Wants sorting activity + scenario cards
• “Need-To’s vs. I Did It’s” responsibility reflection

Creative Activities

• “Helpful Hands” craft (teacher directions + student template)
• Coloring pages (I Did That!, Be Proud of Yourself!)

Vocabulary & Extension

• Vocabulary word search + answer key

Bonus

• Google Slides digital access included for easy classroom integration

 

Skills Covered:

• Reading comprehension & text analysis
• Identifying theme/message
• Character development
• Cause & effect
• Opinion and reflective writing
• Decision-making skills
• Self-awareness & social awareness
• Differentiating needs vs. wants

 

Why Teachers Love This Resource:

Combines ELA + SEL in one resource
Structured for easy lesson planning (K–4)
Includes hands-on, discussion-based, and writing activities
Promotes real-life connections and behavior reflection
Perfect for whole group, small group, centers, or counseling lessons

Activities like the Needs vs. Wants sorting cards and Helping Hands craft make learning interactive and meaningful for students.

 

Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Reading Literature

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1 – Ask and answer questions about key details
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1 – Answer questions using details
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2 – Determine central message
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 – Determine theme
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 – Describe characters and changes

Writing

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 – Informative writing
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1 – Opinion writing
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 – Opinion writing with reasons
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3 – Narrative writing

Speaking & Listening

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1 – Participate in discussions
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 – Collaborative conversations

 

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)ELAR Grades 1-4

• 1.6(E), 2.6(F), 3.6(H), 4.6(F) – Make inferences using evidence
• 1.7(C), 2.7(D), 3.7(C), 4.7(A) – Describe plot, character traits, and themes
• 1.11(B), 2.11(B), 3.11(B), 4.11(B) – Write compositions

 

Social & Emotional Connections

• 1.1(A), 2.1(A), 3.1(A), 4.1(A) – Engage in discussions and apply learning to real-life situations

 

Virginia SOL (Standards of Learning)

Reading

• 1.9, 2.5, 3.5, 4.4 – Demonstrate comprehension of fiction

Writing

• 1.12, 2.7, 3.7, 4.7 – Write to communicate ideas clearly