General Curriculum Theory and Goals:

	Theory:	Every child possesses innate resiliencies. Through direction, in a positive and fun way, children can be taught to use these resiliencies in difficult situations to make healthy choices.
	Goal:	To create an awareness in children of their personal strengths/resiliencies and how to integrate them into healthy decision-making behavior.
	Theory:	Individuals/children who have strong skills in language, communication, and social competencies are more likely to resist dangerous substances (example: drugs and alcohol). Therefore, if we build on those skills, children will have the tools to help them through challenging situations.
	Goal:	To help children develop a foundation of positive life skills.

Unit Outline of Goals and Objectives: Unit 1: Identifying Strengths/ Self Awareness Story: "How Garrett Found His Strengths"

Goal:

Children will learn what makes them unique and special, and how they can use this knowledge to help them make choices and have fun. Children will begin to form an awareness of their own natural strengths, and how, through identification and application, these strengths can help them face life's challenges.

Objective:

The children will identify at least 3 personal strengths, and articulate how one strength helps them solve a problem. articulate at least one characteristic that makes them unique, and through activity and discussion, perceive the positive connotation of being"different". compare and contrast similarities and differences between character in story and self.

Unit 2: Friendship Building/Social Competence Story: "The New Critter Next Store"

Goal:

Children will become more socially competent by learning how to make friends, as well as learning how to be a friend. Children will understand the importance and impact of their interaction with peers, and the effects of positive social skills in a peer group.

Objective:

The children will identify at least 4 positive friendship traits about their classmates. articulate at least one thing that makes a friend special. demonstrate positive social skills through roleplay with their classmates.

Unit 3: Identifying and Expressing Feelings/Insight Story: "Feelings, Feelings Everywhere"

Goal:

Children will learn how to identify different feelings and the characteristics that accompany those feelings. Through verbal and written expression, the children will demonstrate an awareness of the physical responses of feelings.

Objective:

The children will link facial expressions to the six core feelings (happy, sad, confused, embarrassed, angry, and scared). identify and record their feelings. articulate and connect their feelings to color. express at least one feeling through movement. identify at least one person that they can talk to about their feelings.

Unit 4: Managing Anger and Conflict/Self Control Story: "Get Along, Garrett!"

Goal:

Children will identify angry feelings and develop coping strategies to help them control their feelings through self monitoring. Children will understand that anger is normal, and learn how to validate and accept their anger, in order to express it in healthy, positive ways. Children will learn conflict management skills such as communication, recognizing the interests of others, and mutual respect.

Objective:

The children will effectively communicate how conflict makes them feel. interpret the story, and demonstrate, through roleplay, what it feels like to be angry. practice using exercise as an anger management technique. demonstrate cooperative behavior by helping one another reach a common goal. evaluate at least one conflict situation and verbally explain reasoning for decision. record, either through writing or drawing, at least one healthy way to deal with anger.

Unit 5: Dealing With Fear and Worry/Self Help Story: "Garrett Scares Himself!"

Goal:

Through guided inquiry, children will identify their fears and worries and learn coping skills to reduce tension and provide personal security. Through literary and creative methods, children will gain confidence and self-control in dealing with fear and worry.

Objective:

The children will graphically represent a fear or worry and explain what it feels like to "discard" that feeling. gain control over at least one imaginary fear by making it tangible and using humor to de-emphasize its influence. brainstorm at least one worry, and ways to manage it. practice at least three forms of body movements as a methods to relieve worry and fear.

Unit 6: Taking Responsibility for Personal Health and Nutrition/ Self Reliance Story: : "I Can Do It-All By Myself!"

Goal:

The children will learn how to recognize healthy lifestyles and how they can apply this knowledge to their daily lives. Children will become confident in their decision making ability by taking responsibility for their wellness.

Objective:

The children will articulate and illustrate one lifestyle behavior that they can incorporate in their daily health routine. identify at least one food item and explain why it is healthy or unhealthy. explore the food pyramid, and identify at least one food from each food group. assess their own health status by recording healthy behaviors in their daily routines, allowing them to identify and define healthy and nutritional habits.

Unit 7: Developing Autonomy Through Healthy Resistance/Self Confidence Story: "Butterflies…..In Your Tummy?"

Goal:

The children will learn to recognize potentially dangerous situations and ways to use reason or humor to deal with their unsafe feelings. The children will learn how they can become active participants in their own personal safety through practicing healthy resistance techniques.

Objective:

The children will explain and draw at least one situation which makes them feel uncomfortable, or unsafe. identify and illustrate at least one physical symptom of anxiety. articulate an unsafe situation and ways to deal with that situation. reflect on a time when reasoning made them feel better when they felt afraid or unsafe. identify at least one adult they can go to when feeling unsafe or uncomfortable.

Unit 8: Building a Sense of Future; Celebrating Who We Are Story: "Garrett Finds the Future"

Goal:

Children will gain a better sense of the concept of future and its vast possibilities. They will learn the importance of good decisions today, and how their decisions influence future opportunities. Children will understand that they each have a future of their own, and learn how setting goals will help them achieve their dreams.

Objective:

The children will articulate two changes that occurred from when they were babies to how they look now. identify and accomplish at least one goal. compare different occupations and compare why that would be a good career for them. listen to a speaker and identify at least one strength that he/she demonstrated. think about and articulate ways that they have grown physically, as well as their ability to make good decisions. reflect what they learned about strengths, decision making and goals by expressing thoughts to parents.

Return to Home Page