Clear, grade-by-grade SEL standards for Grades 2–5
608 standards across 30 core SEL skills and 5 CASEL-aligned units — built from research into what all 50 states and DC recommend for SEL.
SEL never had a Common Core. So we built one.
Math and reading have grade-by-grade standards every teacher knows. SEL doesn’t: CASEL names five competencies but not which skills belong in which grade, and every state handles SEL differently.
We documented what all 50 states and DC recommend and turned it into one framework: five standards per core skill, per grade — each with a student “I can” and a “You’ll see it when” for you.
How to read a standard
- Standard
- The skill, written for you: what the student does and how you can observe it.
- I can…
- The same goal in student words — ready for the board or a lesson slide.
- You’ll see it when…
- What it looks like in your classroom, so you know the skill is there.
Self-Awareness
5 core skills · 100 standardsIdentifying My Feelings
Skill areasNaming & labeling feelings · Rating intensity · Reading body cues · Recognizing mixed feelings · Identifying triggers
Strengths & Interests
Skill areasIdentifying strengths · Providing evidence for strengths · Knowing interests · Applying strengths to tasks and roles · Using strengths for growth and goals
Personal Identity & Self-Acceptance
Skill areasSharing personal identity details · Recognizing similarities and differences · Building a positive self-concept · Practicing self-acceptance · Trying new things with confidence
Values & Integrity
Skill areasIdentifying values · Practicing honesty · Keeping commitments · Acting with integrity · Navigating values dilemmas and pressure
Self-Reflection & Growth Mindset
Skill areasSetting learning goals · Self-monitoring work progress · Learning from experience · Using growth mindset language · Owning outcomes
Self-Management
7 core skills · 144 standardsCalming Strategies & Emotion Regulation
Skill areasKnowing available strategies · Choosing a strategy that fits intensity · Matching strategy to setting · Using strategies independently · Recovering and re-engaging · Planning ahead for high-trigger moments
Focus & Self-Control
Skill areasStarting tasks promptly · Sustaining attention · Managing impulses · Managing distractions · Self-monitoring focus
Goal Setting & Planning
Skill areasSetting meaningful goals · Breaking goals into steps · Tracking progress · Adjusting plans when circumstances change · Reflecting on outcomes
Healthy Habits & Routines
Skill areasOrganizing materials · Managing time during tasks · Managing transitions · Building and maintaining routines · Age-appropriate self-care
Perseverance & Resilience
Skill areasTrying again when stuck · Using growth mindset language · Using self-encouragement to push through · Recovering from setbacks · Sustaining motivation over time
Flexibility & Adaptability
Skill areasAccepting unexpected changes · Thinking flexibly about problems · Trying new approaches when a first plan fails · Reframing challenges as manageable · Planning ahead for possible changes
Mental Health Awareness
Skill areasRecognizing signs of stress and worry · Understanding that mental wellness matters · Practicing self-care for mental wellness · Knowing when to seek help · Accessing support
Social Awareness
5 core skills · 100 standardsEmpathy & Perspective-Taking
Skill areasReading others' face and body cues · Inferring how others feel · Considering at least one different viewpoint · Responding with compassion · Balancing multiple perspectives in a disagreement
Respect & Inclusion
Skill areasWelcoming and including others · Honoring differences in culture, ability, and background · Using respectful language for all identities · Leading or initiating inclusion actions · Identifying and challenging exclusion patterns
Fairness & Community Responsibility
Skill areasUnderstanding rules, rights, and responsibilities · Contributing to community norms · Fairness in group decisions · Taking on community roles and jobs · Connecting individual actions to the wider community
Kindness & Giving Back
Skill areasPerforming acts of kindness · Planning a contribution · Reflecting on impact · Contributing to school and community · Developing a giving mindset
Gratitude & Appreciation
Skill areasNoticing what others contribute · Expressing genuine, specific thanks · Practicing a gratitude routine · Finding something to appreciate in hard situations · Building a grateful mindset over time
Relationship Skills
8 core skills · 164 standardsCommunication & Listening
Skill areasActive listening · Speaking clearly and specifically · Using I-statements · Reading tone and body language · Giving and receiving feedback · Adapting communication to audience and purpose
Teamwork & Cooperation
Skill areasTaking on roles and contributing · Working toward shared goals · Solving problems cooperatively · Supporting teammates who are struggling · Reflecting on personal contribution to the team
Making & Keeping Friends
Skill areasInitiating friendship · Building trust · Showing loyalty and appreciation · Repairing friendship ruptures · Navigating friendship challenges
Boundaries & Personal Safety
Skill areasAsserting personal space and boundaries · Saying no clearly and confidently · Refusing peer pressure · Understanding body safety and consent · Recognizing and reporting unsafe situations
Conflict Resolution & Repair
Skill areasCooling down before engaging · Talking it out respectfully · Finding a compromise · Apologizing genuinely · Repairing the relationship
Asking for Help & Finding Support
Skill areasIdentifying trusted adults · Distinguishing problem sizes · Asking specifically for the help needed · Matching the help request to the right person · Accessing school and community resources
Bullying Prevention & Bystander Skills
Skill areasRecognizing bullying and cyberbullying · Distinguishing bullying from conflict · Taking positive bystander action · Supporting targets of bullying · Reporting safely and effectively
Leadership & Standing Up for Others
Skill areasLeading inclusion in the classroom · Promoting kind and healthy choices among peers · Speaking up for peers who need support · Organizing a class initiative for inclusion or well-being · Modeling and building positive peer leadership
Responsible Decision-Making
5 core skills · 100 standardsChoices & Consequences
Skill areasIdentifying the available choices in a situation · Thinking through short-term consequences · Thinking through long-term consequences · Weighing the impact on others · Learning from past choice outcomes
Problem-Solving Steps
Skill areasDefining the problem clearly · Generating multiple options · Evaluating the options · Choosing and acting · Reflecting on the outcome
Personal Safety & Risk Awareness
Skill areasRecognizing risky situations · Knowing safety rules and procedures · Planning safe actions · Assessing levels of risk · Knowing when and how to report an unsafe situation
Honesty & Doing What's Right
Skill areasHonesty in choices · Fairness in decisions · Taking personal responsibility · Ethical reasoning in dilemmas · Academic integrity and ownership
Digital Citizenship & Online Safety
Skill areasSafe online behavior · Protecting personal information · Responsible and ethical digital behavior · Media literacy (understanding messages and advertising) · Recognizing digital influence and persuasion
See these standards in action
Every SELcurve curriculum lesson is built on these standards — one core skill at a time, grade by grade.
