Reading Resources for 3-5
Books.
Create a library of culturally-diverse books that help promote SEL skills for upper-elementary students.
Hover over an image for a description of the book, or click on an image to be redirected to a page where you can purchase.
Strategies.
Meaningful ways to teach texts to upper-elementary students while incorporating SEL.
Click the hyperlinks to be taken to the full article about the strategy.
1. Build Community Within Diversity: Encourage students to be open and honest with one another about how different
books have made them feel, giving other students the ability to see a situation from different perspectives. Classrooms can
have rich diversity among their students and these cultural differences may cause some students to see a story differently
than others. Continue to encourage students to be open about how a story made them feel, even if it is different from the
student next to them.
books have made them feel, giving other students the ability to see a situation from different perspectives. Classrooms can
have rich diversity among their students and these cultural differences may cause some students to see a story differently
than others. Continue to encourage students to be open about how a story made them feel, even if it is different from the
student next to them.
2. Make Meaning with Characters: In pairs, small groups, or entire class discussion, although the students to draw on the
characters they have read about and compare them to their own lives. How do they see themselves in these characters?
Use read-aloud books to promote and foster social skills within the students, allowing them to see themselves in the
literature. Encourage students to discuss their feelings and emotional reactions to what they have read, asking questions
about what they may have done in that specific situation. Different SEL skills may be discussed, or just one can become the
focus of a guided discussion.
characters they have read about and compare them to their own lives. How do they see themselves in these characters?
Use read-aloud books to promote and foster social skills within the students, allowing them to see themselves in the
literature. Encourage students to discuss their feelings and emotional reactions to what they have read, asking questions
about what they may have done in that specific situation. Different SEL skills may be discussed, or just one can become the
focus of a guided discussion.
3. Character Therapy: Have students write a dialogue between them and a fictional character they have read about that may
be undergoing stress or trauma. Have them act as a therapist to these characters. It can help students with their own
trauma by helping the fictional character through it; it will help those students without trauma gain the skills necessary to
help others in hard times.
be undergoing stress or trauma. Have them act as a therapist to these characters. It can help students with their own
trauma by helping the fictional character through it; it will help those students without trauma gain the skills necessary to
help others in hard times.
In Action.
Watch the video below to learn about partner reading and SEL integration.