Abstract
This project developed a ten-week trauma-informed social-emotional curriculum for elementary students in grades three through five to address the significant impact of trauma on well-being and development. Recognizing the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and the limitations of many existing social-emotional curriculums, this project aimed to empower students with skills to identify and manage their emotions, understand the effects of trauma and build self-awareness. Informed by a comprehensive review of literature from multiple databases and research on trauma and social-emotional learning, this curriculum includes small group sessions with check-ins, mini-lessons, and activities incorporating aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. Teacher collaboration is emphasized through session-specific handouts to support students by generalizing and reinforcing the learned skills in the classroom.
Pre- and post-test surveys were designed to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum. This curriculum's goal is to provide accessible, strength-based interventions and foster resilience and positive coping strategies in students who have experienced trauma. Future research could evaluate the curriculum’s feasibility and efficacy.