The COVID-19 Pandemic is a clear example of how science and society are connected. This unit explores how different communities are differentially impacted by the virus through the lens of historical inequities in society. In the context of decisions their families make, students explore the basics of how the virus affects people, and design investigations to explore how it spreads from person to person, and what we can do to prevent that spread.

This unit is designed to support students in understanding the COVID-19 pandemic, transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and the impacts of the pandemic on communities, especially communities of color. Specific learning targets are listed at the beginning of each lesson and highlight a core idea for the lesson, the science and engineering practice students will engage in, and the crosscutting concept students will use in the lesson. i

The unit focuses on the question How can people help end pandemics? It is designed to teach students about the COVID-19 pandemic, transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and the impacts of the pandemic on communities. Over the course of the unit, students will study the COVID-19 pandemic in light of historical pandemics to build an understanding of the following key concepts:

• How the COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person and through communities,
• How strategies to reduce transmission of COVID-19 work,
• How the actions of individuals can help to end pandemics.

The unit also supports the development of two social emotional competencies: self awareness and social awareness.

At OSPI, part of our mission is to prepare students for civic engagement throughout their lives. We believe our schools must engage and empower students, from an early age, with opportunities to participate in civil conversations, examples of effective civic engagement, and tools to find peaceful solutions to community problems.OSPI’s Social Studies and Social-Emotional Learning teams have put together resources for educators, families, and students to help with these difficult conversations.

The Social and Emotional Learning in Washington State Schools: Building Foundations and Strategies module is designed to be a part of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's (OSPI) professional learning constellation of topics. It can be used by Washington Educational Service Districts (ESD) and LEAs for administering clock hours. Clock hours are not available to individuals who take the course on their own.

Intended Audience
This module is designed for educators, administrators, school staff, others professionals and parents who interact with youth as a means to help them build and improve their understanding of social emotional skills.

Structure of the Module
This online module has been designed in six distinct learning segments.
Learning Segment 1: Introduction to SEL
Learning Segment 2: Embedding SEL Schoolwide
Learning Segment 3: Creating a Professional Culture Based on SEL
Learning Segment 4: Integrating SEL into Culturally Responsive Classrooms
Learning Segment 5: Trauma Informed Social Emotional Learning
Learning Segment 6: Identifying and Selecting Evidence-Based Programs
Although the online module can be completed by an individual, the learning is significantly more impactful if it is done collectively by those who will be implementing SEL. Throughout the online module, suggestions on ways in which to engage in the learning in a group setting are provided.

Completing the Module
Registration on the OSPI Moodle is required to take the course.

Cover image by congerdesign from Pixabay

This unit, developed by Northshore School District in Washington, contains four days of lessons with suggested extensions that connect with SEL Standards 1, 2, 4, and 5 and Music Standard 2, 3, 4 and 11. The class will create the verses to the song “Floating in Space”. Students will engage in activities where they analyze emotional characteristics of music, practice emoting without words, review “song form” and rhyming patterns, and review space vocabulary words.

Through a sequence of activities using songs, creative movement, and picture books,  students will learn about each others’ similarities and differences, gain an appreciation for cultural diversity, and identify ways that various social and cultural groups bring new ideas to society.

This unit, developed by Northshore School District in Washington, contains four days of lessons where students engage with music from a variety of cultures and analyze how emotions are communicated through different styles of music. Students will make connections between showing emotions with their words, their bodies and with instruments and will perform instruments as an ensemble to communicate different emotions.