THE BOLINAS-STINSON UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
ADDENDUM A

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SOCIAL SCIENCE
Social Science Development

PROGRAM GOALS

The goal of the program is to teach students inter-and intrapersonal lifelong skills, which foster healthy social development. The program is organized with three components, namely Communication & Language Skills, Character Building and Problem Solving Strategies.

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE SKILLS

The focus in this area of instruction is to enhance listening and speaking skills for effective communication in non-conflict as well as conflict situations.

Implementation is through lessons designed for success at specific developmental levels. Students learn and practice active listening, "I" message statements, the importance of empathy, non-verbal communication skills and vocabulary.

Kindergarten Through Third Grade

Students are able to use clear communication using a vocabulary of words that describe their feelings. They are able to demonstrate effective non-verbal communication skills, active listening, and restating techniques including "I" messages.

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Students have communication skills that enable them to de-escalate conflicts through role-playing. They are able to recognize and express feelings effectively in conflict and non-conflict situations. They practice these in class meetings and collaborative peer projects.

Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades

Students demonstrate proficiency in active listening and the use of "I" messages. They can use restating techniques in a variety of scenarios through writing as well as role playing. Students collaborate to generate lists of strategies for saying "no". Students discuss or write situations for using these strategies.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

The goal is to deepen children's commitment to values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, respect for other, diversity, self-expression, empathy, and to assist in the development of students' capacity to think deeply and critically.

Instruction is through literature, writing, theatrical presentations, group discussions, class meetings, school assemblies, journal keeping, guest speakers, and heritage celebration.

Kindergarten Through Third Grade

Students exhibit the ability to accept personal responsibility, show empathy and respect for others in daily life at school. Students can work together collaboratively to write and perform role plays which demonstrate empathy and critical thinking.

Children are able to discuss the prevalence of problems and positive ways of dealing with them.

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Students can express their social interactions clearly. They demonstrate empathy, awareness of diversity, respect of self, others, and environment within a group of peers.

Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades

Students affirm their own personal values and an understanding of the different values of others. They can understand the effect of this on behavior. Students show an awareness of their own and others' emotions and have a variety of strategies for dealing with intense emotions through journal writing, poetry or personal essay.

PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES

The goal of this area is to teach students a conflict resolution process that clarifies the nature of a dispute and reaches a solution satisfactory to all disputants quickly, collaboratively, and peacefully.

The instruction is a hands-on, concrete approach which infuses the skills and concepts learned through the components "communication skills" and "character building" (above). The students learn and practice through a variety of curricular tools which can include role-playing, demonstrations, puppet shows, theater games, brainstorming exercises, and videos. They are, therefore, prepared to utilize mediation services that are in place on both campuses.

Kindergarten Through Third Grade

Students are able to solve a dispute with a trained mediator using a technique for conflict resolution which includes taking turns stating the problem, expressing feelings, restating, and concluding by brainstorming solutions to the conflict. They are able to follow ground rules – treat each other with respect, listen without interrupting, work to solve the problem and maintain confidentiality.

Fourth and Fifth Grades

Students effectively use a designated space in the classroom for self-mediation using a vocabulary of feeling words, demonstrating effective non-verbal communication skills, "I" messages, active listening and restating techniques. Children can work with a trained mediator, either a peer mediator from sixth, seventh or eighth grades, or an adult mediator, outside the classroom.

Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grades

Students can function as trained peer mediators working in a 6/8 team, assisting younger students through the conflict resolution process. Students show a willingness to give, receive and clarify information during personal conflicts with a trained adult mediator.