Activities for Building Character and Social-Emotional Learning

Contact
Elena Meredith
612.746.6848
meredith@freespirit.com
ACTIVITIES FOR BUILDING
CHARACTER AND SOCIAL-
EMOTIONAL LEARNING
by Katia S. Petersen, Ph.D.
Activities for Building Character and
Social-Emotional Learning
Grades PreK–K, Grades 1–2, Grades 3–5, Grades 6–8
For
Immediate
Release!
Ready-to-use activities integrate into the daily curriculum to
help teachers create a safe and caring classroom
Minneapolis, MN——Imagine a world where all children have an opportunity to learn
and thrive—a place where adults educate the whole child, academically as well as
socially. Imagine the impact safe and caring school communities can make in our
challenging world as they encourage peer support, getting along, making ethical
choices, problem solving, accountability, and cooperation. With this vision in mind,
Katia S. Petersen, Ph.D., created the Safe & Caring Schools ® series ($29.99 each, Free
Spirit Publishing), resource guides that blend social and emotional learning into the
regular academic day.
Petersen, an author, consultant, and training expert in school climate improvement,
spent the last 27 years working in schools with staff and students of all ages,
backgrounds, abilities, and talents. Those experiences, combined with extensive
feedback from thousands of educators, counselors, and parents, are the foundation for
the Safe & Caring Schools series. As time constraints and differentiation demands
press upon educators, one constant in the classroom remains: the need for all children
to feel appreciated, secure, and accepted. The mission of the series is to create
sustainable, positive change by infusing social and emotional learning and character
education into daily academic instruction from preschool through grade 8.
The series, organized in age-appropriate guides for preK–K, 1–2, 3–5, and 6–8,
includes practical activities and a literature foundation to easily integrate social and
emotional learning into the school day. Teacher created and kid tested, each resource
guide contains:
Complete lesson plans for an entire year
Monthly themes coordinated across all grade levels
CD-ROM with reproducible activity handouts
Assessment tools
Tips for organizing a schoolwide program
and the research foundation supporting social and emotional learning
As Petersen explains, “My hope is that the content and philosophy of the Safe &
Caring Schools series will inspire and help you enhance your role as a significant
adult in your students’ lives. I have created a tool that helps you use your wisdom,
energy, and desire to reach every child on a personal and emotional level. Each day is
a new adventure and an opportunity to create a better world for our children.”
Note: Previous editions of the books were titled Safe and Caring Schools.
-end-
Find Free Spirit online at Facebook.com/FreeSpiritPublishing Twitter @FreeSpiritBooks

ACTIVITIES FOR BUILDING CHARACTER AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING
BOOKS WITH CD-ROM
Grades PreK–K ISBN: 978-1-57542-391-3
Grades 1–2 ISBN: 978-1-57542-392-0
Grades 3–5 ISBN: 978-1-57542-393-7
Grades 6–8 ISBN: 978-157542-394-4
SAFE & CARING SCHOOLS® SERIES
by Katia S. Petersen, Ph.D.
$29.99 Softcover 160–208 pp. 8½" x 11" For educators, group leaders, caregivers.
About the Author
Katia S. Petersen, Ph.D.—author, consultant and educator—is a training
expert in school climate improvement, student support, teacher coaching, and
parent engagement. She has delivered professional development courses in
schools nationwide on how to use literature to infuse social and emotional
learning into core academics. Katia has trained over 65,000 educators and
parents to enhance school success.
Her recognitions include: #5 in the Top Ten Books by the National Association
of Elementary School Principals; Teacher’s Magazine, Teacher’s Choice:
Excellence in the Classroom Award; and National Association of Broadcasters
Service to Children’s Television Award. Katia is the creator of the Safe & Caring
Schools program for grades preK–8. She also is the president and founder of
Petersen Argo, Inc., a consulting firm that has been serving the educational
needs of children and adults since 1990. She lives with her family in San
Francisco, California.
For more information about Katia and the Safe & Caring Schools program,
check out www.safeandcaringschools.com.
About Free Spirit Publishing (www.freespirit.com)
Meeting kids’ social, emotional, and educational needs since 1983
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Free Spirit is the leading publisher
of learning tools that support young people’s social-emotional health and their
educational needs. Free Spirit’s mission is to help children and teens think for
themselves, succeed in life, and make a difference in the world.
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299 PHONE 612.338.2068 FAX 612.337.5050 www.freespirit.com