Power Up: Gamification Tools for Social and Emotional Learning

The Power Up program brings gamification and fun classroom activities to the teaching of social and emotional learning skills.

Students will enjoy the challenge of earning skill icons and navigating the Power Up game board, all while practising valuable self-awareness and relationship skills.

Power Up lessons cover each of the core areas of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

The fun, easy-to-use program offers step-by-step guidance on each lesson and the flexibility to tailor the program to your own students’ needs. You’ll find curricula for daily lessons, small groups, and virtual classrooms as well as all handouts and game materials. Power Up provides everything you need to introduce SEL skills:

• The program includes a complete curriculum for teaching the five core SEL skills in brief daily sessions across 30 lessons. As an alternate format, the included small group curriculum enables instructors to use the program to teach one skill domain in a concentrated six-to-eight-week period.
• The program offers scripts and adapted exercises for teaching the lessons virtually.
• Power Up sets up instructors for success, providing step-by-step guidance and classroom materials for all program curricula. Each lesson includes objectives and success criteria, handy lists of required materials, student handouts and game materials, and session outlines that provide instructors with suggested scripts, sequencing of activities, and teaching tips.
• You’ll find all game boards, icons, and classroom-display skill cut-outs; all beautifully designed and ready to use.
• To help keep the sessions running smoothly, the program offers instructor materials for all versions of Power Up. Teacher supports include checklists, displayable lesson objectives, and sample permission forms and letters to parents and guardians — many available as downloadable files.
• The Introduction and Program Overview provides insight into the research informing Power Up as well as practical tips on implementation, further strengthening instructor confidence and program success.

Click on AuthorTalk to hear Dr. Jaime Dombrowski discuss her new book in a detailed and engaging interview with Prosocially Yours podcast host Elizabeth Hess.

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"As a school counselor, I appreciate the ready-to-use lessons that I can easily implement in a comprehensive school counseling program through classroom, group, or virtual sessions. Power Up is a practical SEL curriculum with strategies to teach students self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship, and responsible decision-making skills. This valuable resource helps students learn and practice SEL skills throughout their school day. Dr. Dombrowski has created an innovative program grounded in SEL research that appeals to all educators."
- Donna Williams Lyons, Ed. S., School Counselor

"Power Up is a fun and engaging curriculum that uses a student’s natural interests to interact with appealing visuals and learn through play to enhance vital skills for their academic, emotional, and social success."
- Ashley Sanders, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

"Power Up is an excellent curriculum to help students learn and improve their SEL skills. Throughout my career I’ve always looked for ready to use and practical lessons that can be easily implemented, and Power Up delivers. School Counselors and teachers will enjoy the integration of gamification to facilitate the delivery of the SEL concepts."
- José A. Rivera Navarro, Ed.S., Mental Health Counseling Manager, Florida Virtual School