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Relationship Skills May Look Like:

Communication

Social engagement

Relationship building

Teamwork

Relationship Skills May Sound Like:

When you ______ it made me feel _______.

Can you explain what you mean by that?

I disagree with you because _________.

What did you mean by _________?

Below are some books recommended for this topic.

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Thirteen-year-old Calvin knows he's destined to be a star. . . if he can just stop making embarrassing mistakes onstage, like getting stuck on a single line―"Forsooth!"―during the school play. The summer after seventh grade, he's hoping for a fresh start. All he has to do is prove himself as an actor and fix the awkwardness with his friends that started after the play. But nothing's going according to plan. His parents don't get his love of performing. His best friend is moving on without him. And he might have a crush that could change everything. Surrounded by drama on all sides, Calvin will have to go off script if he's going to be a real friend and be true to himself.

Forsooth. (2023, January 1). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62610759-forsooth?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=cGsFr9dEwR&rank=3

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Social Awareness May Look Like:

Perspective taking

Empathy

Appreciating diversity

Respect for others

Social Awareness May Sound Like:

I wonder how that made _______ feel?

How would I feel if I were in that situation?

What is ________ thinking?

They seem sad right now. Maybe I should _______.

Thanks for sharing! My family does it this way.

Below are some books recommended for this topic.

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A creative coming-of-age story for the climate-change generation
Dana Drucker fights boredom in her Florida beach town by crafting special-effects makeup―the more gruesome, the better. But when a messy prank with Dana’s best friend Lily gets the wrong kind of attention, the girls have two find a new creative outlet or leave high school without graduating.

To save their shot at diplomas, Dana and Lily join a community college film class. It gives Dana a chance to keep practicing her monster makeup, as she and Lily start work on a horror movie inspired by local ocean warming. And a search for filming locations puts Dana in the path of Daphne Ocean, an activist and self-proclaimed water witch―the perfect kind of inspiring outsider. But when filming starts, Dana finds herself growing apart from Lily, who doesn’t seem to need her closest friend much anymore.

Soon, tempers are flaring, and Dana’s pushing away old friends and her new mentor. But as everything starts going up in flames, Dana also begins to forge her voice. Night and Dana is a creative coming-of-age story for the climate-change era, a graphic novel about making art and growing up when it feels like the world is on fire.

Night and Dana. (2023, September 12). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136043659-night-and-dana?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=5yqZFoMJCB&rank=1

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Relationship Skills May Look Like:

Communication

Social engagement

Relationship building

Teamwork

Relationship Skills May Sound Like:

When you ______ it made me feel _______.

Can you explain what you mean by that?

I disagree with you because _________.

What did you mean by _________?

Below are some recommended books for this topic.

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When eighth grader and aspiring journalist Indigo breaks an important story, exposing an unfair school policy, she's suddenly popular for the first time.

The friends who've recently drifted away from her want to hang out again. Then Indigo notices that the school's disciplinary policies seem to be enforced especially harshly with students of color, like her. She wants to keep investigating, but her friends insist she's imagining things.

Meanwhile, Indigo stumbles upon a book by Black journalist and activist Ida B. Wells―with private letters written by Ida tucked inside. As she reads about Ida's lifelong battle against racism, Indigo realizes she must choose between keeping quiet and fighting for justice.

Indigo and Ida. (2023, April 4). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68755574-indigo-and-ida?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=SG4dfGi0ca&rank=1

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It’s been six months since Sarah’s mom died. Three months since her dad fell apart. Sarah has left her fine arts boarding school to take care of her dad and her little brother, and now she’s trying to hold everything together at home while adjusting to the local public high school.
With her dad’s drinking and spending getting out of control, Sarah struggles to make sure that the bills are paid, that her brother is fed and safe, that her dad’s grief won’t crush them all. She has no time for art, unless she’s cranking out a piece to sell online for some grocery money. And she definitely doesn’t have the time or the emotional energy to find out if her sweet, handsome classmate, David Garza, could be more than a friend.
But then a school project prompts Sarah to delve into her mom’s Mexican and Guatemalan roots. As she learns more about this side of her heritage, Sarah starts to understand her mom better—and starts to face her own grief. When she stumbles upon a long-buried piece of history that mattered deeply to her mom, Sarah realizes she can’t carry her pain silently anymore. She has to speak up, and she can’t do it alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124133202-the-weight-of-everything?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=wLmMOjwJd5&rank=1

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Self-Management May Look Like:

Impulse control

Stress management

Self-discipline

Self-motivation

Goal-setting

Organizational skills

Self-Management May Sound Like:

I need a break right now

May I please have space? I am not ready to share.

I think I need help with _______.

I don't understand yet, but I will ________ to reach my goal.

Below are some recommended books for this topic.

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In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.

When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.

In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same.

Posted. (2017, May 2). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31371695-posted?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=KmNVf04IRP&rank=4

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Can piecing together the past help you change the present?

Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn’t understand Safiya’s love of gaming and Safiya doesn't think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange and magical world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there’s a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar . . .

A Pocket Full Of Stars. (2019, August 8). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49603618-a-pocketful-of-stars?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=zZe1WEgEyN&rank=1

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Sixteen-year-old Mehreen is overwhelmed by her anxiety and depression, and she doesn't believe anyone in her life will understand if she tries to talk about it. She's been thinking about suicide for a while when she discovers a website called MementoMori.com. The site matches people with partners and assigns them a date on which to end their lives, together. Mehreen is partnered with Cara and Olivia, strangers dealing with their own struggles.

But as the girls get to know one another in preparation for their "date of termination" they find themselves developing a strong bond―even becoming friends. For the first time, they're each able to share their darkest secrets with people who won't judge them. They realize that, with the right support systems, life is worth living after all. So they decide to abandon the suicide pact.

Except the website won't let them stop.

As their assigned "date of termination" draws nearer and MementoMori continues to manipulate them, the girls will have to rely on one another to survive.

All the Things We Never Said. (2023, May 4). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125391102-all-the-things-we-never-said?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=VPihTR5fCc&rank=1

odreads.com/book/show/125391102-all-the-things-we-never-said?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=VPihTR5fCc&rank=1

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After her parents' divorce, Bea's life became different in many ways. But she can always look back at the list she keeps in her green notebook to remember the things that will stay the same. The first and most important: Mom and Dad will always love Bea, and each other.

When Dad tells Bea that he and his boyfriend, Jesse, are getting married, Bea is thrilled. Bea loves Jesse, and when he and Dad get married, she'll finally (finally!) have what she's always wanted--a sister. Even though she's never met Jesse's daughter, Sonia, Bea is sure that they'll be "just like sisters anywhere."

As the wedding day approaches, Bea will learn that making a new family brings questions, surprises, and joy.

The List of Things That Will Not Change. (2020, April 7). GoodReas. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53267233-the-list-of-things-that-will-not-change?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=S8bD0A5i0D&rank=1

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Charity may have mad math skills and a near-perfect memory, but with a mouth that can’t speak and a body that jumps, rocks, and howls unpredictably, most people incorrectly assume she cannot learn. Charity’s brain works differently from most people’s because of her autism, but she’s still funny, determined, and kind. So why do people treat her like a disease or ignore her like she’s invisible?

When Charity’s parents enroll her in a public junior high school, she faces her greatest fears. Will kids make fun of her? Will her behavior get her kicked out? Will her million thoughts stay locked in her head forever? With the support of teachers and newfound friends, Charity will have to fight to be treated like a real student.

Cujec, C., & Goddard, P. (2021, February 2). Real by Carol Cujec. Goodreads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56695956-real?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_19

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Self-Awareness May Look Like:

Identifying emotions

Having an accurate self-perception

Recognizing strengths

Self-confidence

Self-efficacy

Self-Awareness May Sound Like:

How am I feeling and why?

When am I at my best?

When do I feel angry?

What kind of person do I want to be today?

What stresses me out?

Where do I fit into my family/community?

Below are some recommended books for this topic.

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Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

Red: A Crayon's Story. (2023, May 4). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40317442-red?ref=nav_sb_ss_3_13

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This is a story about a girl who is struck by lightning when she is 8 years old. The effects of the lightning strike make her a math savant but she struggles with OCD and making friends in the outside world. After being homeschooled for four years she passes her SAT with a perfect score and wants to go to college. Her guardian doesn't think she is ready since she has not developed the soft skills to survive on her own but she makes a deal with her: go to public school for one year, join one activity, and make one friend, and she can go off to school.

Miscalculations Of Lightning Girl. (2018, May 1). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40174824-the-miscalculations-of-lightning-girl?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=pmOSp9zmis&rank=1

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Natalie enters an egg-drop competition with her friends, but her real challenge lies in understanding her mother's depression. Through her exploration of "blue butterflies," Natalie learns about empathy, friendship, and the importance of hope.

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller. (2018, March 6). Goodreads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42368594

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Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

The Hate You Give. (2017, February 28). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53522062-the-hate-you-give?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=hsyGASxDqU&rank=1

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Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms.

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore. Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him.

They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner...

Heartstopper. (2018, October 1). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40495957-heartstopper?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=70RBY2ce2d&rank=2

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Evan just wants to win a game. Bobby would rather fight than win. Hockey―and life―keep handing them both losses. Their team, the Strikers, has a roster of rejects in hand-me-down coats but lacks good equipment, a deep bench, and a coach who shows up on time. Their town of Flint, Michigan, has been down on its luck their whole lives. The boys may not understand each other, but together, they’ll find their reasons to keep taking the ice. Strikers is a hilarious, hard hitting, and moving story about how to stay on your skates when you only see L ’s in your future.

Strikers. (2023, May 4). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/140063134-strikers?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=xUqdSEtGPl&rank=1

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Nothing is going right this summer for Drew. And after losing his dad unexpectedly three years ago, Drew knows a lot about things not going right. First, it’s the new girl Audrey taking over everything at the library, Drew’s sacred space. Then it’s his best friend, Filipe, pulling away from him. But most upsetting has to be the mysterious man who is suddenly staying with Drew’s family. An old friend of Mom’s? Drew isn’t buying that.

With an unlikely ally in Audrey, he’s determined to get to the bottom of who this man really is. The thing is, there are some fears—like what if the person you thought was your dad actually wasn’t—that you can’t speak out loud, not to anyone. At least that’s what Drew thinks.

But then again, first impressions can be deceiving.

The Things You Can't Say. (2020, March 3). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52046724-things-you-can-t-say?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fsZeNS1d6Q&rank=2

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I adored this book! It's one of those books I quickly realized would be a struggle to review because all I want to do is gush and put this book in everyone's hands. Another book with such a memorable protagonist and also about death and grief is The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise which I also adored. Things You Can't Say is a thoughtful, realistic, and heartwarming (oh, so heartwarming) book about dealing with a parent's suicide and changing friendships. If you're looking for a book th...more

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I adored this book! It's one of those books I quickly realized would be a struggle to review because all I want to do is gush and put this book in everyone's hands. Another book with such a memorable protagonist and also about death and grief is The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise which I also adored.

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Arthur T. Owens grabbed a brick and hurled it at the trash picker. Arthur had his reasons, and the brick hit the Junk Man in the arm, not the head. But none of that matters to the judge—he is ready to send Arthur to juvie forever. Amazingly, it’s the Junk Man himself who offers an alternative: 120 hours of community service . . . working for him.

The Seventh Most Important Thing. (2015, September 8). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29496213-the-seventh-most-important-thing?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=d4Q8y8zm8O&rank=1

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Through 70+ poems, Grimes introduces readers to Gabriella, a city girl who’s prone to daydreaming, frustrating her mother and alienating Gabby from her classmates. Several poems bring readers directly into Gabby’s daydreams, as she explains how a single word can set her mind whirling: “Say ‘concert,’/ and I’m somewhere/ in the past,/ sprawled out on the grass/ in Central Park,/ my head cozy/ in Mom’s lap,/ her head cozy/ on Dad’s shoulder.” Grimes packs substantial emotional heft into her poems, especially the way that Gabby’s parents’ separation weighs on her. Eventually, the right teacher and the right friend provide the support and encouragement Gaby needs, and even her mother’s attitude softens. Although Grimes hits the “importance of dreaming” theme a bit hard, her poems lovingly convey the rich inner life (and turmoil) of a girl in the process of finding her voice.

Words with Wings. (n.d.). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781590789858

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Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Fish in a Tree. (2015, February 5). GoodReads. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23012518-fish-in-a-tree?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=WZxLDlF3Hn&rank=1

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In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so that he can concentrate on basketball. They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find the missing Virgil. Sometimes four can do what one cannot. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

(2017, March 14). !! - Wiktionary. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30759347-hello-universe?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=a9w1B3Z9Sx&rank=1

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Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past, and living in San Francisco with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself. But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She’s dedicated herself to saving every life she can, but she can’t save Fran. All she can do is help care for her aunt and try to prepare herself for the inevitable―while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line. After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent. (2023, March 7). GoodReads. Retrieved August 3, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122097721-the-coldest-winter-i-ever-spent?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=0k5DFq9uVm&rank=1