School: Grade 5 SEL Curriculum
Foundations: Self, Emotions & Friendships
A research-backed, Tier 1 program that builds the emotional and social foundations students need for academic engagement and middle school readiness.
Outcome-driven, district-safe, non-clinical
Clarifies grade, developmental focus, and why it matters academically
Why Grade 5 Matters
Grade 5 marks a critical developmental shift.
Students are:
- becoming more emotionally aware
- navigating increasingly complex friendships
- more sensitive to peer acceptance and rejection
- expected to participate, collaborate, and self-manage at higher levels
Research consistently shows that self-awareness, emotional regulation, communication, and belonging at this stage predict:
- academic engagement
- classroom participation
- peer behavior
- smoother transition into middle school
Grade 5 is where foundational life skills must be taught — not assumed.
Program Overview
Core Developmental Question:
What am I feeling — and who am I becoming?
The Grade 5 Foundations Program intentionally develops:
basic self-awareness
emotional vocabulary and regulation
friendship and communication skills
empathy and perspective-taking
early bullying awareness and prosocial norms
a positive mindset lens through gratitude
This year establishes the personal and social foundations students need before academic and social demands intensify.
Grade 5 Course Lineup (28-Week Sequence)
Exploring You: A Journey to Self-Awareness
Self-awareness & metacognition
Emotional You: Managing Your Emotions
Emotion recognition & regulation
Communication Foundations
Expression, listening, and repair
Cultivating Empathy
Perspective-taking & inclusion
Relationship Building Basics
Friendship, cooperation, and conflict repair
Identifying and Dealing With Bullies
Social safety, self-advocacy, and upstander behavior
What is Gratitude?
Positive affect, belonging, and classroom climate
Each course builds on the last — reinforcing skills longitudinally rather than treating SEL as isolated lessons.
What Students Learn by the End of Grade 5
Students develop the ability to:
identify and name emotions accurately
regulate frustration, worry, and social stress
communicate needs respectfully
build and maintain healthy friendships
navigate conflict without escalation
recognize and respond to bullying safely
contribute to a positive classroom climate
develop confidence in expressing themselves in group settings
These are learning behaviors districts care about — not abstract traits.
Academic Impact: How This Supports Learning
Grade 5 Foundations improves academic outcomes through four validated pathways:
1
Executive Function → Learning
Improves attention, inhibition, working memory, and persistence — predictors of math and reading success.
2
Social Belonging → Engagement
Belonging increases participation, help-seeking, attendance, and motivation.
3
Emotional Coping → Academic Risk-Taking
Students are more willing to try, ask questions, and recover from mistakes.
4
Classroom Climate → Instructional Time
Reduced conflict and disruption = more effective teaching time.
"SEL programs improve academic outcomes by 11 percentile points." — Durlak et al., 2011
Research & Standards Alignment
Grade 5 Foundations aligns with all major district frameworks, enabling easy approval and board justification.
Framework Alignment Includes:
CASEL Five Core Competencies
Executive Function & Metacognition
Portrait of a Graduate
College & Career Readiness (CCR)
MTSS Tier 1
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors
Whole School, Whole Child (WSCC)
Employability & CTE Soft Skills
Implementation Made Easy
Designed for real school schedules and staffing realities.
Designed for School Schedules:
- Two 10–20 min sessions weekly
- Or one 30–45 min session weekly
- 30–45 mins total per week
- No clinical language
- No diagnostics or therapy
- No additional staff or certifications required
Can be delivered by:
- classroom teachers
- advisory or homeroom staff
- counselors
- enrichment or after-school leads
Fits seamlessly into:
- Advisory / Homeroom
- SEL Block
- Enrichment
- Core Period
- After-School
- Summer Bridge
Assessment Without Burden
Grade 5 uses authentic, non-punitive indicators:
- participation and engagement
- skill demonstrations
- reflection artifacts
- communication and collaboration behaviors
No grades.
No clinical screening.
No student labeling.
This preserves MTSS Tier 1 status while still providing progress visibility.
School & District Outcomes
Districts implement Grade 5 Foundations to achieve:
Student Outcomes
- stronger emotional coping
- improved peer relationships
- higher participation
- increased confidence
- reduced avoidance behaviors
School Outcomes
- improved climate and belonging
- fewer peer conflicts
- smoother elementary to middle transitions
- increased instructional time
- reduced behavioral escalation
Often summarized as:
"Safer, more connected, more engaged learners."
"Safer, more connected, more engaged learners."
Funding & Allowability
Grade 5 Foundations is grant-ready and procurement-safe.
Common Funding Sources:
ESSA Title I
ESSA Title IV-A (Strongest Match)
ESSA Title IV-B (21st Century)
State SEL / Climate Funds
MTSS Tier 1 Behavioral Funds
PTA / Foundation / Local Funds
Bloomster is non-clinical, avoiding mental health compliance barriers.
Why Districts Choose Bloomster (Grades 5–8)
Districts adopt Bloomster as a cohesive, multi-year Grades 5–8 life-skills curriculum, not isolated grade-level programs.
They choose Bloomster because it is:
Research-backed and developmentally sequenced
Skills build intentionally from Grade 5 through Grade 8, aligning with cognitive, emotional, and social development across adolescence.
Designed for real classrooms and real schedules
Flexible delivery models fit advisory, SEL blocks, enrichment, core periods, and after-school without staffing changes.
Easy to justify to boards and stakeholders
Clear alignment to CASEL, MTSS Tier 1, Executive Function, Portrait of a Graduate, and College & Career Readiness frameworks.
District-scalable and implementation-ready
One platform, one curriculum system, consistent language and outcomes across schools.
Preventative, not reactive
Builds foundational skills early to reduce downstream behavioral, engagement, and climate issues.
Focused on learning behaviors that matter
Attention, regulation, communication, belonging, and participation—skills that directly support academic success.
Grade 5 is where the foundation begins.
Bloomster ensures the entire Grades 5–8 progression is built intentionally.
See If Bloomster Is the Right Fit for Your District (Grades 5–8)
Our team will walk you through:
- The full Grades 5–8 developmental sequence
- How Bloomster aligns to your district frameworks and goals
- Implementation models across higher elementary and middle schools
- Funding pathways and procurement alignment
- What adoption looks like at district scale