Social Emotional Skills and Language Are the Foundation for Quality Schools

Discover Poems, Songs, and Rhymes that Develop SEL Goals: Emotional Intelligence, Friendship, Curiosity, Grit, and a Love of Language (K-2)

Poems, Songs, and Rhymes are listed by Poetry Notebook Collection Titles

Maintain supportive relationships and bolster emotional self-management skills
(See sign language songs) Hello Neighbor (Co-active dance with QR code); September
Hola Mis Amigos/Hello My Friend (Bilingual Action-song in sign language); September
Adios Amigos/Goodbye My Friend; September
One Potato, Two Potato (Co-active rhyme); January
The Pledge of Allegiance (Sing, sign, and perform to “American Patriot”); September
Miss Mary Mack (hand-jive); January
Develop curious, self-confident students with good health habits
Baby Birdie (dramatize growing from small to something big: QR code); October
I Always Start My Letters at the Top (Positive handwriting affirmation); September
I Can Write “By Heart” Words (Celebration of new learning with QR code) ; Literacy
Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create! (How to be a future engineer!); Sciencing
Walking Rhyme (Healthy exercise habits rhyme); May/June
Before I Sneeze; November
Manage and communicate emotions respectfully
Wrinkled Heart Rhyme: Before you speak, think and be smart…; September
Hands Are Not for Hurting: I will not use my hands or words…; November
Sing Your Way Home: …it will brighten your load…(Sing and sign); January
My Responsibility: I will never hurt anyone…; November
Martin Luther King: Let us speak and let us sing…; January
Learn the names of classmates and how to be a good friend: knowing another’s name is the beginning of friendship
Helper of the Day (Sing student names, fingerspell, and chant); September
Mary Wore Her Red Dress (Adapt and sing about each student); September
Willabee Wallabee Woo (Rhyming name game song); September
You’re My Friend: f-r-i-e-n-d (Turn and sign to a friend!)
Hawaiian Birthday Love Song (with QR Code) September
Hick-e-ty, Tick-e-ty Bumble Bee; September

Develop optimism, perseverance, and a positive “I can do it!” attitude
I Am Very, Very Happy: H-a-p-p-y! (with QR code); December
Happy Thought by Robert Louis Stevenson (Memorize, recite, perform); December
If You’re Happy and You Know It (Traditional action song, adapted); December
Attitude Chant: I’m healthy, happy, feel fantastic…; January
I’m Optimistic (Chant with energy, movement, and rhythm); January
Perseverance; January
I Love to Read: R-e-a-d (Positive affirmation in song and sign language)
Sing Your Way Home (with QR code); January
Be motivated to achieve personal and academic goals
I can: c-a-n! (Sing and fingerspell with QR code); September
New Year’s Resolution: Kindness; January
I Like to Write (Sing, Sign, Spell and Read! with QR code);
Literacy Heart Word Sentence Song (Sing, Sign, Spell and Read! with QR code); September
I Love to Read (with QR code); Literacy
I Can Write “By Heart” Words; Literacy
Reading is Fun
Demonstrate and express kindness, empathy, gratitude, and polite communication
(Sing, Sign, Spell and Read!) The Kindness Pledge; September
L-O-V-E Spells Love (with QRQ code); September
T-h-a-n-k: I Can Spell Thank You! (Sing, Sign, Spell and Read! with QR code); November
We Are Thankful; November
New Year’s Resolution: I will say “please and thank you”; January
I Can Talk with My Hands (Please and Thank You signing song); January
Hawaiian Birthday Love Song (with QR code); September
You Are My Sunshine (adapted version)

Social Emotional Skills and Language are the Foundation for Quality Schools

Develop a connection to nature and respect for all living things
I Love the Earth (with QR code)
A Rock Is a Letter
May There Always Be Sunshine
Fall Is Coming (with QR code)
Bugs Reduce, Recycle, Reuse
Hurt No Living Thing.
Here’s a Little Seed (with QR code)
See Also: Weather and Seasonal Songs and Rhymes

These songs and rhymes are found in Poetry Notebook Bonus 2.

See poetry FREEBIE for a poetry “Friendship Sampler.”

What Master PreK-2 Educators Know for Sure About SEL

Emotional well-being is critical to achieving academic success and success in life. It can and must be taught! It builds on meaningful family connections.
Social Emotional Learning underlies everything we do: We want children to learn to be a good friend, work hard, be curious, practice kindness, and develop a positive “I can do it!” mindset.
When we bond with our students and make happiness happen in the classroom, children will feel accepted and valued. Social-emotional skills and friendships blossom.
Memory skills, broad vocabulary, and confidence expressing ideas begins with a rich oral language curriculum: opportunities to talk, sing, dance, play, and tell stories.
We want children to develop a good work ethic: to see themselves as good thinkers, problem-solvers, readers, writers, illustrators, storytellers, creative kids, and makers of things! That necessitates having authentic, meaningcentered curriculum that engages learners and builds on success.
With happy hearts we dance, sing, and memorize delightful language! A thoughtful art-rich curriculum nurtures capable, kind, confident young people. ALL children deserve a Talented and Gifted (TAG) curriculum model.
Singing, dancing, dramatization, sign language, and art provide Total Emotion Body Response to Language (TEBRL). That’s how the brain learns best, it is the secret of accelerated learning, and powerful SEL!
Positive discipline with meaning-centered learning in a caring classroom is a richly rewarding way to teach. It is our contribution to happier schools and healthier communities.

The poems, songs, and rhymes mentioned in this article are from Nellie Edge “I Can Read” Poetry Notebook Bundle (Anthology) on TpT

Nellie Edge Poetry “I Can Read” Notebook
So Many Reasons to Love It!

“My students love reading these poems and being able to add their own illustrations! It makes them feel like authors.”
–Danielle H.

“Saying rhymes and songs together practices many skills. The children learn new vocabulary and develop a feeling of unity working together.”
–Laura R.

“This is such a RICH resource, full of inter-connected learning. My little students have already enjoyed some of the poetry and their illustrations make the poems come alive in a personal way. I am looking forward to using this resource all year and for many years to come. THANK YOU!”
–Barb C.

“My students and their parents have enjoyed these poems! I love the variety of poems to choose from and all of the activities that can be done with each poem!”
–Lauren B.

“We love these poems. The QR codes are so helpful for parents.” -Laura C. “Great addition to Poetry Month - using with students to increase understanding and make connections to poetry.”
–Sharon W.

Poetry Bundle includes 10 individual monthly and thematic collections and a bonus: Choose from over 200 poems, songs, and rhymes with family and curriculum connections.

Enjoy a sample: Download February Poetry Freebie on TpT.

Download Freebie on TpT