Stop scrambling to fit SEL into your ELA block.
Here's how to do both at once.
5 CASEL-aligned strategies that work with any middle grade novel you're already teaching — no separate curriculum, no extra prep, no new block on your schedule.
The Problem
"I know SEL matters. I just don't have time to add another thing — I have standards to hit and a pacing guide that doesn't care about any of that."
If that's you — this guide was written for you. You don't need a new program. You need strategies that live inside the lesson you're already planning.
Every strategy in this guide is grounded in CASEL's five core competencies, aligned to CCSS ELA standards, and works with any middle grade novel — not just mine.
What’s Inside
1
Character analysis & empathy building Use perspective-taking to build Social Awareness — the skill behind better peer relationships.
3
Collaborative learning & teamwork Pair collaborative tasks with structured reflection so students build the skill, not just finish the task.
2
Conflict resolution through story themes Help students name conflict patterns — avoidance, escalation, repair — before they need them in real life.
4
Emotional intelligence through literary themes Build emotional granularity — the ability to name feelings with precision — through close reading.
5
Reflective thinking & self-awareness Make the implicit self-awareness students already do while reading visible, structured, and transferable
CASEL Competencies Covered
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision Making
About
Monica Sherwood is a former NYC public school special education teacher with an M.S.Ed. from Hunter College, and the author of The Ice House (Little Brown). She created this guide because she's been in your classroom — and knows what actually gets used on a Monday morning.
Also available:
The Ice House Educator's Guide — CCSS + NGSS aligned, discussion questions, extension activities.
Free virtual author visits for classrooms reading The Ice House.