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Second Step® Middle School

A Lasting Foundation for Success

Smiling student with headphones on, next to a representation of the middle school program.
Smiling students

Empowered with Skills for Life

Middle school is a time of growth and change. Second Step® Middle School, our social-emotional learning (SEL) program for Grades 6–8, is backed by the latest research in adolescent brain development and social psychology to help kids navigate this crucial period.

The curriculum includes:

  • A bullying and harassment unit
  • Relatable scenarios for students
  • Differentiation between grade levels
  • Additional interactive activities to keep students engaged and learning
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Best-in-Class Social-Emotional Learning

Second Step® Middle School is a first-of-its-kind social-emotional learning curriculum that’s modern, web-based, and responsive to the needs of today’s students and educators. It’s underpinned by the latest research in adolescent brain development and social psychology. The result is a program that doesn’t just help kids do better in school—it helps them do better in life.

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Relevant to Today’s Middle Schooler

We created dynamic, relevant, discussion-based content that offers practical skills for situations both in and out of the classroom. Many lessons feature videos of real kids talking about issues applicable to their daily lives. There’s a wealth of material, so lessons always feel fresh and interesting.

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Culture of Connectedness

Bringing SEL to every classroom is essential to building a connected school culture. By going schoolwide with the Second Step program, every adult in the building gains access to the program’s lessons, resources, and activities, creating a common language across the school. We know that creating a culture of connectedness is fundamentally important, but we also know that it’s a challenge. That’s why we’ve developed resources that make a schoolwide implementation easy for educators.

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Simple and Effective for Teachers

For any SEL program to be successful, first it has to work for teachers and help them meet the daily demands they face. Extensive field research and piloting have resulted in an intuitive interface teachers are quick to embrace. User feedback has led to a program with unprecedented flexibility—it provides a full year’s lessons for three grades and nearly 200 advisory activities, so teachers can expand or adapt it based on the unique situation in their classroom. The program also requires minimal prep time, and because it’s web-based, everything is in one place.

Best-in-Class Social-Emotional Learning

Second Step® Middle School is a first-of-its-kind social-emotional learning curriculum that’s modern, web-based, and responsive to the needs of today’s students and educators. It’s underpinned by the latest research in adolescent brain development and social psychology. The result is a program that doesn’t just help kids do better in school—it helps them do better in life.

What’s Included in the Program?

For each grade, the program is fully loaded with a year of weekly Second Step® lessons. There’s also program training, nearly 200 advisory activities, and an abundance of additional resources such as lesson plans to extend SEL throughout the day, book lists, and much more.

  • Unit
    1
    Mindsets & Goals
    7 lessons per grade

    Students learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply research-based goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives. This unit’s content helps create classrooms that are connected and encouraging by helping students set and achieve collective and personal goals, learn from challenges, recognize their personal strengths, and explore the unique aspects of their identities.

  • Unit
    2
    Recognizing Bullying & Harassment
    6 lessons per grade

    Students learn how to recognize bullying and harassment, stand up safely to bullying, and respond appropriately to harassment. This unit’s content helps students develop empathy, understand the impact of bullying and harassment on individuals and their communities, and examine social and environmental factors that contribute to negative behaviors as well as identify solutions for preventing those behaviors.

  • Unit
    3
    Thoughts, Emotions & Decisions
    6 lessons per grade

    Students learn how to recognize strong emotions and unhelpful thoughts, and they learn to apply strategies for managing their emotions and reducing stress. This unit’s content helps students understand that all emotions are valuable because they provide us with information about our environment. Students learn to respond to their emotions in ways that help meet their wants and needs.

  • Unit
    4
    Managing Relationships & Social Conflict
    7 lessons per grade

    Students learn strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict. This unit’s content helps students learn to honor and understand differences based on varied personal, familial, and cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to ensuring our programs are culturally relevant, affirming, and accessible to all children, especially the most systemically marginalized children. Learn more.

Scope & Sequence

View a complete list of our units and weekly lesson topics for Grades 6–8.
Download the Full Scope and Sequence (PDF)
Download the Short Scope and Sequence (PDF)
Download the K–8 Scope and Sequence (PDF)

middle school scope and sequence

Review of Research

We’re constantly learning about the skills and concepts that can make a positive difference at this age, from growth mindset and emotion management to social connectedness. Drawing from the latest research in the field, our program helps students manage strong emotions, make good decisions, and create strong friendships while avoiding or de-escalating conflict.
Download the Review of Research (PDF)

middle school review of research

Find out more about Spanish-language materials in this program here.

Sample a Lesson

Grade Six, Lesson 23 example
Respectful Communication

Grade 6, Lesson 23
Sample This Lesson
Lesson Plan (PDF)
Student Handout (PDF)

Grade 7, Lesson 19 example
Practicing Positive Self-Talk

Grade 7, Lesson 18
Sample This Lesson
Lesson Plan (PDF)
Student Handout (PDF)

Grade 8, Lesson 10 example
Environmental Factors that Contribute to Bullying

Grade 8, Lesson 10
Sample This Lesson
Lesson Plan (PDF)
Student Handout (PDF)

middle school alignment charts

Alignment Charts

Learn more about how Second Step Middle School complements your current SEL standards, frameworks, and practices.
Academic Alignment (PDF)
ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors (PDF)
CASEL Core SEL Competencies (PDF)
Restorative Practices in Schools (PDF)

Image of Middle School Advisory Guide pages

Advisory Activities

Educators can create a complete advisory program from the nearly 200 scripted Class Meetings, Class Challenges, and Service-Learning Projects included in the program. These advisory activities can be used with their corresponding weekly lessons to reinforce skills or as stand-alone experiences.

See the Advisory Program Guide (PDF)

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Leadership Team Resources

Administrators can support program success with schoolwide implementation resources and customizable, online presentations that help promote and maintain community buy-in throughout the year.

See the Leadership Team Resources (PDF)

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ParenTeen Connect

Included in the program, both in advisory materials for students and as an at-home family engagement resource, this online experience features candid videos and the guidance of parenting expert Dr. Laura Kastner. Designed by SEL experts, it helps teens and the adults in their lives communicate, connect, and break through on hot-button topics like communication, independence, responsibility, and screen time.

Explore ParenTeenConnect.org

Subscription-Based Pricing

One License Fits Any K–8 Site
As a convenience to elementary and middle schools, the Second Step® Elementary and Second Step® Middle School digital programs are purchased as K–8 schoolwide licenses. Each license aligns to a single school and provides Second Step Elementary and Second Step Middle School for any configuration of Grades K–8. When districts purchase for multiple schools, each schoolwide license covers a single school.

If you’re purchasing for a single school, pricing varies by enrollment. For multisite purchases, pricing varies by number of schools. Pricing for both is discounted to provide economies for multiyear purchases.

Are you purchasing for multiple schools or sites?

Second Step® Programs for Grades K–8: Multisite Pricing

Visit our informational page for multisite purchasers to get a pricing estimate and learn about additional discounts and savings.

Get Pricing

Are you purchasing for a single school?

Second Step® Programs for Grades K–8: Single-School Pricing

 

  • 1 Year

  • 3 Years

  • 5 Years

Number of Students

  •  

  • Save 15%

  • Save 25%

1–450

  • $2,595
  • $6,627
  • $9,747

451–700

  • $2,997
  • $7,647
  • $11,247

701–950

  • $3,495
  • $8,922
  • $13,122

951+

  • $4,095
  • $10,452
  • $15,372

Ready to Purchase?

You can purchase a single-school license in our online store. For multisite pricing, contact us.

Buy Now
middle school program

Take the Next Step

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    District Consultation

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