May Social Emotional Learning Activity Calendar
- Kikori App - Kendra Bostick & Bryn Lottig
- Apr 25
- 9 min read
Updated: May 3
This May, Kikori's Social Emotional Learning theme is "Growth Mindset: Ending the Year on a High Note!" Let’s celebrate the amazing progress students have made, embrace the challenges they've conquered, and finish the year with a mindset that’s all about growth and looking forward to what's next!
🌱 What is the Kikori SEL Calendar?
The Kikori SEL Calendar is a research-based tool designed to help PreK-5 students grow their social-emotional skills in meaningful and joyful ways. Aligned with CASEL’s core competencies and built around Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, the calendar features daily activities connected to national days, monthly themes, and reflection prompts that support self-awareness, responsible decision-making, relationship-building, and more. Each month offers four learning intentions tailored to different grade levels, making it easy for educators to integrate SEL into their daily routines—no extra prep required!
Ready to get started?
April SEL Calendar + FREE Morning Meetings
💻 How to Access the Kikori SEL Calendar for Free:
Getting started is easy (and free)! Here's how:
Click "Sign Up" or "Log In" to create your free educator account or access your existing one.
Enter your email to subscribe and unlock instant access to the calendar and companion resources.
Download Kikori’s CLICKABLE April SEL Calendar below with one FREE Morning Meeting and Advisory session every week designed to foster connections, community and belonging.
This April, let’s re-wild our routines and help students reconnect—with nature, with each other, and with themselves. 🌳✨
Elementary (K-5) SEL Calendar
Advisory (Middle / High School) SEL Calendar
Daily Morning Meeting and Advisory Activities to Transform Your Classroom
The Kikori SEL Calendar makes it easy to weave social-emotional learning into your day, every day. Each calendar is packed with experiential, research-backed activities to support your students’ growth.
Here’s what you’ll get with Kikori’s eSEL Calendar:
Morning Message or Advisory Announcement: Start the day with inspiration and focus.
Sharing or Acknowledging Activity: Foster connections and celebrate each other’s achievements.
Greeting Activity: Practice essential social skills through engaging group interactions.
Interactive National Day Activity: Have fun while learning through activities like “Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day” or “World Kindness Day.”
BONUS: Every activity aligns with CASEL's Social Emotional Learning standards, ensuring that your students build skills for the classroom—and life.
What ready-made resources bring the Kikori SEL Calendar to life in your classroom?
🌱 Growth in Full Bloom: Why May is the Perfect Time to Celebrate Progress and Possibility
As the school year nears its end and nature reaches its peak bloom, May offers a powerful moment to pause, reflect, and recognize just how much students have grown. It’s a time when the seeds of effort, perseverance, and self-belief planted throughout the year begin to show their full potential.
With a foundation of social-emotional skills like self-awareness, resilience, and goal-setting, students are now ready to stretch even further—facing challenges with curiosity, celebrating setbacks as steps forward, and seeing mistakes as part of the learning process. This is the heart of a growth mindset: believing that abilities can grow with effort and experience.
May invites us to create space for this reflection and recognition. Whether it’s through student-led projects, growth celebrations, or journaling about “a time I kept going,” we can help students look back with pride—and ahead with purpose. Like a garden in full bloom, their growth is vibrant, layered, and uniquely their own. Let’s help them see it, celebrate it, and carry it into whatever comes next.
Explore the May SEL Calendar
Morning Meetings / Advisory marked with a ⭐ are available for free!
April Week 5
SEL Learning Intention: Responsible Decision-making
Mon, April 28:
⭐ Tues, April 29:
Wed, April 30:
Thurs, May 1:
Fri, May 2:
May Week 1
SEL Learning Intention: Self-Awareness | Self-efficacy
Mon, May 5:
⭐ Tues, May 6:
Wed, May 7:
Thurs, May 8: Nat. Children's Mental Health Awareness Day | Feelings Speed Rabbit
Fri, May 9: Alphabet Magnet Day | A to Z
May Week 2
Week 2 SEL Learning Intention: Self-management | Self-motivation
Mon, May 12:
Tues, May 13:
⭐ Wed, May 14:
Thurs, May 15: International Family Day | Showing Up for Each Other
Fri, May 16: Drawing Day | Drawing on My Back
May Week 3
Week 3 SEL Learning Intention:
Mon, May 19:
⭐ Tues, May 20:
Wed, May 21:
Thurs, May 22: International Day for Biological Diversity | Fast Animals
Friday, May 23: World Turtle Day | Pass the Object
May Week 4
Week 4 SEL Learning Intention:
Mon, May 26: Memorial Day | Yin Nature Solo Walk
Tues, May 27: Sunscreen Day | Sunshine Statements
Wed, May 28:
⭐ Tues, May 29: Mount Everest Day | The Number Game
Fri, May 30: Nat. Creativity Day | Creative Word Spell
Choose Kikori for Transformative SEL
Kikori isn’t just a resource—it’s your partner in creating a culture of kindness and connection in your classroom.
Here’s why educators love Kikori:
Daily SEL Activities: Access Morning Meeting slides, National Day activities, and more—all research-backed and easy to use.
Aligned to Standards: Every activity supports CASEL SEL Standards, 21st Century Skills, and Sustainable Development Goals.
Flexible for All Ages: With calendars for Elementary, Middle, and High School, Kikori meets students where they are.
Bringing the World into Your Classroom
Every day is an opportunity for discovery with Kikori’s National Day activities! These engaging themes invite students to learn about the world around them, weaving history, STEM, nature, and storytelling into daily classroom experiences. Whether it’s supporting emotional well-being on Children's Mental Health Awareness Day (May 8), exploring words on Alphabet Magnet Day (May 9), connecting to global kindness on Fair Trade Day (May 11), buzzing with ideas on World Bee Day (May 20), or practicing empathy through expression on National Creativity Day (May 30), May is filled with meaningful opportunities to spark curiosity, compassion, and creativity in your classroom.
Authentic school communities are built on connection, recognition, and care. By taking time to celebrate the educators and staff who make a difference every day—whether it’s School Principal Day (May 1), School Lunch Hero Day (May 2), National Teacher's Day (May 6)or School Nurse's Day (May 7) —we create space to truly see one another, share appreciation, and strengthen relationships. Each activity in our Appreciation Day Calendar offers a unique, new activity to help studentsget to know and celebrate the people who help schools thrive.
By bringing these moments into the classroom, students not only develop their social-emotional skills but also build meaningful relationships and a greater understanding of the world. This blend of connection and learning aligns with the ultimate goal of SEL: to help students grow into empathetic, curious, and confident individuals ready to thrive in their communities.
Want More?
Go Pro or School-Wide
Kikori Pro Membership: For the cost of a single printable, unlock a whole month of fun, ready-to-go activities, helpful resources, and downloadable slides. It’s like a treasure chest of SEL goodness for your classroom! 💎
Kikori School-Wide Solution: Ready to bring Kikori to your whole school? Our School-Wide Solution includes everything you need—Tier 1 Morning Meeting curriculum, trauma-informed training, and a library of SEL playlists for all levels. It’s the perfect way to support every student on their SEL journey, from the first day to the last! 🌱
The Power of Growth Mindset: Groundbreaking Research on Students' Capacity to Learn and Thrive 🌱🧠
As the school year winds down and students reflect on their progress, there's no better time to celebrate the transformative power of a growth mindset. Backed by decades of research, the concept of growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning—has revolutionized education. It's not just a trendy buzzword; it's a powerful framework that helps students persevere, embrace challenges, and grow into resilient learners.
Below, we highlight some of the most compelling studies and insights that show why growth mindset is essential for every learner—and how educators can help students unlock their potential.
1. Growth Mindset and Academic Achievement: Believing You Can Improves What You Can Do 🎓📈
Dr. Carol Dweck’s foundational research introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset, showing that students who believe their intelligence is malleable tend to perform better academically. Rather than fearing failure, these students view setbacks as opportunities to learn.
Study Insight:In a landmark study (Blackwell, Trzesniewski & Dweck, 2007), 7th-grade students who were taught about growth mindset showed a significant boost in math grades compared to peers who didn’t receive the intervention. Their belief in the ability to improve directly impacted their effort and performance.
2. Growth Mindset and Motivation: Turning “I Can’t” Into “I Can’t Yet” 💪🚀
Students with a growth mindset are more likely to persist in the face of difficulty. Instead of giving up, they tend to increase their effort, try new strategies, and ask for help. This kind of motivation is key not only to academic success, but also to long-term personal development.
Study Insight:Paunesku et al. (2015) conducted a large-scale study with over 1,500 high school students and found that even brief online growth mindset interventions significantly increased motivation and improved grades—especially among students at risk of dropping out.
3. Growth Mindset and Emotional Resilience: Failing Forward with Confidence 🧠❤️
A growth mindset isn't just about academics—it also supports emotional health. When students view challenges as part of the learning journey rather than as personal shortcomings, they experience less anxiety and develop greater resilience.
Study Insight:Yeager and Dweck (2012) found that adolescents who adopted a growth mindset were better able to cope with social and academic stress, showed reduced aggression, and bounced back more quickly from failures.
4. Growth Mindset and Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap 🌍📚
One of the most powerful applications of growth mindset is its ability to help close educational gaps. When students from underrepresented or underserved communities are taught that intelligence is not fixed, they gain a stronger sense of control over their learning journey—and this can have a lasting impact.
Study Insight:Claro, Paunesku & Dweck (2016) analyzed data from over 160,000 students in Chile and found that those from low-income backgrounds who had a growth mindset outperformed wealthier peers with a fixed mindset. This suggests that fostering growth mindset can help level the playing field.
5. Growth Mindset in Practice: The Role of Feedback and Language 🗣️🌟
The way adults talk to students matters. Praise focused on effort (“You worked really hard on that!”) rather than innate ability (“You’re so smart!”) has been shown to encourage perseverance and risk-taking.
Study Insight:Mueller & Dweck (1998) found that children praised for their intelligence were more likely to avoid challenges and give up after failure, while those praised for effort were more resilient and performed better over time.
6. Cultivating Growth Mindset Schoolwide: Culture Change Through Consistency 🏫🔁
Adopting a growth mindset doesn’t happen overnight—it requires a cultural shift. When entire schools implement mindset principles through routines, classroom language, and shared values, students benefit the most.
Study Insight:A report by PERTS (Project for Education Research That Scales) found that schoolwide growth mindset programs that included teacher training, classroom activities, and consistent messaging led to measurable increases in student motivation and school engagement.
Why Growth Mindset Matters 🌱
At its core, a growth mindset empowers students to believe that their potential isn’t predetermined—it’s unfolding. It changes the question from “Am I smart?” to “How can I get smarter?” By embracing effort, learning from mistakes, and seeking challenges, students not only succeed academically—they grow into confident, curious, and capable people.
📚 Popular Books to Foster a Growth Mindset in Children
“Your Fantastic Elastic Brain” by JoAnn Deak – A kid-friendly introduction to the science of neuroplasticity and how the brain grows through effort.
“The Most Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires – A story about persistence, frustration, and creative problem-solving.
“I Can’t Do That, YET” by Esther Cordova – Helps children understand that growth takes time and effort.
“Bubble Gum Brain” by Julia Cook – A playful look at fixed vs. growth mindset thinking.
“What Do You Do With a Problem?” by Kobi Yamada – Encourages kids to face problems head-on as learning opportunities.
📑 References
Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246–263.
Claro, S., Paunesku, D., & Dweck, C. S. (2016). Growth mindset tempers the effects of poverty on academic achievement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(31), 8664–8668.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children’s motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52.
Paunesku, D., et al. (2015). Mind-set interventions are a scalable treatment for academic underachievement. Psychological Science, 26(6), 784–793.
Yeager, D. S., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindsets that promote resilience: When students believe that personal characteristics can be developed. Educational Psychologist, 47(4), 302–314.
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